"MewMew!" I struggled to look down to Elsa, who was now in the palm of my right hand. Her body curled up as she let out a yawn and nestled against my flesh seconds before she, too, began to fade away.
Thank you...Elsa and Fuwa.
Their assistance had been much appreciated, but more I also felt I was closer to unlocking the next step of utilizing my familiars - especially Elsa.
Connor was the first to snap out of shock and even from the distance, I could see his gaze was on my glowing hands that began to dim from the power.
I watched them return to normal, their trembling surface only confirming how intense this whole ordeal was. We'd died, somehow gotten the chance to live once again, took out a group of assassins sent to kill us, and were able to pick enough of a fight with Elijah to send a warning to the Shadow Kingdom.
If I had the energy, I would rejoice at our glamorous victory, or maybe even cry because of the relief that overwhelmed me at the conclusion that I and my lovers were all alive.
We all made it through this unexpected challenge, and we were going to enter the new year together. I was speechless at the thought that made me smile while the tears I hadn't realized were pooling in my eyes fell.
My knees buckled then, my body falling to the snowy floor. I let myself fall forward, not caring anymore about the cold, fluffy surface that calmed my burning flesh. It seemed to cushion my fall while affirming that this place was safe.
No earthquake would destroy the serenity it brought us during our trip, and maybe one day we'd return to look back at what we'd survived.
"Brianne!"
My men were calling me. It sounded far, far away, but it made me slightly smile as I felt a warmth of light wash over me. It felt like my head laid upon a soft lap and someone gently stroked my hair.
It was like Mother Nature was thanking me, and the continued strokes made it so much easier to begin to drift into the safe arms of the darkness.
A tender voice whispered to me like a melodic song, and it only made my sleepy smile further spread upon my lips as my last set of tears fell down my flushed cheeks.
"You've done superbly well, my child. I promise you shall be rewarded when the time is right. Now, rest."
That's exactly what I did.
13
Destiny Will Lead To Justice
"Now, Jaxsin. What the hell did locking everyone out of the hospital room achieve?"
"Hmph. I don't fucking care."
The deep, dismissive voice that rumbled against my ear made me smirk as I woke up to my sister's irked voice.
"You realize this is a shared room, right?"
"The other fucker is in a coma. I heard the nurses bickering," he grumbled. "Call themselves professionals when they’re talking shit. If I was in a coma and heard half the gossip they talked about, I'd wake up from the dead and fuck shit up."
"You realize they're not dead, right?"
"Coma. Dead. Same shit."
"How does my sister have the patience to tolerate you?" Starlight asked hopelessly, and I could imagine her shaking her head in shame.
"She loves my bad ass, so fuck y-Ow!"
"Who taught you to swear so much anyway?" Starlight cut him off and surely slapped the top of his head in the process.
There was a long silence that made Starlight sigh. "For goodness’ sake, stop scowling like that. If you want to plan my murder, go ahead. My sister will break up with you."
"We're married, so there."
"Um, excuse me? Where's the ring, huh? Plus, you're too young to be married."
"She's twenty."
"Whatever!
"You probably don't want her getting married before you."
"Tsk," Starlight tsked, and I heard her fading footsteps. "You get thirty minutes, and leave the coma patient alone! The nurses said you kept throwing popcorn over the curtain."
"I was throwing popcorn because Elsa wanted popcorn."
"MewMew?" I felt the little paws of my familiar begin to climb up my arm.
"Elsa may want popcorn but that has nothing to do with it! You can just feed her instead of throwing it over the privacy curtain and across the room. No one is cleaning up rainbow popcorn."
"It's sugar popcorn," Jaxsin coldly corrected. "Your girlfriend was the one who brought it, anyway."
"Ugh. Shut up!"
"No."
"I'm leaving," Starlight concluded. "Twenty-nine minutes!"
"It's still thirty," he voiced. There was a moment's silence before he added, "The timer starts when you vacate the room."
"Patience, Starlight. Patience for the sake of my damn sanity," Starlight clearly told herself before the door was opened and then closed shut.
"MewMew!" Elsa declared and I felt her nudge at my face before she was purring happily.
"Are you awake or pretending to sleep longer because you're comfortable?" he huffed, which actually made me giggle.
"Both," I mumbled sleepily as I snuggled into his chest. "Where's Jax?"
"What about ‘how are you’?"
"Hmm...that, too."
"You never acknowledge me first," he complained, his muttering so low, I almost missed it. Forcing myself to lift my heavy head, my heavy lids pried open to blink out the blurry vision and reveal Jaxsin's scolding expression.
"Hi, Jaxsin," I greeted. "What made you so cranky today?"
He stared at me for a solid thirty seconds before he glanced away while a pout formed on his lips. "I've wanted to see you the last three days but the stupid doctors were being all cautious and shit. As if I don't know what's best for our woman," he whined. "One snuggle with you and boom. Your vitals were back to normal, but no. I'm a selfish prick who just wants to be with the woman I love. Fucking old people."
"So you were worried about me," I concluded with a tender smile. "Thank you, Jaxsin. I appreciate your concern."
He looked back at me to see my appreciative expression, and he further frowned. "Can I see Marianna for a second?"
"Hmm? That's new."
"Never-"
Marianna came right to the forefront and my lips curled into a marvelous smile that made Jaxsin begin to blush immediately.
"Hello, sexy. Miss me?"
"No."
"You sure?" I purred as Elsa hopped off my shoulder so I could reach up to stroke Jaxsin’s cheek with my hand. He grew rigid at the touch as I moved my hand down his cheek to his chin and placed my thumb on his bottom lip.
"Ugh, fine. I missed you. I don't wanna see you anymore."
"You didn't wake me up to say that second part, now did you?" I inquired seductively as I purposely inched closer to his face.
His whole face was red at this point, and he struggled to keep his eyes locked on me, which only brought me more satisfaction.
Our lips were only inches apart, and I took the opportunity to acknowledge one thing he said. "So, we're married, huh?"
"You don't think so?"
"I don't have a ring."
"You don't need a silly ring."