Chapter 9

As if by magic, a sense of understanding washed over her eyes. Tears formed as she blinked, looking like diamonds had crystallized in the corners of her eyes. I gently wiped them away. “Please don’t cry…” I whispered, holding her tight, letting her head rest on my chest. I didn’t know if she remembered me or not, but one thing was certain, the feeling of her body pressed against mine was the best feeling in the world. I held her tight, vowing never to let her go.

“I can’t believe I had forgotten you. For so many years, I’ve wandered this land, passing from one life to the next, looking for you.” Her voice was choked with tears, her slender arms wrapping around my waist. “This time, I convinced myself you were nothing more than a dream… now I realize the fool that I’ve been.”

I ran my hands up down her back in a soothing motion. “It’s okay…” I kissed the top of her head, smelling the scent of saltwater floating from her person to my nostrils. “All that matters is that I have found you and that you remember me once more.” I pulled her away, holding her at arm’s length so I could peer into her eyes.

“How did you survive for so long?” She asked.

I chuckled. “You know, it wasn’t easy. After you put that ring on my finger, I washed up in a place called Jamaica. Everyone looked at me like I was some sort of a monster. I couldn’t speak their language and had nothing to trade so I had to work myself up to a small fortune. I worked day and night before I could buy myself passage to budding New England where I made a name for myself, starting up a bank and loaning money to all the people who thought they should move to the Frontier. Then, I eventually joined them, assuming a new identity and becoming a gold miner. And that’s when I really struck it rich. From that point on, I kept investing my money, letting it accumulate until the moment I found you.” I explained, pulling her toward the lounge chairs. I sat her on my lap, my hand on her thigh, resting there gently.

She blushed, looking at it, but didn’t bother to push it away. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that…”

“But there’s one thing I could never understand…” I said, brushing the hair out of her face.

“What’s that?” She asked, resting her head on my chest, seemingly listening to my heartbeat.

“How did you make me immortal? For a time, I thought the ring was magical, but even when I took it off, I never aged.” I looked away from her and into the distance. “It became too painful a reminder of what I no longer had. Yet, I never dared to sell it off like all my other treasures. I always made sure to keep it safe.” I told her, my voice clear-cut and confident. “Sometimes I was discouraged, but I never completely lost the hope that I’d find you in the end.”

Nixie smiled brightly, wrapping her arms around me and burrowing her face into my neck. “I’m so glad you found me, Slade.” She whispered into my ear, her lips brushing against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.

I held her tight, smiling to myself. In that moment, I was the happiest man alive.

“But…” She spoke up, breaking the peaceful silence that had settled around us, cloaking us like a blanket. “I… I can’t break the curse.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that when you were dying… I threw off my golden armbands, the source of my powers into the sea, as an offering to Poseidon. He granted you immortality, but in turn, I lost all my abilities.” She said, remembering clearly. “Without them, I’ll grow old in this body and reincarnate into someone else, forgetting you once again.”

My lips contorted with disappointment. Had I come so far to find her, just to lose her again the moment this body failed? My heart throbbed just thinking about it. No, I couldn’t bear to lose her again.

“So you can’t do any magic?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Can you at least try?” She nodded and closed her eyes, looking like she was in some sort of a trance. I stared at her, looking for some kind of sign that it was working, but all I heard was the soft sound of the ocean, lapping against the shore.

“It won’t work. I’m no longer in tune with Poseidon’s domain…” She frowned, the disappointment apparent on her face.

“Is there nothing else we can do?”

“There is one thing we can try… but it’s rather risky.”

“I don’t care. I’m willing to do anything to be with you. Just say the word.” I took her hands into mine and stared into her eyes, waiting for her response.

“We could ask…” She once again hesitated, as if afraid to finish her sentence.

“Nixie. Please. You have to tell me.” I pulled her closer, the tips of our noses touching. “Please,” I begged her.

“We can ask Poseidon. If he’s benevolent, he’ll return my armbands and everything will be as it once was.”

My heart sank. Poseidon? Would I really go so low as to ask my own enemy for help? Would he really help me be with the woman he was supposed to marry two hundred years ago? I looked at her, but I knew there was no other choice.