Page 11 of Finding Embers and Stars (Twin Flames Duet #1)
Chapter eleven
T his is a dream. Literally.
I can’t get over the beauty I’m surrounded by. I can see mountains in the distance and hear the burbling of a creek running through the pines off to my right.
“This place is amazing, Rory. It’s more than I ever thought possible. Are you sure it’s real?”
Rory chuckles and changes into a man, leading me towards the creek. “I was thinking we put your house here. That way you can always hear the water and see the mountains. We need to make it big enough to house you and your five mates. Then you don't need to look for something else once you meet them.”
I cringe at the thought of five mates. Given my history with men and Atlas’s issues with just the thought of Sage having mates, I'm not sure how this will even work.
Atlas snorts at my thoughts. Having an inner voice will take some getting used to. “If they’re your fated mates and they treat you right, I won't have any issues with them. My rage came from being trapped for so long and unable to keep you protected from that asshole you call a father. I may struggle with them being near Sage until you all bond, but we will figure it out together. You have nothing to fear from your mates. The goddess wouldn't choose men that would treat you the way the wolves of the pack did, of that I’m certain.”
“Piper, are you okay? You went really quiet.”
“Yes, sorry. Atlas was speaking to me. He sensed my fear and worry over having five mates. The idea of mating has always been a concern given where I was raised.” I shake my head, trying to get myself back in the mindset of designing my dream house.
“Okay, let's do this. A house big enough to comfortably fit seven. Sage requested both a hot tub and a large soaking tub in her bathroom. I think having ensuites in each room would be a good idea. That way there’s no fighting for bathroom time. How detailed do you want me to be with this?”
“As detailed as you can be, this is your dream home after all, and I can make it happen with ease. We can get the basics in the extra rooms so that way they can decorate themselves or when the time comes, I can always come over and help. This property is close to all of us.” Rory is standing before me, surveying the land and nearly bouncing on his toes. It’s adorable how excited he is to help us.
I look around while I think about what I want this house to look like. I need to keep in mind Sage’s tastes as well to make things fair.
“Okay, the house needs to be three stories. The exterior is a mix of wood and stone, with turrets on either side. The turrets can stop at the second floor because the entire third floor will be completely open for our writing cave. I’d like a big, cozy kitchen with plenty of space for a table for family dinners. A home gym and movie room would be amazing. The living room should be big enough for several large soft couches. The kind that you can just sink into after a long day.” I pause to think of what else I know Sage will want and notice that Rory’s eyes are glowing.
“For the third floor, I would like two large desks in front of a picture window. But back-to-back so that we can see each other while we’re writing. In the center of the room, we need several big comfy couches for reading and the back wall needs to be a crafting area for Sage.”
I closed my eyes while trying to envision my dream house. When I open them, I realize Rory has already started working his magic. Standing before me is the most beautiful house I've ever seen. It’s exactly as I described to Rory. I walk towards the back, discovering he added a pool and hot tub with an outdoor kitchen.
“Rory, this is stunning. I’m in complete awe of you and your powers.”
He walks up to me and looks out at the back yard. “I hope it's alright that I added a pool and outdoor kitchen. That way you can entertain in the summers if you ever want.”
I can’t help but stare at him. “Of course, it's okay that you added this. I’ll never be able to thank you for giving us our dreams.”
He rubs my arm and turns me toward the back door. “Ready to go decorate?”
I laugh and run inside. “Ummm, decorate what? It's all done from what I can see.”
He points towards the second floor. “Let’s go decorate your room and Sage’s.” I race upstairs and step into the first turret room. “This one is mine. I would love my bed to be right there in the turret, round so it fits perfectly in the space. Can you make the paint a dark grey and add color-changing strip lights around the room instead of overhead lights? I’m a bit light sensitive, so colors make it less likely that I will get headaches. For my bathroom, the only thing I care about is the shower. I need the biggest, fanciest shower in all the land. Multiple shower heads and the same lights in there. So, I can shower in dim lighting.”
I watch this time as my dream room comes to life. He even adds in one of those huge reading chairs I saw on TikTok. It’s like a chair and chaise lounge put together into a giant, soft, fluffy nest of coziness. I can’t resist running over and jumping into the chair as soon as it’s formed.
“Rory, could we have two of these up in our writing cave, too? They’re amazing.”
He chuckles at me. “Already done, and I did Sage’s room as well. You were projecting everything to me without realizing it. She has a big bed in the middle of her room and a reading nest in her turret. Along with both a shower and giant soaking tub. Each of your mates’ rooms has both a tub and shower, just in case they like to take baths. Based on your sizes, I placed clothes in each of your closets just enough to get you started. In the backyard is a little shed for Sage to do any spells or potions and the basement has a gym and home theater. I added an SUV and some ATVs into the garage for you guys. The added acreage that goes with this place allowed for plenty of room for a separate house just down the road for Sage’s parents if they decide to stick close.”
I still can’t believe this is my home. “You’ve thought of absolutely everything. Thank you, Rory. Thank you for making my dreams come true and giving us a safe place to live. Including Mama Rose and Papa Rhett is beyond amazing.”
His smile is kind, like he genuinely loves to help people. A trait that seems to be rare as hell these days.
Rory holds out a hand for me to grab onto. “Okay Piper, it’s time to wake up and make all of this real. Are you ready?”
“I've been ready my entire life.”