When Gwendolyn returned to the house, they were in the kitchen having some huge meat sandwiches she had prepared with some of the feast’s leftovers.
“It’s a good thing your father seems to be distracted with Esther and Joshua. Otherwise, I’m sure he would have come looking for you,” she mocked the two lovers.
Rhiannon scowled. “He knows I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”
The older woman nodded and took a seat at the table with them. “Kael, I was told this morning a merchant is coming to our village. He’s heading south so this could be your chance to get a guide.
The broad smile on Kael’s face was like a hard punch to Rhiannon’s guts, and she suddenly lost all appetite.
“That sounds perfect, Gwendolyn. When is he expected?”
“In a couple of days, I think. That gives you just enough time to ask the blacksmith to turn your gold into coins. They’re a lot easier to carry and accepted everywhere,” she advised him.
“Is he a trustworthy man?”
“Yes, he is. He’s my cousin,” Rhiannon replied, with a faint smile. “He and his brother were the ones that took me to the Devil’s mountain.”
“That’s perfect. Would you take me to see him?”
“Of course.” She put her food aside and jumped out of her chair. “I better get going now. Dad must be worried by now,” she said, without facing anyone. “I’ll see you in the morning.” And before any of the other two could answer, she fled out of the house.
She hadn’t gotten too far when she heard footsteps following her.
“Rhiannon, wait up,” Kael called her.
She didn’t stop or even slowed down, but it only took him a few seconds to reach her.
“We need to talk,” he said, grabbing her by the arm and forcing her to stop.
“I’m sure whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow,” she protested, trying to free herself.
“No, it can’t,” he assured her. “You know I have to leave, right?” he started, but she interrupted him.
“Of course, I know.” She knew this was the moment to ask him to take her with him, but after what he had told her about his soulmate, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go. She couldn't bear seeing him falling in love with another woman. “And if all you want is my blessing, you have it. I truly hope you find your friends and your soulmate,” she said, in a cold tone, her eyes staring at the ground, unable to face him.
“I don’t want your blessing, woman, I want you to come with me,” he replied, in an impatient tone, as he took her hands in his. “I know I’m asking too much of you, after all, you barely know me, and I’m asking you to leave the world you know to go out exploring with me, but I can’t conceive this adventure without you at my side,” he said. “Please, come with me.”
Against all common sense, she opened her mouth to yell ‘yes’ from the top of her lungs, but then she remembered what he told her about the soulmate and she closed her mouth again. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Kael,” she said, still staring at the ground. “What will happen to me when you grow tired of my company? Or when you finally find your soulmate?” she asked, with a scornful tone. “I would be in the way, and I’m sure whoever she happens to be, she wouldn’t be pleased to see another woman traveling with her man.”
He forced her chin up and locked his eyes on hers. “I will never grow tired of you. I thought you knew that by now,” he scolded her, with a soft tone.
She struggled to keep the tears welling up in her eyes at bay, but one rolled down her cheeks. “How can you say that and then tell me you’re hoping to find your soulmate as soon as possible?” she grumbled, closing her eyes, unwilling to let him see all the pain inside her.
“I never said that,” he protested.
“Of course, you did. You said all your people find their soulmate and that you are supposed to know it from the moment you meet them.”
“I also told you things could change in my case, and they did,” he retorted. “Rhiannon, when I first met you, I was so attracted to you I couldn’t understand why my instincts hadn’t identified you as my soulmate,” he stated. “My feelings for you only grew, to the point I thought my generation wouldn’t find their soulmates the traditional way, but falling in love like you humans do.”
Rhiannon opened her eyes wide, having trouble to believe what he was saying.
“It was only when your father told me that the demons had taken you that my instincts woke up and gave me the sign I had been waiting for,” he explained, letting out a deep sigh. “I didn’t want to tell you about this, not now, at least, because I wanted to give you time to get to know me and perhaps, fall in love with me, the way I fell in love with you, the minute I saw you.”
“Are… are you… trying to tell me… you love me?” she mumbled, astonished.
“I’m not trying, Rhiannon, I’m telling you so. I love you,” he assured her, as he leaned over and captured her lips with a passionate kiss.
She wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss, so happy she thought she would burst into a million bubbles.
“I love you so much. I have been so worried, trying to find a way to convince you to take me with you, unwilling to say goodbye to the man that stole my heart,” she mumbled, interspersing her words with kisses.
He pulled her into his arms and hugged her harder. “You have no idea what it means to me to hear those words, Rhiannon,” he kissed her again. “I know I’m asking too much of you, but I would even stay here if you hate the idea of leaving. You’re more important to me than anybody else.”
She shook her head. “I would go to the end of the world with you, Kael,” she assured him.
“Would you leave this world too?” he asked, his expression suddenly stern.
“Yes, I will leave this world too. Life without you would be a dark and arid existence.”
He kissed her once more, feeling so happy he was having trouble believing in it.
Suddenly, she took a step back and looked at him with a slight frown. “If I’m your soulmate, as you call it, why were you so upset when you realized you had taken my blood?” she asked, worried.
He let out a sigh. “The conversion is a tough process. You literally die during it, and it can be very traumatic for the man and the woman. I’m not sure I’m ready for that, especially with no guarantees it will work, considering things are a bit different for me than they were for my parents. I’m not ready to lose you. In fact, I’m sure I’ll never be,” he explained. “Eventually, we will have to convert you, but there’s no rush.”
She giggled and nodded. “Very well. I better go home and talk to my father. This won’t be easy for him.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” he offered.
“No. I need to talk to him alone. You can join us for lunch and talk to him then.”
“As you wish. I’ll pick you up in the morning so that we can visit your cousin.”
“Yes, that’s perfect. I’ll take him some of my gold too.”
“You don’t have to bring it with you, you know that, right?”
“Yes, I do, but I would like to have some money of my own. Women love to buy trinkets.”
“Even so. All I have is yours. With my scanner we’ll never have trouble finding something to exchange for services,” he assured her.
“I know, but even so, I would like to take some of it.”
Realizing he wouldn’t be able to convince her, he nodded and kissed her one last time.
“I’ll see you in the morning, then.”
When she got home, her father was sitting in the living room waiting for her. “I guess you were with Kael all this time,” he said in a cold tone. He didn’t look pleased.
“Yes, I was.”
“You do realize he will be leaving us soon?” he asked.
“As a matter of fact, he’ll be leaving in a couple of days, and I’ll be leaving with him.”
He jumped out of his chair and stood in front of her, his hands on his hips, his legs slightly spread. “Tell me you’re not serious.”
She sighed. “Of course, I’m serious, dad. I love him, and he loves me too. He needs to go find his friends, and I’m going with him. I’m sure you can understand that,” she explained.
“He’s from another planet, Rhiannon. He’ll want to take you with him,” he protested.
“I know, and I’m counting on it. He’s my soulmate, father, the only man for me.”
“You barely know him. How can you know that for sure?” he insisted.
“I just know, dad. And no matter what you or anybody says, I’m leaving with him. I can’t imagine a life without him, dad.”
Peter pursed his lips and clenched his hands into fists as if struggling to keep his self-control. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You’ll never lose me, dad, but I have to follow my destiny.”
He sighed and rubbed his face. “I guess you’re right. But, I’ll miss you.”
She closed the distance between them and hugged him. “I’ll miss you too.” She kissed his cheek. “You’re still young, father. You should take my departure as a sign it’s time for you to find someone else to keep you company,” she suggested, with a naughty grin.
He chuckled. “Who would want an old man like me?”
“You would be surprised.”