Page 11 of Twisted Ties

Winnie frowns as I flop down on the bed and Pip plants himself in my lap, butting his head against my hand and demanding ear-tickles.

“No, he was trying to reason with them.” I snort. “The man in black was the one who told me to come,” Winnie says, “and bring Pip too.”

I look up from Pip and stare at my friend.

“Really?” She nods. “What did he tell you?”

Winnie lowers herself down on the bed next to me.

“Oh, Rhi, he said you were in a terrible accident and that your magic was drained and you broke your leg really badly. I wanted to come to the clinic right away. I’ve been worried sick.” She strokes her hand down my arm. “But this was the first time they’d let me and I didn’t know what hospital you were in and–”

“It’s okay, Winnie.”

The raised voice of the man in black bellows behind the closed door and we both peer that way.

“Has he been here the entire time?” Winnie asks with a confused frown.

“Erm, yes,” I say and at my tone she twists back round to examine my face. “I’m guessing he didn’t tell you everything, then.”

“Everything?”

I screw up my eyes. I’m not sure if Winnie is even going to believe this story. It sounds so utterly incredible.

“I was attacked.”

“Attacked?” I wave my hand at her, indicating that isn’t even the incredible part of this story.

“I tried to defend myself and ended up draining all my energy. I thought I was going to die,” I add quietly, remembering that moment of both terror and acceptance.

“What happened?”

“Stone and Azlan showed up–”

“Azlan?”

I point to the door.

“I didn’t know that was his name.”

“Join the club.”

“They saved you? Stone and … Azlan?”

“Yep, and then … then …” I inhale, feeling Pip vibrate with pleasure in my lap, “my powers were so low, almost gone. Azlan … he gave me his magic. He kept me alive.”

Winnie blinks at me seven times in a row. It was a reaction my words generated a lot when we first met. More recently, I haven’t been as adept at shocking her. She’s grown used to my madness. But this, this leaves my best friend utterly speechless.

“Winnie?” I say, shaking her arm gently as she continues to stare at me, dumbfounded.

“That isn’t possible, Rhi,” she says, shaking her head, “One magical can’t give their magic to another, not unless they are … not unless they are …”

“Fated mates?”

“Yes, and you’re not …” she trails off, her eyes growing so wide they look like two full moons in her face, “are you?”

I open my eyes. “We are.”

“I didn’t … I mean I had no idea.”