Page 20 of Sun and Stone (Elementally Yours #5)

20. Mystical I.O.Us

Where am I? My eyes flutter open, the world around me coming into focus. Whose bed is this? What happened?

Confused, I reach for the cord around my neck—the familiar weight of my rock token should be there to ground me, but all I find is empty skin.

No. The realization slams into me like a freight train. I'm no longer a wizard. The token is gone, crumbled to dust. All those years of hard work, gone in an instant.

Flashes of memory start to surface. A confrontation with Malcolm, the blur of rocks flying through the air, and the haunting sight of Fynn's unconscious body.

Fynn in danger. That's right. I used the last of my magic to save Fynn. Is he alright? I try to sit up quickly, ignoring the protest of my sore muscles.

A gentle hand eases me back down towards the bed.

"Easy there, you're safe." Fynn’s there at my bedside with a warm smile and a steady hand on my chest.

"Fynn, you’re awake."

He smiles. "That’s supposed to be my line."

The questions all rush out at once.

"Are you okay? Where are we? Is Malcolm in jail? Are you alright?"

"Perry, slow down. Everything’s alright.”

His hand is warm and comforting against my chest. I let it ground me while I wait for him to continue, raising my hand to grasp his. There’s an I.V. attached to my hand. Huh.

Guess that takes care of where we are. The unfamiliar bed, the strange sterile room, we're at the hospital.

“Let’s see,” Fynn says. “I came to, saw a pile of rubble, and you were knocked out. Then I heard Malcolm yelling under the pile of rubble and everything started coming together. I called the authorities. He's in custody. Everything’s okay. The only thing missing was you."

Okay. It’s over. We’re okay. Good.

I can breathe again, some of the tension lessening. I sink deeper into the hospital bed, letting myself relax. Fynn is here, and I can see that his bright smile hasn’t dimmed even a little, despite everything that happened.

We’re safe. We’re both in one piece. Malcolm didn’t win.

"How long was I out?" I wonder.

"Two very long days."

Fynn's chestnut locks lie flat and dull instead of tousled with volume. There are bags under his eyes. A blanket and pillow rests on the visitor's chair nearby. His smile is warm as ever, but he looks exhausted. Like he hasn’t left my side for two days.

His smile and eyes aren't the only bright parts of him.

“Hey,” I say. "You’re a sunbrand."

Fynn tilts his head. "How do you know?"

"You're glowing."

He laughs. "Think that’s the effect of the drugs."

I stare at him dreamily, so glad he's okay. "Then again, you always glow."

"Wow, you are so romantic when you’re concussed."

"You ain't seen nothing yet,” I promise. There are so many things I’m going to do differently. Fynn deserves all the romance. “I'm so sorry."

Fynn shakes his head, placing a hand on my cheek. "Hey, you saved me. Heroes don’t need to say sorry… well, being a hero isn’t a free pass to be a jerk, so maybe sometimes heroes should apologize, but not this time."

"Never should have let you go alone,” I insist. “I should have been with you."

"Why, so he could have surprised us both?"

"No, because I was being a terrible boyfriend."

"The groveling is nice, but it'll have to wait until the next time you screw up."

I laugh. "Looking forward to it."

He gives me an odd look. "Why do you sound like you mean that?"

"Because I do." I shrug. "I'm not totally sure what my life will be like without magic, but I'm looking forward to finding out."

Maybe it should be scary that I have no idea what comes next. But after the ordeal Fynn and I went through, it just feels good that something will come next, even if it's unknown.

Fynn studies me. “You seem very zen. Is it the drugs?”

Is it? Maybe, but it's more than that too. When I started using my magic to stop Malcolm, I knew what was coming. I made my choice. My magic is gone. There's no telling what my life will be like now.

But for the moment, I'm at peace. Fynn's all right. That's worth everything.

I'd make the same choice a million times over, so there's nothing to be sad about.

“I was so worried about you," I share. "If we’re both alright, then that’s what matters.” Well... “Malcolm also needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, but us being okay is the main thing.”

“You’re right,” he agrees with a laugh. “That is exactly what matters, in exactly the right order. But magic is a nice bonus.”

“Yeah? Then you’ll have to show me your best tricks when I’m released.”

He watches me with an indulgent smile. “Wow, you really have no idea, do you?”

"What are you talking about?"

Fynn opens his mouth and then decides he might as well sit down while he fills me in on what I missed during my long nap. He hops up and perches on the edge of my hospital bed, and I scoot over, making room for him.

"Well, you're right," he starts. "I'm a sunbrand. A wizard. And you, you don't have a brand."

"I know," I say.

"But you aren't bound, not permanently."

Huh. Not expecting that. "Ah, they want me conscious, like a root canal? Sadistic." But maybe they thought waking up to have my powers bound would be too much of a shock and harder to cope with.

"No. The rock element wants you," Fynn informs me.

Wow. Really not expecting that.

"No. No, what?" I eye him, leaning back farther to get a better look since we're sitting so close. He seems serious. And he doesn't take it back. "No, you, is this a dream, the drugs?"

"It's real, Perry." Is there any chance he sampled some of the drugs I'm on?

"No. How, what... it's not possible. I wasn't even tested. I didn't figure out what I needed to do or what I was missing."

Now he looks amused with an adorable little smile. "Really? You don't think being tied up while I was being harmed by a psycho ex isn't a testing experience?" He turns more serious, ducking his head for a second as he takes my hand. When he looks back at me, he's proud. "We were both in danger and you stepped up. You had to choose whether to use your last chance on your magic or me."

"It wasn't a choice. Saving you is what mattered."

He squeezes my hand. "And it's darling you think that's the only answer and a no-brainer, but it really isn't. If being nice and prioritizing others above your own interests was a given, then you wouldn't be in a hospital bed right now."

"You really think this became my test?"

"You prioritized me over magic," he says. "If I had to guess, I'd say the elements might have been worried about you finding balance in your life, like they were concerned about me once. Magic isn't everything, and you showed you weren't just thinking about your powers. You knew that saving someone was more important."

"I wasn't just saving someone." I grip his hand with all my strength and hang on tightly. "I wanted to save you ."

"And you did. Now you can have me and magic."

That's the dream. Having the magic I've always craved and the man I've needed since he walked into my life. Or since he crashed into my life when we bumped into each other. But what he's saying… It's not possible anymore. I thought there was no chance.

"Fynn, how..." My voice comes out in a whisper. "Even if you're right, you can't know that."

"I can, in this case," he replies confidently.

"How are you so sure?"

"With you knocked out, the rock element needed to inform everyone else about its intentions, in case people tried to bind you prematurely."

"What, it sent out an email?"

Fynn laughs and lets go of my hand. "Check your thigh, Perry."

"My thigh? What the hell are you talking—huh?"

I pat my thigh, feeling bewildered, and find something that wasn't there before—something hard and bumpy. Did I get injured there without realizing? I poke at it again, but it doesn't hurt.

Fynn gets up from the hospital bed so I can investigate. I run my fingers over the bump and lift the hospital gown enough to see a stone. Oh, a stone embedded itself in me? Things like this happen sometimes when magic and the elements are involved. A parting gift?

Except it's not just one stone—no, pebbles. There are pebbles covering my thigh, lots of them. It's a very strange sight to see so many gathered, almost like an extremely weird case of chicken pox.

Wait. The pebbles resemble a letter. I lift my hospital gown a bit more, raising it high enough to see and possibly accidentally giving Fynn a view of my junk—but oh well, it's nothing he hasn't seen before.

The pebbles do indeed spell out a message. One that makes it clear that the impossible has happened. My brand is coming.

It's not a fancy message, but it's perfect. The pebbles are all arranged to spell out 'I.O.U.'

I stare down at the stones on my leg in stunned silence, hardly daring to believe what I'm seeing. When I used my last bit of magic to stop Malcolm, I was sure that was the end. That I'd be cut off from magic forever. But the elements have chosen me after all.

A giddy laugh bubbles up from my chest as the reality sets in. I did it! Against all odds, I'm going to become a rockbrand wizard. I'll have magic.

And Fynn. Fynn, who has been by my side, who has seen me at my lowest. He's still here, watching me with a warm smile. Magic is only half of what I want. Fynn is the other half, the missing piece I didn't know I needed.

If I have him and magic, I've got everything I need. Which means it's time to focus on what he needs.

"Is it time to eat?" I scan the hospital tray table contraption near my bed, looking for a remote to call someone or maybe for a food schedule. Do hospitals have room service menus? Probably not. "What kind of feast do they serve a man who's been in a coma?"

"You were only out two days—"

"Only? Bet it felt longer," I say quietly, holding my hand out to him. "Especially if you were up the whole time."

"I was worried." He takes my hand and lets me pull him towards the bed.

"About little old me?" I bat my eyes at him and blow a kiss. "I'm flattered. What time is it? Time for breakfast? Dinner? I figure we can share the edible parts of my hospital meal, and then I can see about getting out of here while you go shower."

"What? I'm not leaving." To make his point, he gets back in bed with me.

"Alright, then you can have my bed and take a nap."

"Perry, wait." He grabs my arm before I can get up. "Is that it? You're going to brand. You'll have magic."

"I remember. That's a good sign, huh? No brain damage."

"Are you sure you're alright? This isn't the reaction I was expecting. Aren't you happy? You finally did it, Perry."

"Thrilled. I've been waiting a long time. But for the moment, I'd rather take care of you."

Magic isn't going anywhere, not anymore. I've been pushing for so long, studying and obsessing and doing everything I could to earn a brand. And now it's over. There's no need to keep fighting for it.

I don't have to try to get magic anymore. This will be the fun part. Using it, growing it. Living the rest of my life with a bit of the rock element and magic inside me. And I will love every second of that part of the journey.

But that's gonna happen as it happens. Not right now, the second after I regain consciousness. The only thing I can do right now is get out of here and make sure he gets some sleep.

There's a reason it took me so long to get here. Somewhere down the line, I lost sight of what was important and stopped living my life to the fullest. Magic became all I saw. It took a long time to learn that lesson and remember I need a life outside of magic.

Not making that mistake again. Lesson learned.

Magic's not going anywhere. Not now, not ever. So I'm gonna focus on what matters. Like the guy who waited anxiously at my bedside the whole time I was out. The rest will fall into place.