Destiny Redeemed (10 page)

That
part was also the part of him that held out for the tiniest glimmer of hope
that he’d been freed from the cold loneliness his destined one had imposed upon
him. Was it possible Sevine had moved on?

Reaching
out to Markku, he sought to find out the answer. In seconds, he heard the heavy
footsteps of the magickian as he plodded up the stairs toward his room.

Markku
timidly poked his head through the crack in the door.

“You
need something, big...uh, Amon?”

Nodding,
Amon ordered, “Close the door and get in here. I have a job for you.”

Markku
closed the door and began to listen with interest to the task he was charged
with.

Chapter Eight

Thea
stretched her body dreamily on the four poster bed, satisfied with her fantasy.
Never before had she met anyone like Amon, and she was sure he was the one
destined for her. However, she also knew she wouldn’t simply stay trapped at
his home wishing he’d realize the gift he’d been given.

She
knew leaving would be dangerous, and he’d come find her. At least she hoped he
would.

Thea
listened as someone climbed the steps, and she froze in panic that the brute
who’d kidnapped her was coming to her room. She analyzed the footsteps and knew
they weren’t Amon’s or Gethen’s. Neither man was so heavy on his feet. They had
to be Markku’s. Terrified, she sat up on the bed and waited, ready to defend herself
but hopeful that Amon would save her.

Gradually,
the sound passed her room and when she heard Amon’s door open, she breathed a
deep sigh of relief. Her muscles relaxed, and she unclenched her hands from the
fists she’d unconsciously made. She was safe, for the moment.

Amon’s
door closed, and she listened again, terrified for the man’s footsteps but
heard none. Where had he gone? Thea’s mind raced to the only logical
conclusion: he was in Amon’s room. Even more importantly, this meant no one was
guarding the door downstairs because Gethen had been sent to run errands. Adrenaline
pumped through her body. Now was her chance to escape!

Knowing
she had only seconds, she grabbed her shoes from where Amon had placed them
earlier and tiptoed to the bedroom door. She listened closely but heard no one
in the hallway. Praying whatever Amon was doing behind his door would keep him
distracted, she slowly turned the doorknob and opened the door just a crack. As
she peered out into the hallway, she squeezed her shoes in her hand. She was
ready this time!

Holding
her breath, she stepped out into the hallway, fearful her next step might be on
the squeaky floorboard but sure she had to take the chance. Each silent step to
the stairs produced a rush of relief that coursed through her. She took the
steps, careful to make no noise and felt such utter joy when she reached the
main floor that she wanted to shout. Only a few more steps and she’d be free.

The
fear that Gethen would find her just as she was so close to freedom that she
could taste it came over her as she opened the front door, but a quick look
around told her she’d done it. She’d escaped!

Thea
barely had her shoes on before her feet were running down the road from Amon’s
house. The November chill hit her through his dress shirt, but nothing could
take away from the feeling she was experiencing. Her brain gave her body one
command over and over. Run! She had no idea where she was; she had no way home.
She didn’t even have money. But she was free.

*

Markku
looked at Amon quizzically. “Are we talking about the spell broad? The one who
cursed you to have to be nice to any woman you’re in love with?”

Amon
hated talking to Markku.  Just the sound of the greasy man’s voice irritated
him. He’d just spent ten minutes explaining exactly what he wanted him to do—a
simple task really—and now he was forced to endure the usual inane series of
questions that came with dealing with him.

“Yes,”
he said through gritted teeth.

Markku
scrunched up his face as if he’d just tasted a lemon for the first time.  “And
you want me to find her?”

Amon
wondered why anyone in the Soren kept this guy around. In utter frustration, he
began to explain for the second time what he needed Markku to do.

“Yeah,
yeah. I know what you want me to do. I just don’t see why.”

A
flash of pure rage rose up in Amon, and he wanted to strangle the greasy man in
front of him, but then he’d have no one to do what he needed. Reluctantly, he
relaxed and worked to keep his tone calm.

“I
already told you. I want to know if I still have a destined one. I’ve recently had
a sense that I may not.”

Markku
seemed placated by this answer and a thoughtful look passed over his face. He
leaned up against the door and appeared to consider what he’d just heard as if
any of it were negotiable.

“Okay.
I’m sure my guy in the Directorate can give us what we want, but I’m going to
need some more information about her. And some cash. A lot of it because I have
no doubt anyone checking into anyone even remotely connected to you now will be
taking a huge risk.”

“Fine.
Have Gethen give you what you need. As for information, the last time I knew
her she was Frederika Blake and lived in Hinwick in Bedfordshire, England in the late 1700s. She was my destined one for seventeen lifetimes at that point.”

Amon
thought for a moment of the description he’d just given. Seventeen lifetimes.
When she’d come to him as Sevine all those lifetimes ago, they’d been so happy.
Even now, as he thought about the memories they’d created, the children they’d
brought into the world, a small smile crept onto his face.

But
somewhere along the way that happiness had turned into something hurtful and
ugly, and he knew it had happened because of him. She hadn’t changed so much as
grown tired of his ways. He’d been warned that his time with her would be a
repeat of his lifetimes with his second destined one if he didn’t change.

“Seventeen!”
Markku exclaimed and then whistled. “God bless you and save me from a fate like
that.”

Markku’s
insult brought Amon back to the present, and he sat up in his bed staring at
the man and wondering in disgust why he hadn’t left yet.

“Can
I ask you something, Amon?”

Sure
he didn’t want to hear Markku’s question but just as sure he was too tired to
scare the hell out of him so he’d leave, Amon simply stared back at him and
Markku took the lack of any verbal threat as approval to ask his question.

“Does
this have anything to do with the girl?”

Amon
shrank his eyes into slits, letting Markku know he’d gone too far, so he
hastily added, “Because I just wanted to say I was sorry for threatening her.
And if I hurt her when I was bringing her here. I don’t know what she said, but
I was just doing what Gethen told me to do so we didn’t lose you.”

As
he spoke, he fingered the bandage on his hand and looked down at the floor, and
Amon knew he was at least somewhat sincere in what he said. Markku was a toady
and any number of other repellent things, but he wasn’t truly a person who
would harm a female intentionally.

That
didn’t mean he wanted to have a bonding session with the man, though, so Amon
waved his hand and rolled over to avoid any more discussion with him. He was
tired and wished to revisit Thea’s thoughts if he couldn’t see her.

Closing
his eyes, he realized he was even too tired to do that and drifted off to sleep
thinking how much he hoped Markku would come back with the right answer.

*

Pain
stabbed in Thea’s sides, and she slowed down to catch her breath next to a
group of bushes. She’d run her fastest for fifteen minutes, but she knew she
wasn’t safe yet. At any moment, they’d realize she was gone, if they hadn’t
already, and would track her down.

A
twinge of sadness pinched at her when she thought of how Amon would feel when
he found out she’d left. Their last conversation had been as kind as he’d been
to her in her time there, and she knew he’d be hurt by her leaving. In truth,
leaving hurt her too, but until he saw what they were meant to be, she couldn’t
wait, a hostage in his home.

What
if he sent the same man to find her and bring her back? She believed Amon when
he promised her she’d be safe as long as she was with him, and she knew that
included keeping his henchman away from her.

But
I’m not with him anymore.

Thea
drew a deep breath and pushed away the sadness that had crept into her heart.
She’d see Amon again. She just hoped he’d understand why she had to leave.

She
made her way to the nearest town and found a coffee shop on the first main
road. The Cuppa Coffee Shop was empty, except for a waitress and one female
sitting at the counter, and Thea hurriedly walked to the back of the restaurant
just in case Gethen was still nearby running his errands.

As
she sat at the pale green Formica table, a heaviness settled inside her. He’d
sent Gethen to get her slippers.

Stop
it! You were being held against your will! Do not feel bad for saving yourself!

What
she did feel especially bad about was not performing as a healer. She knew he’d
recover fully as she’d healed him sufficiently already, but it would take
longer than if she were there for him. For that, she was truly sorry.

“Honey,
what can I get you?”

Thea
looked up and saw a top heavy older woman with teased white hair like cotton
candy and pink stained lips. The waitress had a pen and order tablet and was
ready to hear Thea’s choices from the combination paper menu and placemat
placed on the table in front of her.

In
reality, she didn’t want anything, even though she hadn’t eaten in hours. Amon
had sent Gethen to her room with food every few hours, and she’d finally given
in when he brought the last tray and enjoyed a turkey sandwich and potato chips.
What she really needed from the woman in front of her was information and a
telephone.

“Just
a coffee, I guess. Can you tell me the name of this town?”

“Cochecton,
honey. Are you lost?”

“No.
Do you have a phone I can use?”

“There’s
a pay phone near the bathroom.”

Thea
ran her hands over her pants pockets hoping she’d left a spare dollar or two in
them. Feeling something in the right one, she reached in to find a twenty-dollar
bill.  Thrilled, she looked up and smiled.

“Can
I get change?”

“Sure,
hon. Say, is that your boyfriend’s shirt? He must be a big, strappin’ man,” the
waitress replied with a wink as she turned to get her coffee.

Thea
ran her hands down the sleeves and fingered the cuffs as she thought about the
waitress’s word for Amon.

Boyfriend.

Returning
with her coffee and change for the phone, the waitress smiled and went back to
her discussion with the woman at the counter. Thea took a sip of lukewarm
coffee that tasted like it had sat in the pot since the day before and pushed
the cup and saucer away from her. Calling her sister was more important than a cup
of coffee anyway.

“Thea!
Where are you? I’ve been worried sick!”

As
she listened to her sister’s fear coming through the phone loud and clear, Thea
wished she could explain all that had happened in the past few days, but she
knew she didn’t have the time. Every second she spent at the diner kept her in
danger of being found.

“Kat,
I’ll explain everything, but I need you to come get me. How soon can you get to
the town of Cochecton?”

“Where?”

Thea
heard her sister tapping on her computer keyboard searching for directions.

“Google
maps say you’re seventy-five minutes away from me. I’m getting in my car right
now.” Kat paused and the phone grew quiet. “Thea, are you okay?”

“I’m
fine, Kat. Just get to the Cuppa Coffee Shop in Cochecton as fast as you can.
I’ll be inside.”

“Okay.
Don’t worry. I’ll drive fast,” her sister reassured her.

Thea
hurried into the ladies’ room and closed herself in one of the stalls. She knew
Kat would make the trip in record time since she always drove fast. If Kat was
behind the wheel, wherever you were going became a rollercoaster ride of
thrills. For once, she was happy that her sister was a speed demon.

Fifty
minutes later Thea heard the bells on the door to the coffee shop jingle.
Peaking out of the ladies’ room to see her sister standing near the counter, she
motioned to Kat to come into the bathroom, hoping she’d noticed anyone outside.

“Thea,”
she said as she wrapped her arms around her. “What’s going on?” Looking her
sister over, she continued, “And whose shirt is that?”

“I’ll
tell you later. Right now, I need to know if you saw anyone outside.”

Kat
knitted her eyebrows. “Thea, were you kidnapped?”

“Kat!”

“All
right. No, I didn’t see anyone.”

“Are
you sure you didn’t see a man with black hair and a scar down the side of his
face or a greasy man about five foot eight?”

Thea
watched as her sister shook her head. There was a chance she’d actually gotten
away.

“Okay. Then
let’s get to your car and get out of here.”

Thea
closed her eyes not only to block out the usual fear she experienced in the
passenger seat next to her sister but also to deter Kat from wanting to talk
anymore about what she’d been through. Thea knew the vague explanation she’d
offered wouldn’t suffice forever, but she truly hoped her closed eyes would
convince her sister to let her curiosity rest for a while.

As
they rode over rural roads, Thea’s mind vaguely registered the sounds of the
tires against the pitted pavement and the whirring sound of the wind whipping
by the car. She wanted to shut her mind off from thinking, especially about
Amon, but she could think of nothing else. She pictured the look on his face
when he found she was gone, unsure of whether she should cast him as hurt or
angry. Was she just flattering herself by thinking he’d be more hurt than
anything else? Before their time together in her room, she’d have said yes, but
the way he’d touched her, the things he’d said made her think otherwise.