Tethered Souls | Books 1, 2, and 3

5 | Chemistry

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• Amir •

Amir yawned and rubbed his eyes. The vertical lines of light shifted softly across his lap as he tried to continue analyzing a DNA sample in his laboratory. The window was slightly opened, and he felt a soft breeze touch his skin.

As the door to the laboratory creaked, he whipped his head around and watched Faisal stroll forward.

"Hey, Amir."

His heart bounced. "You startled me there."

"Oh, I was coming to see if you've made any progress on that murder investigation."

"It took me a few times to analyze the suspect's DNA, but it's a match."

Faisal took a seat next to him at the table. "Wow. Sorry for walking in on you. You look exhausted."

"I got little sleep last night. I was just in my mind here."

"What's got you so . . . distracted?" Faisal asked.

"I don't know. I guess I'm wondering how it will feel the moment I connect to whomever I'm tethered to."

Faisal smiled. "What do you want to know?"

Amir took a deep breath and exhaled, then leaned forward, taking off his goggles.

"I'm just hoping I'll know what to do when I meet them."

"It won't be too frightening, but knowing you, cuz, you scare easily."

Amir shot him a glare. "Funny, but that doesn't answer my question."

"You didn't have a question, Amir."

"Well, thank you, Faisal, for stating the obvious. I guess there's this feeling in me believing that I have crossed paths with them before."

"Well, tethered souls can meet their partners at any moment and never know it. Grocery store. Standing in line in a bank. Interacting with them on TikTok."

"No, Faisal . . ." Amir looked away and sat up. "I'm talking about crossing paths with them recently. Yesterday. I could sense them near me."

His brows perked. "Hmm, keep going. Where at?"

"Now don't get your panties in a bunch," Amir told him. "It was in my bedroom, I believe."

"Your bedroom? Ooh-la-la. This is getting interesting."

He scoffed. "You know what? I think I'll stop right here. You're over here hoping for some not-safe-for-work kind of talk, and that's not where this conversation is headed."

Faisal clapped a hand on Amir's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "You know you can talk to me. I won't make another peep. Scouts honor."

"Hmm."

He laughed. "Please. I want to hear it."

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

"I was messing with you, bro. I'm interested in what happened in the bedroom last night."

Amir adjusted himself in his seat, turning toward his cousin. "Last night, when I was finishing up my evening prayers, I sensed somebody behind me. Like, a presence."

"Was anybody there?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Let me ask you when you sensed the other person, did it feel like a firework went off in your body? Or like you had ten cups of coffee, no creamer or sugar added?"