Tethered Souls | Books 1, 2, and 3

8 | Transitioning

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• Luna •

Rolling in her bed, Luna lay awake thinking about what it was like transitioning into another country subconsciously. Never in a million years would she have thought a moment like this could happen.

It couldn't have been real, so she led herself to believe.

It was mind-boggling to know her daughter could not see Amir because only she and he were tethered. She ruled out Sarah being part of the same species but then wondered about the rest of her family. Luna pondered if her older sister, Liberty, or their parents knew about this phenomenon and kept it secret.

As she strolled through her hallway and headed toward the kitchen, she was shocked when she found herself in a different one, spotting Amir pouring his food from a pan into a small bowl. Her nose twitched at the strong, spicy scent looming in the air.

"That smells delicious," Luna said, startling him; a few pieces of his meal fell to the floor. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"It's fine." He leaned down and wiped the mess he caused, wearing a long black tunic top, with loose-fitting pants settled comfortably around his waist.

"What are you cooking?"

"Chicken Karahi."

"It looks appetizing," she said, eyeing it.

"What do you guys like in Louisiana?"

"Mostly shrimp and Gumbo."

"Oh. I'll have to try that one of these days."

Amir took a small bite of his food, and it caused her to feel like she took a bite as well. The texture was rich and thick, with a hearty flavor compatible with all the ingredients inside.

"Are there other foods you like?"

"The South is known for fishing and hunting. I liked crawfish, but I eat more Italian food lately."

"I love Italian food myself. How long have you had your studio opened?"

"Five years," she told him. When she found a bottle of oil, she turned his way. "You could add some oil and try it out. See if you like it."

He laughed and then poured a little oil into his pan.

Slightly tasting his food, he nodded. "It tastes better. This is why I prefer Faisal's meals more than my own sometimes. He rarely forgets any ingredients."

"You're not so bad," she said, chuckling.

Tossing a thick length of hair over her shoulder, she took a step backward as he continued preparing his food. "Do you cook, Luna?"

"I'm not that good at it, besides baking chocolate chip cookies. I tried to make a simple recipe for Rice Krispy treats last year for Sarah's school, but I ended up leaving the spatula in the pan for too long. I stepped away for a moment to grab something else to add to the batter and I came back to notice half of the spatula was melted inside the mix."

Amir smiled a little as he shifted his pan to another burner. "At least you tried. That makes a great parent."

"I guess. But you don't know me as a parent yet."

"No, but I can sense things and how you feel comfortable around me," Amir said, keeping a steady gaze upon her.

A faint blush covered her cheeks, as thick lashes swept up and her eyes met his for a second. Then she looked away. As she browsed Amir's photographs posted on his refrigerator door, she felt astonished at how she was standing in his kitchen. In the back of her mind, it toiled with her that she had been in his home before, but she couldn't recall when.