The Haret (The Haret Series) (30 page)

             
She looked up.

             
“What is it?”

             
He smiled but said nothing right away; instead he brushed the hair from her eyes and then let his finger trace the side of her jaw.

             
“It’s your memories of us. Open it only when you are ready.”

             
She picked up the vial intrigued twirling it around in her fingers and pulled at the delicate cap. Raine placed his hand over hers stopping her. His face was more serious than she had yet to see.

             
“When you open it all the memories of our time together will return instantly.”

             
His declaration was what she wanted more than anything yet by his somber expression she sensed there was something more.

             
              “Then why would you stop me from opening it? Don’t you want me to remember?”             

             
“More than ever.”  He said.

             
“Your dreams of me…..” he stopped and looked away. “I’m sorry I fear in my excitement to be with you again, that I have said too much.”

             
Felicitas heart began to race; she rose up on her elbow eager to hear what he was trying to say.

             
“What about my dreams?”

             
He closed his eyes and kept silent. Felicitas rose to a sitting position and touched his face, turning it towards her.

             
“Please Raine. Please tell me. I need to know. Don’t stop now….what about my dreams?”

             
He opened his eyes and looked deep into hers but still he remained quiet.

             
Felicitas twisted the cap on the vial.

             
“If you will not tell me then I will find out on my own.”

             
He placed his hand back over hers stopping her once again.

             
He leaned toward her his voice softened and his words were almost inaudible.

             
“Your dreams were not dreams my dear. They were memories, memories of a life you have forgotten.”

             
Her head felt light and the room began to spin. An intense heat invaded her body, and she found it difficult to breath. She closed her eyes hoping the dizziness would subside.

             
“What are you talking about?”

             
Raine shook his head.

             
“I’ve spoken too soon and I am sorry. Perhaps we should finish this conversation another day.”

             
“No.” Felicitas surprised herself by her tone. “We will not finish it another day. I have been through hell the past month not to mention the events of the past twenty four hours. I think I deserve to know the secrets that have recently destroyed my life since I never volunteered for any of this.”

             
“Actually you did.” his voice was quiet. “Your true home is here and although you do not remember you willingly went through the portal to be born on earth so you could save our world. You are the pure chosen daughter of Haret.”

             
Felicitas shook her head in protest and closed her eyes.

             
“I must be dreaming again, I know this is just another dream and I will wake up soon and I will write all this down and…..”

             
He interrupted her. “They told us that you would forget but you were not afraid of that. You told me once we were reunited I was to give you the vial and when you opened it you would remember us and our life together.”

             
He smiled through tear filled eyes.

             
Felicitas continued to twirl the tiny tube with her fingers.

             
“Then why do you stop me from opening it?”

             
“Because you must know, when you open it your memory of this world will be clear but the memory of your life on earth will fade like a dream. You will be trading one dimension for the other.”

             
Felicitas let the vial fall back on her chest and searched his face for answers but his expression was solemn.

             
“Maybe we should discuss this after you have rested.”

             
She shook her head.

             
“No. I want to discuss it now. I want to remember more than anything…but….. I can’t drink from the vial….because I am not ready to forget.”

             
He interrupted her. “You need not explain. We’re together now, our love has prevailed and I believe will continue to do so.”

             
She felt like crying. He was right; she had been through a lot today and his news was almost too much for her to take in. She wished Grant were here with her. There was something about his presence that put her at ease. She still had many questions and Grant usually provided the answers.

             
“So what happens next?”

             
“We have to get you back, to the dimension earth. Believe it or not it’s much safer there, but it’s not going to be easy. Draco will have all the portals guarded by sunrise. He knows you are here and will make it impossible for you to leave. There is one portal, a secret one but it‘s a difficult and dangerous journey to get there. Our plan is to try and get you through it. It‘s our only hope.”

Felicitas felt a tinge of excitement at the realization of returning home but when Raine stopped talking and looked away her enthusiasm diminished and she feared more disparaging news.

              “What?”

             
He touched the side of her face and looked directly into her eyes.

             
“It won’t be the same…..when you get back….it won’t be the same, time is different…”

             
She paled and suddenly felt as if she were suffocating.  He was right. Her thoughts returned to Reeds story of the two hundred year old man and suddenly she realized why Grant always seemed so sad and alone. When he was a young man he had returned to Haret for a short time but when he went back to earth his young wife was seventy years old. Felicitas felt helpless and thought she might vomit and wondered how much time had already passed since she had been here and suddenly the need to return was overwhelming. The air in the room seemed thin and she felt herself falling into a deep panic as her body began to tremble uncontrollably.

             
“I have to get back” was all she could say.

             
Raine wrapped his arms around her and held her close until her trembling subsided then he whispered in her ear.

             
“We will leave when Grant arrives. The Oracle states that the guardian must accompany us at all times. We will take you to the hidden portal and see you get home as soon as possible. Once you are there, you are free to decide.”

             
“Decide what?”

             
Raine sighed, if you drink from the vial here, you remember your life here in Haret. If you drink from the vial back in Earth, you will forget all of this and you and the child are free to live there in peace. The drakes will not come after you because once you have forgotten your purpose here; you will no longer be a threat.”

             
“Then what becomes of the two kingdoms? Will they ever be reunited?”

             
Raine shook his head.

             
“No, darkness will prevail and all hope will be lost.”

             
Felicitas picked up the vial and twirled it in her fingers. She wanted to drink from it just to have answers and to see if what Raine was saying was really true. But if it was, then she would forget seventeen years of a life and friends and family and however selfish it may seem she was not ready to give all that up just yet. She felt Raine’s inspection of her and smiled.

             
“I’m sorry.” she whispered.

             
He leaned close to her and placed his mouth on her lips kissing her. Then he pulled away slowly locking eyes with her. He stroked her swollen lip with is finger.

             
“Does it hurt?”

             
She swallowed hard color rushing into her face.

             
“No.”

             
He smiled and pulled her head close; his warm hands caressed her hair while his lips kissed her slender neck then found their way back to her mouth. Never had she felt a kiss so rapturous. Her stomach tightened and grew warm and when she reached to hold his face the oversized buccaneer shirt slipped down around her elbow exposing her bare shoulder and her naked breast. Color filled her cheeks.

He smiled at her.

              “Why do you blush? You are breathtaking and I’ve seen much more than this, or have you forgotten you are carrying my child?”

             
She felt the color deepened on her face so she looked away.

             
He swept her hair away taking in the beauty of her form. He kissed her shoulder and then gently replaced the fallen sleeve and whispered.

“I know your memory of me is vague and I am at best a stranger to you. You need not feel any obligation to me but I warn you I will continue to pursue your affections.”

              The warm feeling intensified in her stomach as goose bumps prickled her skin. She turned her face and her swollen lip brushed against his. She swallowed hard. Raine didn’t move his face but he didn’t kiss her either. He let their lips brush against each other and inhaled her scent before he pulled away.

             
“I want nothing more than to make love to you but I dare not take advantage of your weakened state.”

             
She swallowed hard and wished he would continue because at this point she was sure she wasn’t dreaming. She relaxed her body and fell back onto the soft feather mattress. She was wide awake but she would sleep now. Come morning she wouldn’t be writing in a journal but making a long dangerous journey to a portal home.

EPILOGUE

              “Felicitas,” the voice whispered “Wake up.” She stirred in the warm bed, and although she tried to obey the command, her eyes would not open. She drifted back to sleep, only to rouse at the slamming of a door and voices in the distance, all speaking on top of each other, with much urgency. She wanted to wake up and see what all the commotion was about, but her eyelids remained heavy, and she’d rather return to her dream.  Raine had kissed her, and the way his lips felt on hers, made it feel as if it were really happening; she smiled in her sleep.

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