Page 18 of Xarius (Shunned Mages #1)

Xarius

Before I could exit the car, Julie called. Niam stopped his movements, too, and waited for me to answer it. “Hi, Jules,” I greeted her.

“You’re alive!” she exclaimed sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you for two days,” I replied, not the least sorry. I hadn’t wanted to waste any of my time with Niam, no matter how much I loved my best friend.

“Three,” she corrected. “But since you aren’t dead, I guess that means you’ve finally spoken to him? ”

Niam gave me a curious look from his side of the car. He could hear everything she said clearly. “I have. We’ve come to an agreement and are working together now.” I mouthed to Niam that I would explain later when I felt unease from his emotions, and that seemed to help ease them somewhat.

“That’s great! So, when are you coming home?”

I grimaced. “We have no idea how long this will take, it could be years.”

She sighed, “And you still can’t tell me what it is?”

“No, sadly not. But it’s nothing illegal, so no need to worry about bailing me out of jail,” I teased, hoping it would ease the mood.

“Ha! Like I would use my hard-earned money to save your ass,” she cackled. She so would.

“I promise to keep you updated, but I might only call once a week.”

“Fiiiiine, I guess I’ll just get a cat or something.” After her dog, Vaps, had passed away two years ago, she swore she wouldn’t get another dog, too busy working to give a dog what they needed. I wasn’t going to tell her that cats could be demanding, too .

“Send me pics!” I ordered, then we hung up.

“So, that was Julie?” Niam asked.

“Yes. I haven’t told her exactly what we’re doing, but she knew I left to find you because we needed to do something together.

I plan on telling her we fell in love on the road since telling the truth isn’t an option.

” I felt relief from him. Had he been jealous?

I needed to focus more on his emotions in the future.

I never wanted him to doubt his place as my bonded.

“I’m fine with that,” he smiled. “Now let’s get some ‘ banging waffles’ .”

Sussi gave us a window table again, pleased to see us back already. I ordered mine with chocolate drizzle and hazelnuts on top and Niam picked fresh strawberries and whipped cream. We both eyed each other’s waffles, so we decided to share. Again, we proved to be perfect for one another.

“I’m thinking that we drive by the gas station after this so you can say goodbye. But remember we can always return in the future. This doesn’t have to be the final goodbye.” I could feel his sadness, but he also seemed determined .

“I think we should tell them that you are a friend from my home town who came and got me. I don’t want them to worry about me leaving with a stranger.

” I nodded, whatever he thought was best; he was the one who knew them.

“We still have no idea how to even get back home, so yeah, it could take years.”

“I have a suspicion we won’t be able to return before all the mages have their power,” I said, knowing it would take a lot to bring us all back. We hadn’t learned how to make portals, or how to find our world.

“I believe so, too,” he said then added with a sigh, “I don’t even want to leave until all the mages are with us.

That would feel wrong.” I gave him a tender smile.

It seemed we were on the same page when it came to the others.

“Do you even know how we start searching? There’re two here, unless others have been shunned after I was. ”

I frowned, “no, I actually don’t. I’ve been too focused on getting you, I haven’t thought about what to do after that.

Maybe my locket?” I was about to take it out from my shirt, but Niam shook his head and I got what he meant.

No magic around people. I tugged it back under my shirt and nodded in understanding .

“We’ll drive by the gas station and then we leave town. When we’re far enough away, we stop and check the locket.”

“Agreed,” he said, taking the last bite of waffle. “We should call upon our pets, too, while we figure out the locket, get them used to us whenever we’re able.”

“Pets?” I asked with a laugh.

“I don’t want to risk them appearing by saying their names out loud, do you?” That had me shutting up. Yeah, I didn’t want that either.

We paid for our food and told Sussi that we hoped we would be back in town again someday soon, making sure the locals knew we were leaving, making it less hasty and weird for Niam, especially since he told me how sweet everyone had been to him here.

Back in my van, I took Niam’s hand in mine, knowing he needed the comfort. He really didn’t like saying goodbye, but we needed to. “I’ll be with you,” I reminded him, stroking his hand as I began driving.

“Thank you,” he said, staring out the window, looking small and innocent.

“I brought lunch!” an older lady announced as she came through the door to the gas station. Niam had just told Jerry that he was leaving with me.

“You’re leaving?” Jerry frowned and I could feel his sadness pouring out. I didn’t even have to try to feel his emotions, I was being fed everything. In the diner I had felt a little of what everyone felt whenever I looked at them and focused, but I guess heightened emotions worked differently.

“Who’s leaving?” the older woman asked, setting down the bag of amazing smelling food.

We’d been late to breakfast because of the animal situation, but even so, I could feel my stomach growling as the scent wafted out of the bag.

It had been an hour since we ate, but with our magic still recharging, I was already aching for more.

“Niam,” Jerry explained.

“What?! Why? Because of this handsome fella?” she pointed at me and I gave her my most charming smile.

I offered her my hand, “Xarius, nice to meet you. ”

She shook it, “Betty. Are you a friend of Niam’s?”

I nodded. “I am. I came searching for him.” I would let Niam decide on how many details were needed for our cover story, not knowing what he’d told them.

“But I thought—?” Betty began, but then stopped herself.

Niam smiled kindly at her. “I thought all my friends hated me when I left, but Xari hadn’t been there when I said my goodbyes. He came all this way here to make sure I was okay.”

“Oh,” she said, holding a hand over her heart. “We all need friends like that.” She gave me a look that said the same as her emotions did. She was grateful and happy.

“I was leaving our home town myself, so we decided to travel the world together, spend some time doing what we want to do while we’re young,” I tacked on, hoping it would work for our story.

“I think that’s healthy,” Jerry said, scratching his stubble. “I wish I’d done that myself back in my youth.”

“Oh, you stop that,” Betty chided. “You’re only fifty-one, not dying.”

I laughed with Niam, understanding clearly why he had trouble saying goodbye. They were good people. “I’m glad Niam found you. I can’ t imagine what he would’ve done had he not had your kindness to help him out.” I really wanted to thank them for looking out for my bonded, but that wouldn’t do.

“Oh, that was entirely our pleasure,” Betty chuckled while a blush formed on her cheeks. “Niam has been nothing but a sweetheart to us.” She patted him on the arm, “I hope you’ll return to us with many stories of your adventures, but remember to have fun. We’ll still be here when you come back.”

He swiped his tears away, moved by having people care for him. I let him have his moment with them as I filled the van up with gas. I made it my personal mission to see them again before we returned home. I just hoped I would get the same chance with Julie.