Otherworldly Redemption [Book 7]

10

Tuli, laid on the uncomfortable looking couch all the way across the large room fast asleep as Marin, Jelani, and I sat on the bed trying to figure out what happened to me.  Jelani was actually lying down on top of the blankets as I sat on the other side of him, my legs hanging off the side of the bed. Marin sat, legs crossed, at the bottom of the bed staring at us with wide eyes.

"Has this ever happened before? " I questioned in confusion.

"No, never."

"So why now?" Marin questioned.

"I'm not sure. The only way to maintain your powers here would be to have a drop of your blood infused with the orb that blocks the magical power in this place. Since you haven't done that there should be no way for your powers to manifest like that." Jelani explained as he stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"So that's how that works." I hummed, committing that bit of information to memory.

"What happened leading up into that point?" Marin questioned trying to piece together some sort of time line as to what happened after he left.

"Jelani was being choked by that gas monster and I couldn't just stand there and watch him die." I admitted. Even if I didn't have the truce with Jelani currently I could never stand off to the side and watch someone take an innocent life. No matter how cold he had been to me when I first arrived here we've come to an understanding and I could feel myself warming up to him, enough to want to stay in his presence for longer than a few minutes at a time.

"So you managed to bypass all of our magical wards in order to save Jelani?" Marin mused, a sly smirk making it's way to his face. There was something cooking in that mischievous mind of his. "You did it to protect Jelani..."

"That doesn't make sense." I sighed, ignoring his words. That didn't explain how I was able to do the impossible.

"Of course it does! That's what the bond does!" He cheered excitedly looking between Jelani and I. I turned to look at Jelani to see what he meant but Jelani's jaw dropped as he stared blankly at Marin.

"Marin..." He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose when he finally regained composure. "I think it's time we all went to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a stressful day."

"What did he mean by bond?" I questioned.

"Um..." Marin hummed gently, looking slightly embarrassed at his outburst. "We've been spending so much time together, clearly we have a bond forming. Maybe you're growing close to Jelani?"

"But-" I objected not wanting to give up on the conversation. There was something that they were both hiding from me. It couldn't have been that simple.

 "Another time Horus. It's time to go to sleep." His voice was guttural and firm as he ended the conversation.

"I just don't see-"

"Horus..." His tone was a warning and I stopped speaking with a huff. He always had to have the final say, even after saving him tonight he wouldn't tell me what I needed to know. But they had told me enough, if I ended up staying here too long all I would have to do is find this magical orb and drop some blood on it and then I would be able to do as I pleased, including leaving.

"Fine." But even as the words left my lips I realized that I had just agreed to go to sleep, with them both, in the same bed. The couch was no longer an option and I wasn't sure if I would even get some rest tonight. "So...um...how is this going to work?" 

"What do you mean?" Marin questioned already buried underneath the sheets. He had used magic to change into his night clothes and was ready to go to sleep. Jelani chuckled at my obvious nervousness as he rose and walked to the closet. As he changed I wandered over to the closet as well to disrobe and slip into something comfier and more appropriate than just my boxers.