Page 9 of My Salvation
Meryn scowled. “Are you sure?”
Cas laughed. “You can be grumpy and happy too, you know. What about me? Do I have a picture?”
Meryn’s eyes became unfocused. “A dinky little white flower,” she said, then shook her head. When she looked up at her, her eyes were back to being focused and sharp.
“Thanks?”
Meryn shrugged. “My pictures are weird sometimes. Like, I thought Ari was a fruit basket, because I thought the belladonna looked like stars and fruit.”
“So, you created a metaphor without knowing the context of the flower?”
Meryn shook her head. “I knew what it was after it was explained to me, but I couldn’t recall it on my own. It’s like the picture pulled information I learned in ninth grade and used it, but present me forgot I knew what it was.”
“Fascinating.”
“So, you have a name?”
Cas laughed. “No.”
Meryn’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Of course, I have a name.” She thrust out her hand. “I’m Cassandra Vi’Illiya.”
The short firecracker took her hand. “I’m Meryn McKenzie. Nice to meetcha!”
Chapter Two
Earlier that morning
“She’s what?” Meryn asked, eyes wide.
Priest exhaled. “Torn apart.”
“Sounds painful,” Meryn quipped.
Priest just stared at her.
She just bopped her head about as she nodded. “Okay, okay, let me think.”
Priest remained quiet but noticed that Aiden kept looking over to where he sat alone with Meryn at a smaller table, away from where everyone was getting updated. The only other one near them was Meryn’s ever-present squire, Ryuu.
“So, first off, I don’t think she will actually get ripped apart.”
Priest was afraid to hope. “You sound pretty sure.”
Meryn took a bite of her cream-covered scone, chewed, then continued. “Most of the dreams have become pretty metaphoric lately. In the dreams where the guys saw their mates dying from something real, like being stabbed or bled to death, those events happened, but because they knew what was going to happen, the foresight saved their mates. But, for someone like Grant and Etain, they said they saw their mates surrounded by and drowning in darkness or death, something non-tangible. It was more like the dreams used images to convey a warning.”
Priest exhaled explosively. “Thank the gods for you, Meryn. My dreams have had me on the brink of a breakdown for days. Hearing what my other unit brothers have gone through has helped immensely.”
He had just relaxed back in his chair when a scone bounced off his forehead. Blinking, he stared at Meryn, who frowned at him.
“Share this shit before it gets that bad. I can’t help if I don’t know.”
Priest chuckled. “I didn’t want to add to your or Aiden’s burdens.”
She shrugged. “Out of all the shit we’re dealing with, this is easy.”
“Are you done monopolizing my mate?” Aiden demanded from the larger table.