Serenity

Chapter 17

Julian

I stood, stunned by her question. There was a sadness behind the words that gave what she said more force than I expected. I wasn't sure she even understood the depths of sadness she was showing. It was heartbreaking to know that my actions had caused that in her.

The question was, how do I make her realise I had no intention of walking away ever again? Words are cheap. It was my actions that caused this uncertainty in her. Mere words will never be enough. But I had to try. "Tamara Michelson, I promise you. Never again will I leave you. I spent eight years regretting the decisions I made that night. There's no way in hell that I will make that mistake again. I may have to leave you because of my job, but I will always come back."

Tami's eyes narrowed for a second, then returned to normal. I didn't blame her for not believing me. Still, it was time for her to let that hurt go, and she knew it. She sighed, and a genuine smile crept onto her face. She walked over to the tables and picked up her day pack with her uninjured arm before she headed towards a path. "Come on, let's see if we can find that bird."

I grinned, grabbed my backpack, and ran to catch up to her. We spent several hours wandering through the bush, talking and catching up on everything that had happened in the last eight years. It took time, but before we returned to the stronghold, Tami was more at ease with me. I didn't fool myself, though. I knew I had a long way to go before I regained her trust in full. But at least I had made a start.

The next morning, I was finishing the last of my breakfast when a shadow fell across my plate. I glanced up, and a frown creased my brows. My stomach twisted, and I pushed my plate to the side. "What do you want?"

Dion held up his hands, a gesture of peace, and gave a small smile. "Relax. I just want to talk. I've always known Tami wasn't mine. Whenever she talked of you, there was deep pain associated with your name. The pain that only comes with one that has loved and lost. That she carried it for so long tells me that her Mori was mourning."

His smile faded, and he studied the grain of the table. "I always suspected that you were her mate. Even when she herself doubted it. You have nothing to fear from me. Although Brandon may think otherwise. To be face to face with the mate of one he treated in such a cavalier manner is not a fate I wish on anyone."

"As long as Brandon treats her with respect now, I am content to leave the past in the past. It is her future that concerns me the most."

Dion stirred sugar into his tea and stared into its depths, as if trying to read the future. "What is she facing? Something has driven her since the day we met. Tami may sleep, but she does not rest."

"That's what I am afraid of. She hunts a master and I'm scared she can't defeat him."

Dion took a swallow of his tea. The sounds of people enjoying their food increased in volume as more and more people entered the dining room. Liquid poured into mugs as half awake warriors searched for something to help them stay awake long enough to write reports after their long night of patrolling the city. Even the ticking of the clock on the wall behind me grew deafening as I waited for his next words.

"I'll join you. If you will have me. I may be a healer, but I am many years older than both of you and have spent just as much time in the field as a battle medic as I have in a clinic. I still know how to handle a sword."

"It's not up to me. This is Tami's journey. I'm just here to see that she achieves her goal at the end."

His eyebrows raised. That wasn't what he had been expecting to hear. "Why?"

"What do you mean by 'Why'?"

"Why aren't you leading?"

"I just told you, it's Tami's journey. Even if my Mori wants to take her away from here, I won't. This is too important for Tami. There is no way in hell I will try to stop her."