The Unexpected

There were no more memories, thankfully. Anne likely spent much more time at the cottage, but I’d technically seen what I needed to see, understanding more about the man who left, and the woman I loved. Only she didn’t know I existed, which meant I needed to go to the one place I’d dreamt of her consistently – the Gardens. Rather than having breakfast, I needed to be there early, I dressed in Gabriel’s clothes, knowing she’d recognise them, wishing I had something else. Something that didn’t make me think of him… or their relationship.

Unfortunately I had no other options, except the clothes that made it clear I wasn’t from Marren Vale. Everyone would already know that, but it was best if I didn’t draw more attention than I was already going to, in the hope I’d be able to avoid an early meeting with Titus. Maybe then I’d be able to change Anne’s fate. Leaving the cottage, the summer sun already warm, I followed the path I knew would take me there, knowing until I reached it there was no way to be certain she’d actually be there. If it wasn’t I’d meet Cornelius, and then she most likely would die when we left.

Feet slowing, the very thought one I hated, I asked myself once more if I’d made the right choice. I breathed in deeply. There was no going back. Rather than let those doubts get the better of me, I could make Anne’s life better, I pushed myself to keep walking, because she would be there. Not Cornelius, and it wasn’t as though I needed to talk to him. With every step I took the weight of my decision was heavy on my shoulders.

Seeing her, kneeling beside one of the flower bed, seemingly pulling out weeds with her bare hands, sent a frisson of emotion down my spine. Then she turned, clearly feeling them. Her eyes widened. I was a man she’d never met before, wearing Gabriel’s clothes, with what I knew were Gabriel’s eyes. Brushing her hands off, she stood, stepping over to one of the fountains to wash them, her back tense. Even finding a single word to say wasn’t an easy thing to do as I stared at her, feeling the connection in a way I hadn’t before.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Anne turned, eyes meeting with mine for a moment. “The most logical thing you can do now is leave, and live a normal life somewhere safe.”

“I can’t.” She opened her mouth, to argue with me, and I stepped closer, needing to make her understand. “Anne, I know it’s not safe, but I’ve dreamt of you for months, so being here… at least give me a chance. Titus…”

“Don’t talk about things you have no understanding of.” Her voice was colder than I expected. “The woman you dreamt of may not be the one who exists, because that was only possibilities.” She raked a hand through her hair. “I understand why you made the choice you did, but this… it was a mistake.”

“How can you say that without even talking to me? You’re my soulmate. I made the journey here to be with you.”

Face paling, Anne closed her eyes. “So this is what he meant.”

“Anne…”

“Please…” She bit down hard on her bottom lip, breathing slowly, and I felt her emotions fluctuating. “The best thing you can do right now is go, either back to the cottage or leave Marren Vale entirely.” Opening her eyes, still not in control, she shook her head. “I don’t think the conversation you want to have will happen, because this… I should have realised, when Titus said he couldn’t promise he’d stay, there was something more.”

“Give me five minutes.” Causing her distress had never been the plan, but maybe it was inevitable. “That’s all I’m asking.”

“Titus will be here soon.” Anne studied me. “He always knows, even though sometimes I wish he didn’t, and this… I’m not in control of my emotions. You being here… it doesn’t change anything. Whatever you may believe from the dreams you’ve had. I am sorry you made the journey here under false pretences, but the future is always in flux. You never dreamt any Certainties.”

Maybe meeting Cornelius first would have been better, but then the woman in front of me didn’t seem like the Anne I’d got to know. It was possible she was right, and I should probably have walked away then, rather than stepping closer to her, reaching out with a hand, not truly understanding what I was attempting. She didn’t even need to move, the sound of footsteps coming from behind us enough for me to drop my hand.

“Sweetheart?” Titus’s voice was one I didn’t recognise, because I’d never dreamt of him, and I turned, feeling the weight of his eyes on me, seeing the moment he realised. “Well, this is unexpected.”

Next thing I knew Anne was in his arms, burying her face in his chest. He didn’t seem to have expected it either. For longer than I expected we looked at each other, as he held her, the woman I’d seen a future with, only for her to choose him before we even had a chance to even have a conversation. I should have walked away, but I couldn’t. Not when Titus seemed as conflicted as I was.

“What do I do?” I mouthed the words, not wanting Anne to hear. “This isn’t… I never meant to make her feel like this.”

“I know.” He did the same, so I was having a silent conversation with a man I expected to hate, about my soulmate, who was in his arms. “Don’t blame yourself. Go back to the cottage for now. When I can I’ll visit to explain at least some of this.”

“Anne wants me to leave.”

“Yes, I know, but I think you should stay. At least for now. I can give you the information you need to make an informed decision. Then… nothing about this is simple.”

“That much I understand. Anne’s reaction…”

“Had it not been today she might have been more open to having a conversation with you. Unfortunately yesterday… I thought you’d arrive between lives. Now I’ve met you I understand why I had no warning, because you’re clearly related to Gabriel and Mateo. You’re a Seer.”

“Mostly I dream, with no control.” Why was I being so open with him? “The woman I’m meeting now is not the Anne I meet in those dreams.”

“No one taught you.”

“Until about a year ago I didn’t know anything about magic.” I closed my eyes. “Part of me wishes I still didn’t, but Anne… the possibility of a future kept me going.”

“She does that.” He understood, in a way I wasn’t entirely comfortable with, considering they were siblings. “I promise I’ll help you, however you need me to. Just give me a little time with Anne. This… she wasn’t ready for any of it, because I couldn’t warn her.”

Did I say something? Nodding, I looked at Anne one last time, who hadn’t moved. “The vow was a foolish choice.”

“Back then it felt like the right thing to do. Now… well, you’ve seen the damage it caused, even between the two of you.” He shrugged. “Anne will work through this. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

It wasn’t as though I had a choice, so I nodded again, walking away from Titus and Anne, feeling his power wrap around them. Even though I probably shouldn’t I turned, to see Anne staring into Titus’s eyes, in a way I couldn’t imagine she’d ever look at me. Not from how she reacted to my arrival. Our dream conversations never made me think there might be something more between the two of them, but it appeared there was, and that…

When she hit his chest he didn’t react. More than anything I wished I could hear what she said. Not wanting to watch anything more I breathed in deeply, turning once more, walking back to the cottage, my own emotions conflicted. The woman I loved was never going to love me. She was in love with someone else. Her own brother, if what I’d seen what I thought I had. Closing my eyes, just about able to keep putting one foot in front of the other, I let my sense of home, even though it wasn’t, guide me to it.

Once I was inside I thought of Anne’s conversation with Gabriel. Did he know Anne was in love with Titus, and he never stood a chance? I didn’t know what to do right then. Waiting for Titus was probably the best option, but staying… Anne was my soulmate, with a soulbond far stronger than the connection we had could ever be. Sitting, head on my hands, I tried to wrap my mind around what my future might look like without her, which… I bit down hard on my lip.

There was a knock. I don’t know how long I’d been sitting there, and I didn’t move to answer it. “We can have this conversation with me on the doorstep if it’s easier. Anne’s home, in her sanctuary, taking some time to be furious with me again.” He sounded almost amused. “Fury is something I know how to deal with. Last night… the soulbond is a complication, but it’s one we can potentially deal with.”

“Deal with how?” I stood, moving to the front door, opening it to find Titus looking at me. “Even if we did she’s in love with you, so I can’t imagine it doing any good.”

Blinking, Titus stared at me, before shaking his head. “You’re her soulmate.”

Apparently he didn’t see it. Sighing, I stepped back to let him in. Even though he didn’t seem comfortable, he probably knew about Gabriel’s feelings for Anne too, he entered the cottage, walking through it in a way that told me he knew where everything was. I followed him through, and put the kettle on the way I’d dreamed of doing for Anne. Titus dropped into one of the chairs, staring into the distance, while I made tea. He gave me a nod when I set a cup beside him.

“I always knew the bond between the two of you was strong, Titus, but her feelings… they’re unexpected.”

“Seeing is complicated.” He looked down into the cup, before our eyes met, and it was like he’d stared deep into my soul. “You know us, but we don’t know you.”

Nodding, I held out a hand. “Dante Fitzgerald.”

He smiled as he accepted it. “Titus Lockwood.” Everything about him was warmer than I expected. “You are technically a Diaz, though. As you can See it’s likely you know at least something about that being here. Gabriel and Mateo slipped through the wards with Anne’s help, because she’s always cared. I could have stopped it, but sometimes things need to happen the way they are, especially when Anne’s involved.” Smiling fading, he studied me. “There are things we do need to talk about, but it’s something I also need to talk about with someone else, which is something you might be able to help me with.”

“Celeste.”

“At least you know.”

“My assumption is you’d like me to knock on the door, and ask her to talk somewhere away from the Riordan house.”

“Don’t hide anything from her.” I studied him. “Dante, I want her to make an informed decision. If she doesn’t want to talk to me then I’d rather she be able to say no. You being here makes this easier, because it means I don’t have to ambush her.”

“You aren’t who I thought you were.”

“Like Anne said we See Possibilities, not Certainties.” He sipped his tea. “Dreaming means you have less control. With time I can teach you more, so you have a better idea of what you’re capable of, if you make the decision to stay.”

“Why would I when Anne doesn’t want me?”

“For you. Set aside Anne for a moment. I understand why you feel the way you do, and we can talk to Celeste about that, but she shouldn’t have been the only reason for you to come here. Take a breath. What do you want?”

“Honestly, Titus, I don’t know.” Being open with him wasn’t easy, but he was the only person I felt I could talk to in that moment. “All I thought about was her, because…” I stared into my tea. “Magic wasn’t a part of my life until it took my parents from me. Even now I don’t know exactly what happened, and that… she kept me going, Titus. Being here, with her… she was upset with you, willing to leave Marren Vale, to begin to build a life, only then she died, because of you. Now I’ve been able to talk to you I can’t imagine her leaving, or you killing her, which… part of me wants to leave.”

“I understand.” He touched my arm. “We don’t need to make any decisions right now. Today was already a lot for you, and it’s not midday yet.”

“No, we need to talk to Celeste.” I drank the rest of my tea, and stood. “The sooner we do the easier it will be for me to make a decision about what comes next.”

Following my lead, he nodded. “If that’s what you want. You know where the Riordan house is?”

“Closer to Anne than I want it to be.” He stepped closer, putting a hand on my shoulder. “I don’t like you being nice.”

Titus laughed. “Right now I think you need someone being nice.” He looked into the corner of the room. “Are you coming with us, or going to Anne?”

As I looked in the same direction, not able to see anything, I raked my free hand through my hair. “Who are you talking to?”

“Julian.” I turned to Titus. “We’re all in this together, Dante, whether we want to be or not.” He breathed in deeply, sending power to the corner, where a soul started to appear, looking almost as confused as I felt. “Until last night I didn’t know, but now I do it’s easier if we just accept how things are.”

“Even though you thought I hated you until recently.”

“I still think you hate me. Nothing can change that. However I know you’ll always put Anne first, and we need your advice as much as we need Celeste’s.”

“Last time I gave you advice, Titus, you shoved me in a fire.”

“Sometimes we all make mistakes, and I’m more in control of the soulbond now.” Julian raised an eyebrow. “Please don’t. I’m struggling enough right now. Anne being in love with me… I’m not going to think about it until I have no other option.”

“Well, this isn’t going to help, but she’s not in love with you due to the soulbond.” Titus shook his head. “Accept it and move on.” Julian apparently didn’t have any patience when it came to Titus struggling with what he’d learnt. “She’s never going to choose anyone else, due to those emotions. I understand you did your best to follow Thaddeus’s plan, but it was never going to work, even if you didn’t have feelings for each other.” He looked at me. “Only Titus wasn’t willing to accept that, because Thaddeus was infallible, until he tried to get Titus to transition the soulbond.”

“Back then the soulbond had more control, and that… it’s complicated, but I don’t know if it would have changed anything, Julian. If Anne really is in love with me…” Titus bit down hard on his lip. “She can’t be.”

Julian stepped closer to Titus, putting both his hands on Titus’s shoulders. “Listen to me – Anne is in love with you, and, no, it wouldn’t have changed anything, because she fell in love with you for a reason. Deep down you are one of the best people I know. I hate saying it, but you did give up your future for her, which… we will find a way.”

“Until last night I planned on leaving.” Titus looked at me. “You were going to arrive here eventually, and I thought Anne… clearly I’m even more of a fool than I realised. “ He breathed in deeply. “If we’re going to have this conversation with Celeste we should go sooner rather than later.”

“Even though Anne deserves to know everything, and I could tell her.”

“Right now, Jules, it wouldn’t be safe.” Julian studied Titus. “I’m not just saying that. Her emotions are so conflicted. Give it time. Maybe we can use Celeste. Anne… this is all my fault.”

“No, Titus, this is all Thaddeus’s fault, and Anne knows that. Give her some time. Let her work through her emotions. One way or another we will find a way to help her.” Julian turned to me. “Including you, Dante, because you care, whether you want to or not. It’s part of who she is.”

Titus nodded. “Unfortunately, yes, and once we’ve worked out whether or not Celeste is going to join us we can tell you everything. I promise.”

Magic swirled around me, Titus making a vow I didn’t expect, but then everything he’d done so far I hadn’t expected. “Thank you?”

Laughing, echoed by Julian, Titus smiled. “I know. You have our support, Dante.” He gestured for me to lead the way. “Nothing about this is going to be easy, but you aren’t alone.”

“For the first time none of us are.” I glanced back at Julian. “How are you going to explain this to Anne?”

“Do you honestly believe she didn’t notice you, Jules?”

“More hoping she didn’t.”

“Papa said this was the time the most Possibilities happened, and I think that had an effect on your connection to the world of the living.” Something more I knew nothing about. “You are a Possibility.”

“Another Marren Vale, maybe, but here… there is no one, Titus. She loves you.”

“How am I supposed to deal with that?”

“Easy answer – magic.” As we stepped through the door Titus had a chance to give me a look. “Oh, come on. You’re strong enough to find a way, Titus, so stop acting as though there’s no solution. Whatever the plan was matters less than the fact she’s in love with you. I get you’re still mentally thrown by the truth, but you need to choose her, the way we would.”

Julian nodded. “I agree with Dante. Let’s talk to Celeste, and come up with some kind of plan, because Anne needs to be able to make an informed choice.”

“Without any of us colouring it.” Titus looked between me and Julian. “I think it’s needs to be Celeste who tells her everything, even though I promised her I would.”

“You can still keep it. A dangerous choice, considering how likely it is the bond will shred your soul, but I understand why you made it.”

“It will what?” Those were words I didn’t expect to hear. “Why make the promise, Titus?”

“For her, and for you. I thought… last night I wondered, but I kept telling myself she’d choose you in the end. You’re her soulmate. As a Diaz you’re attractive. Now… why me? Why did she fall in love with me?”