Dreams of Eden (Ace of Queens # 4)

CH.17 Posey's Crimes

Chapter 17

Eden felt Alec's arms around her before she even opened her eyes. She knew she should have moved away, but his scent made her feel grounded. He was like the anchor to her ship left at sea during a storm.

"Eden?" Alec tapped her face gently.

Eden moved her face closer to Alec's chest. Her searching hands immediately found Alec's as he brought them closer.

"Open your eyes," Alec urged her. "Please."

Eden shook her head as she kept her eyes tightly screws shut. Her throat dried up from the fear running through her veins. All she wanted was to crawl onto Alec's lap and hide. But she was afraid to move. She convinced herself if she didn't move, nothing could hurt her.

"Just because you can't see me, doesn't mean I'm not here," Tobias said softly from behind Gemma.

Eden gasped as she pulled herself closer to Alec. The man's voice was exactly the same as it had been for years in her dream.

"Eden," Tobias called with a hint of irritation. "Come on now, dove. You're too grown for this. This used to suit you when you were seven."

Eden's eyes snapped open as she turned in Alec's arms and looked at the tall man.

"You......so you're real," she said looking at his familiar face. "I'm not crazy?"

"You were never crazy," Tobias laughed. He opened the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a little object.

It was a stuffed gray elephant the size of a baseball. It looked out of place in the hands of the god of the underworld. Eden watched with caution as Tobias took a step closer and handed the elephant to her.

She stared at the stuffed animal in her palms for a while. It's little black bead eyes and large ears were worn with age. As Eden held the elephant up, she felt the back of her mind spark to life.

"Peanut," Eden said quietly.

"My wife wanted to return him to you," Tobias smiled.

Eden's eyes began to water as she felt a rush of emotions flood though her. She heard the sweet voice of a woman call out to her as flashes of running through the hanging sheets in the yard, looking at the night sky, picking berries in the woods, feeding baby birds, and collecting honey started to fill in huge empty chunks of her memory.

For the first time in years, Eden could close her eyes and picture what her mother was like. She could see her long blond hair, the laugh lines around her face, the mark above her brow.

"You left it with my wife the night you came back," Tobias said as he pointed to the elephant.

"I.....I.....I think I remember her," Eden said. "She has long black hair...."

Tobias smiled as Eden described his Posey.

"She's very fond of you," He said. "Make me check up on you every night."

"That's why you're in my dreams every night," Eden concluded.

"Yes," Tobias nodded.

Eden began to sit up on the floor. Alec kept his arms around her as she leaned against him for support.

"Why....why is she fond of me?" Eden asked.

Tobias took a deep breath and looked at Gemma. He could see the same question swimming in everyone's eyes around the room.

"The night you.....technically died was the first night my wife visited the underworld," Tobias began. "You were the first soul she saw crossover. I guess it was an act of faith. Posey's always been a very kind and rebellious soul."