Providence Reigns: Serendipity Saga Book Three

Chapter Seven

I bled from Moira, the Leanhan Sidhe's thoughts but instead of returning to safety and silence, my world swirled into an all to painful memory.

I was in the arena in Damien's mansion. And though the room was blurring with hundreds of people in dozens of activities, I was uniquely focused on what was happening to me. Carson sat astride me, so familiarly but so alien at the same time.

His fists rained down on me, cracking into my jaw and cheeks. My pain was explosive, all consuming. And trying to see past the black in my vision, I could glimpse Carson. My Carson. Definitely not my Carson. Pounding against me. He was damned strong.

His face was twisted, a preternatural anger written there. But beneath it, there was still a dwindling ember of disgust. It was deep and buried beneath manipulation and guilt, but it was there.

His punches weren't as smooth as I'd first thought. Between each was a subtle hesitation, so quick I wouldn't have noticed had I not been looking for something. Even then, he was fighting against himself.

The images, the pain, the emotion of the memory swirled into technicolor. I spun so fast that I could make out nothing around me.

And then I came to a sudden halt. I saw myself from a distance in the clearing. I was pressed against Carson and I could see the images of my mind flashing through the night air. I desired him. I needed him. I needed him to remember...

I felt it deeply, though still not in myself, when the dam broke. It was a gentle snap as my mind broke through to his. I wasn't as soft as I should've been. I slammed my consciousness into his and encompassed him. Unlike Valeria though, I didn't replace his thoughts with false ones, I simply forced them to be the way they had been, good and bad.

Carson's mind bent beneath my will and I watched it all with sickening horror. My body which wasn't mine felt numb yet it exploded with maddening pain deeper than any wound. I was there but I was gone and this me that wasn't me knew it.

My palms were full of sand dribbling and rejoining the great spirit that was existence. As so many other times, what I nearly had dissolved.

I was screaming. I knew I was screaming but I couldn't stop myself. Sobs rolled from my throat, tears raining from my eyes.

"Kyra! Kyra, what's wrong?!" he shouted at me. I could barely hear him over my own despair. I felt like I was being ripped in two. My mind wouldn't completely return to me. Images flashed before my eyes.

Carson reached past me, flicking the light switch. The room blossomed into visibility.

Carson pressed his fingers to either side of my face, turning my head back and forth. He checked my arms next, searching for something, anything to explain.

My screams had faded but I barely noticed. His touch along my skin was electrifying. It took me a moment to realize that was literal. Miniature lightning bolts like visible static flickered across both of us. I watched them, dazed. It seemed so familiar...

"Hey," he whispered, lifting my chin with one hand. "I'm here. You're safe. What happened?"

My hand went to my belly though I hadn't meant to. Carson glanced down, following the movement. "Is he okay?" he asked and something finally caught my attention. He had said he. Had he considered the gender? Did this baby mean more to him than political security? Or was that just what I hoped?

"I think so," I said and it was barely audible.

He was hesitant when he lifted his hand. He watched my face as he neared until finally, I nodded. His palm was pressed to my belly gently beneath my shirt before I blinked again.