Dance of Magic - The Books of Beginning [1]

49. Joined Souls

Rafe held Kate tight as she pressed her face into his chest, listening to the sound of his heart. Her arms squeezed his torso as if she was afraid that releasing him would mean losing him again. Rafe understood, so he merely stroked her hair and whispered, "I'm with you. I'm here."

Kate pulled back to wipe at the tears running down her face. Her entire body shook, and she was so exhausted from what she had just done. She felt about ready to pass out at any moment. Which was why she didn't protest when Rafe helped her sit down on the barren mountain ground.

"I thought I had lost you again," Kate said, her words punctured slightly by the beginnings of sobs she was holding back.

"But you didn't lose me," Rafe replied, "you saved me."

She did save him. She would do it again. And she knew he would do the same for her, because they loved each other, and part of love was looking out for each other's health and happiness. There was no bargaining, no 'I owe you one,' just the two of them taking care of each other.

Kate murmured, "I was still scared."

"I'm so sorry for scaring you. I'm so sorry for leaving you in the church, too. I feel terrible," Rafe apologized sincerely.

Kate's head snapped upward, "that's right, you did leave me!"

She was still frustrated at him for that, even though her fire had been dampened by almost losing him. Still, what he had done was not ok and she wasn't just about to give him a pass for it.

"I know. It was wrong. I wanted to protect you from the monster inside of me, but I just made things worse and made you worried. It was a stupid choice," Rafe said.

"It really was," Kate agreed, feeling so tired and like she was drowning in all sorts of emotion. She looked up to see sincerity in his eyes and sighed. He knew what he had done was wrong. So she said, "I can forgive you though. So long as you promise never to do it again."

"I can work with that," Rafe smiled a bit.

They sat there looking at each other, feeling the surrealities of this moment as they gazed into each other's eyes. Then, after a brief moment, Kate pushed herself to her feet and threw herself into Rafe's arms. He caught her and held her close, sensing how much she had fought and how much she needed someone to hold her now, to tell her that it was ok.

"You did it," Rafe whispered into her ear, "he's gone for good."

"Finally," Kate muttered, feeling a sense of relief as she was able to take in for the first time the fact that she had won. She was finally free of the Dire Magnus. He could no longer hurt her or her loved ones. It was like a weight had been lifted off her chest.

She fell silent and let Rafe hold her, allowing her exhausted bones and her magic, which had been so nearly sniffed out entirely Kate couldn't feel it anymore, rest. She was cold and tired and she could appreciate this victory sometime later. Right now, she just needed someone to take care of her.

When she finally spoke again, it was muffled, as she had buried her face into Rafe's shoulder, "it took so much. I can't even feel my magic, I used so much."

"I know. I could feel how much bringing me back took from you," Rafe replied, "another few seconds and you would have ripped your own soul apart. It... it could have destroyed you Kate."

His voice broke and Kate realized that he was holding her just as tight as she was holding him. Because he too had nearly lost someone he loved today. He was clinging to her and she was clinging to him, both afraid to lose each other.

"What will it do to me? Using so much of my magic, I mean. I know something is going to be different, I can feel it, I just don't know what," Kate questioned.

"To use so much of your power, to push past your limits and go to the brink like that, especially with the way you shoved your soul into that power, well, some of it you'll never get back. You're still going to be powerful, once your magic recovers, probably the most powerful of your family. But I doubt you'll be able to raise the dead or change the barriers of the world ever again," Rafe explained to her.

"I'm fine with that," Kate said. And indeed, she was just glad the price wasn't something far more. She didn't need to be all powerful, it was actually for the best that she wasn't anymore. That kind of power was dangerous and could easily ruin someone's life. Besides, even though her magic was dimmed slightly, it was still strong, as was she.

"Just don't get yourself killed again and we'll be fine," Kate instructed. Though her tone was light, she wasn't joking.

"I won't. Trust me, I have a good reason not to," he said, before dropping a kiss on her forehead.

Despite herself, Kate smiled, "I love you."

"I love you too," Rafe replied, "and I want to stay by your side for as long as you'll have me there. This is the second time you've given me a chance at life, and I'm not going to waste it."

"Then let's not waste it," Kate pulled back and looked into his eyes, "let's go home, and let's live our lives."

Rafe knew what she was saying, "it's time to go, then?"

"I think we've stayed long enough. We should leave before something else happens," Kate declared.

"I agree," Rafe responded, "besides, when you defeated the Dire Magnus you would have won the battle in the land of the living as well. Your siblings will be waiting for you."

Kate smiled at the thought, "let's find that portal back then."

They began walking, as fast as they could on their exhausted legs, hands clasped tightly because they still were not ready to release each other. They were on the verge of collapse, but they had barely gotten out of the mountain pass when a figure swooped down in front of them, a creature with a hominid body covered in a dark cloak and the head and wings of a raven. Emma had told Kate about them. The carridian, the guardians of this realm.

"Hello, Kate Wibberly," the Raven said, it's voice a dull echo scratching against Kate's brain.

"Hello,"'Kate said, "why are you here?"

"To return you and your companion to your proper realm," the beast replied. Kate supposed that made sense. It was hard to keep the land of the dead orderly with the living running around it.

"Ok then," Kate said, and that was all she got out before the great bird creature swooped her and Rafe up, flapped its dark wings, and began to soar over the land of the dead.

At first, Kate's stomach lurched, but as she took it all in, she realized there was something quite incredible about it all. They passed over the city, and Kate sent a silent thank you to Henrietta Burke, wherever she was. They passed over forests of dead trees and plains of land almost like farms. It was all so vast and remarkable to take in. And when Kate looked over at Rafe, she saw he was amazed too.

Was Emma as awestruck by this flight, Kate wondered. She would have to ask her sister soon. Michael would probably want the two Wibberly girls to compare their experiences in the land of the dead, she thought with amusement. A smile grew on her face at the thought of seeing her siblings.

She was still smiling when the carridian released her and she and Rafe went flying down a waterfall.

This was where the portal was, Kate told herself even as she plummeted. Her hand shot out and clasped Rafe's arm, drawing him to her so they would do this together, any minute they would be under the tree in the Rose Citadel garden.

Still, Kate did not look down, she looked into Rafe's eyes as she fell. Some things were just a bit too nauseating for her to deal with today.

A/N: Kate and Rafe are on their way home! And Kate has lost some of her power, but that's ok, because she and Rafe are together again.