The air shifted quicker than the tides. As if the happiness had been sucked out of the room and the wind outside stilled to a calm breeze that barely moved a single leaf. The clouds drew together and an ominous blanket laid over the house and it weighed us down, pressing our bodies against the floors and making my heart feel like it was filled with led.
Heavy and still I took a step back needing to create space between myself and the man I had come to love.
He viewed me with such gentleness and calm but inside him was a roaring storm that brewed before the burst of rain and thunder commenced.
”Layla, how do you know that name?” He too fell back a step, the distance between us growing further and his eyes suddenly looking past me and into a ghost. I saw her in his eyes, I knew he was seeing her too. Would she always be here? Standing in between us and would he always wish that it was her that he was with instead of me?
”When the gates opened and I talked to that girl, I saw a memory, a vivid one. You mentioned her name. And then-” I stopped and locked eyes with Cara and Mason, both of whom seemed to be holing their breaths and waiting for the ball to drop.
”-i went up into the eastern tower and another memory appeared to me. It played in my head like a movie, like a horror film, I felt your bond but I need you to tell me. Who is she?”
His lips parted and pain stung his eyes as the memories rushed back. Nothing fell, not a single tear escaped but the ghost of his past lingered in the mirror of his eyes. The bond was too strong to not yet be felt and that broke my heart. I knew our bond wasn’t like others, it wasn’t as strong and I knew that from the start but I never figured the reason was that his heart still belonged to another woman.
”She’s gone,” he said and clenched his jaw as he pressed his lips together.
Kade cleared his throat and shook his head.
”She’s gone, that’s all you need to know.” I smiled, a smile that brought him more pain.
”But she’s not gone. She’s still there, up in the tower, on the fifth floor and in your mind,”
”Layla,”
”Do you still love her?” I asked and held my breath as I waited for the answer.
”No. I love you, the moongoddess blessed me with a second chance at true love and you came into my life. I love you, only you and no one else. She’s gone and yes I still have memories of her but I promise you-” he grabbed my hands and lifted my chin.
”-you are everything to me. My future isn’t with a ghost from my past but it’s with you.”
I sat in the den and lit a fire. It was small and cozy, I needed the privacy and had told everyone to just give me some space and time. I needed to think and get everything straight in my head before I started talking to them about everything. I knew that Anna wanted answers and that she wanted to be here for me but I couldn’t let her in yet, not until I knew myself how I felt.
The roaring fire lit to life and i watched the flames dancing higher. It was calming and brought peace to my soul but not to my head.
Should I trust him?
’Do you?’
I don’t know, I don’t think anyone can just let go of a bond that strong
’So take your time and see how it plays out. He seemed genuine and you felt it too’
The fire started crackling and ashes were splurging out on the floor.
What’s happening?
’I don’t know’
The smoke rose and waved around and the orange color suddenly turned black.
”Layla,” a voice started humming from the fire and I walked closer to see what was happening.
”Layla.” There was nothing there, the voice however grew sterner.
”You cannot trust him. The love is strong, the bond is tied, it hasn’t been broken and therefor he has not given himself to you,”
”You don’t know that.” Who the fuck was I talking too? why was I answering?
”Look in the rooms, Layla. Look behind the locked doors, you will see the truth as is and not as pretended.” It was as though the fire spit out and the orange color returned.
”Hello?” I looked closer, bending down to see what the fuck was going on but there was nothing there and I got no answer. Everything was back to normal but the words stayed with me.
After everything that had happened just in the past twenty four hours I didn’t know whether to see this as a warning or a sign. Or maybe it was both.
The words stuck with me though, all through the night and until the next day. Me and Kade hadn’t spoken much, he came back to the room after I had fallen asleep and was gone by the time I woke up.
After my shower I got dressed and stepped out. The warriors were training right now so the house was empty. I slowly slid my hand on the railing as I walked up the stairs. I could feel the same weird vibe as I felt yesterday when walking up here but this time I wouldn’t stop. This time I would see what was behind those locked doors.
”What are you doing?” I jumped and turned as the man spoke.
”Mason,” i said and sighed as my hand clutched my chest.
”What are you doing here?” he asked with a grin and cheekily looked about the doors.
”Do you really have to ask?” I rose a brow and he nodded his head.
”No. Come on, let’s grab some breakfast and talk,’ Mason turned around and walked down the stairs. My eyes glanced at the doors I had tried to open yesterday and there was no chance I’d get to it now that he was here.
Me and Mason piled our plates with food and sat down.
”How are you?” Those words, they held so much power and it was weird but I felt like I was gonna cry.
”I’m fine, considering everything,”
”It won’t do you any good to go up there. Those memories…they’ll just bring you pain,” he said and I heard how much he cared; I just didn’t know if it was me he cared about or his brother.
”So why does he keep them? The memories I mean. He has a whole floor dedicated to a woman who’s dead,’ Masons brows furrowed and his head fell an inch as his eyes held mine captive.
”Danielle didn’t die, Layla, she left.”
