“What?” I peeled my eyes off of my mother’s letter, my voice breaking. “Y-y-you h-have…Olli?”
Pierre grinned wide, then he put his fingers in his mouth and whistled.
Goosebumps spread across my body. Olli. My puppy. My sweet little rambunctious hound. I’d found him as a young pup and I’d only celebrated his first birthday right before my curse. He’d been my dearest, most favorite companion until then. Losing him had broken my heart. I’d forced myself to push him deep into the back of my memory—
Nails clicked on the wooden steps and my breath caught in my throat.
Olli leapt inside the house and then slid to a stop in front of Pierre, his dipstick tail wagging. His long light brown ears perked up and he cocked his head to the side, like he was waiting for Pierre to do something. Tears brimmed on my eyelashes.
Pierre chuckled and pointed to me. “Got you a present—”
“Olli?” My voice broke.
His face snapped toward me and big brown droopy eyes spotted me in an instant. His long ears dropped and he charged for me. I grinned and sank to my knees on the floor a split second before he lunged and his big fat paws hit me right in the chest. He barked and whimpered and howled, then licked my face. I giggled and wrapped my arms around him but then he slipped out of my arms and ran circles around me with his butt tucked under. He was a hound, so although his body was nearly three feet long his belly was only a few inches off the ground. His short stumpy legs had rolls of white and light brown fur. He stuck his nose in the air and howled again. I ruffled his ears and he flipped upside down, showing me his spotted belly.
“O-o-olli.” I laughed. “I missed your little scrunchy face.”
He flipped back over and then dropped down into pounce mode, those droopy eyes staring up at me…and my heart soared with happiness. I laughed and cried as my sweet puppy zoomed around the room, spinning and barking and putting on a show for me.
I jumped back to my feet and hurried over to Pierre, then wrapped my arms around him. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
When I stepped back he rubbed the back of his neck, his skin flushed pink. “You’re welcome. He pouted the whole ride here but I know he’ll be happy with you.”
“And I’ll be happy having him.” I chuckled and clapped my hands, sending Olli into another lap around the room. I walked back over to the bench where I’d dropped my mother’s letter and folded it up, then carefully tucked it into my dress. “Are you staying in Salem long?”
Pierre cleared his throat. “No. I am leaving any moment. Your mother will be anxiously awaiting confirmation that I saw you.”
“OLLI, come here,” I yelled out. “Come say bye to Pierre!”
Olli dashed over to Pierre, who bent down and gave him snuggles. I wanted to give them a moment to say goodbye.
I laughed and wiped tears from my face. “Pierre, do you have something so I may write back to her?”
He dug back into his coat, then pulled out blank parchment and his wand and handed them both to me. “Here you are.”
I smiled and took them and then turned back for the table. I’d just sat down on the bench when Olli jumped into my lap, licking the air between our faces. His tail wagged so hard and fast I was going to have bruises on my legs. I wrapped one arm around him and held Pierre’s wand out. Any moment Riah would arrive and we would have to go…but I wasn’t going to leave without giving my mother something in return. Because this note from her meant everything to me.
With Pierre’s wand I wrote out a note back to her.
Mother dearest, it is me, Saraphina. Your Saffie. Your dream was right. I am here. I wish you had been here more than you know, but I understand why you were not. I know I cannot tell you of the future, or what comes of our fate, but I will tell you that before I traveled through time you were still very much alive. Tennessee and Tegan spoke of you often. They told me all about how you were. We already knew they knew us in 2018, from when we first met them, but I promise you it is true. Whatever idea you have in mind for living that long – it works. Just hang on for me. My freedom is a long ways away for you, but for me it is so close I can almost taste it. Just hang on for me. I am coming. Tell Uncle Leyka I am coming. But for the days that will seem too dark to bear, I leave you this letter. Keep it and I will always be with you.
P.S. Thank you for sending me Olli. I will hold him tight every day. Seeing him has already filled me with a happiness I have not felt in over three centuries. Which reminds me…I like Pierre. He seems lovely and kind, and he is rather handsome. Please allow yourself some happiness. Move on from me. We will see each other again. In the meantime…let your heart be happy.
I sniffled and my nose burned. My eyes watered as tears poured like rivers, tasting like salt as they passed my lips. I sobbed and folded the parchment up. Olli licked my face and for a moment my pain subsided.
“Here, Pierre.” I stood and held my letter out between us. “You can read it. I don’t mind.”
“You are too kind, but I shall not.” He smiled and took the letter, tucking it carefully back into his breast pocket. “I am sorry that we did not meet before you left…but I am grateful for the chance to meet you now. Your mother may speak like she will see you again, but I know in my heart I shall not.”
A hot lump formed in my throat. “Take care of her for me. Make her happy?”
“It will be my honor to do so.”
I had only just met the man but I found myself pulling him in for yet another hug. “Thank you.”
He nodded and stepped back, then took Olli’s face in his hands and kissed his head. “Goodbye, little Olli.”
Olli licked his face.
He chuckled and headed for the door. He stopped in the doorway and looked back to me. “Oh, she left some clothing for you by the fireplace, saying you would need it.”
He winked, put his hat back on, and then left. The door slammed shut behind him. For a moment, I stared at the door waiting…for what, I wasn’t sure. But then Olli licked my cheek and I giggled. Together, with him in my arms, we hurried over to the fireplace where a white linen dress was neatly folded with a pair of familiar brown boots beside it. I didn’t technically need it. As soon as my magic rested a bit I could change my clothes magically…but I wanted this.
These were a piece of me. The real me. The me I used to be. They were mine.
I smiled and sat Olli on the floor and then quickly changed out of the purple gown Prince Thorne forced me to wear and into the white linen dress my mother left. It was soft and warm, and entirely familiar. Once changed, I tossed the purple dress into the fireplace – eventually someone would light it and the dress would go up in flames.
“Come on, O,” I said and snapped my fingers as I headed back to the kitchen.
I sat down on the bench and held my arms open. Olli leapt right into the cradle of my arms. Riah still hadn’t shown and I was trying not to panic about that. He’d said he was coming to meet me, to tell me the truth…I just needed to be patient.
Light flashed under my feet. I gasped and looked over Olli’s body and my eyes widened. Rainbow magic spread over the ground directly under me. Oh shit, Tegan! I gripped Olli to my chest just as the floor vanished and we fell.
The front door flew open and Riah leapt inside. His gold eyes widened on me.