He flashed a dorky grin and I almost spat out the sip of tea in my mouth. The more I thought about it, the more I got frustrated. A week. I should have figured out how to release my husband by now. To be fair, it wasn’t a common method we used.
“Yes. I would love for Eligor to meet you.” I let out a frustrated huff.
Davin took a long sip, set his mug on the table, and clasped his hands. “So, what can I do?”
I’d thought about it for days. What I was about to ask him would be difficult and it might not work. And I would be showing him everything about my past. What I was thinking and feeling. The good and the bad. But what choice did I have?
“I need you to go to my past and see if you can find anything, any clue that can help me. I promise you’ll be fine. You just have to be observant. And please, no matter what happens, don’t interfere. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to change anything, but just in case, it’s best you watch from the sidelines.”
“Huh? What?” He rested his elbows on his thighs and pitched forward. “How do I do that? That seems hard. I’m an awesome angel and a pretty powerful one, but I can’t go to the past unless someone takes me. You’d think with all the high-tech stuff that there would be something close to a time machine.”
I flicked my long-braided hair back to drape over one side of my shoulder. “I don’t want to actually be there. I’ll be at the sideline with you. I have something that will show you my memory instead. As you know, memories can be forgotten.”
I reached into the pocket of my skirt and pulled out an eternal memory crystal—blue and six inches long. It was a cylinder like the Keeper crystal, but the top was rough and broken.
Davin touched the pointed tip. “If they’re your memories, why do you need me?”
“Because once I’m out, I’ll only retain what I remembered in the first place, so it’ll be a waste of time. If I can’t remember now, I won’t be able to remember it when I come back from the past, no matter what I learn there. Does this make sense to you?”
“Yes, but why can’t you ask Eli or any other kid to do it?” Davin leaned back into the sofa and crossed his arms. “Not that I don’t want to help you, but I’m surprised you asked me.”
“I’d rather not send a teenager, nor my son.” I glanced at the photo of Eli and me on the bookcase behind Davin. We had taken that picture recently. “Nor do I want to send Kalani or Sabina. I did things I’m not proud of, even though I had no control over much of it. I trust you and I know you won’t judge me. Sometimes it’s easier to speak to someone who doesn’t know much about your past. Besides, you’ve told me things you weren’t proud of, so now you’ll know mine.”
Kalani and Sabina were my childhood friends, and I considered them my sisters. Although I had told them about the time when I was known as the Snow Queen, I didn’t want them to see it firsthand. It would devastate them. Of that I was sure, because I would have felt the same if our positions were reversed.
Davin nodded with a sympathetic expression. “We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. I understand.”
“So, will you help me?”
“Wait.” Davin leaned forward and then leaned back, tapping his fingers on the armrest nervously. “How long will I be gone?”
“Not that long. Maybe five minutes? It will depend on when you want to pull away. The time in my memory might feel like a lifetime but it’s only minutes in ours. Are we good?”
Despite the seriousness, I almost smiled at the phrase Eli used with his friends—Are we good.
“You’re sounding cool, like the kids. I like it.” Davin jerked his chin upward, a nod of approval.
I gave him a hint of a smile. “Speaking of kids, how are they and their families?”
When I said kids, I meant all the supernatural families and their children who fought in the war.
Davin’s green eyes turned dark and somber. “It’s going to take time to rebuild parts of Hawaii, but business will be up and running very soon. And our team is good. They’re enjoying their time with their family. Eli and Lucia are out somewhere, I’m assuming you know.”
I couldn’t believe my son was dating a high-ranking angel. Who knew?
“Yes. That’s why I thought it was a perfect time to ask you. We’ll do this in my room, if you don’t mind.”
Davin rose and extended a hand. “Lead the way.”
My bedroom was simple like the rest of the cabin, which had once belonged to my parents. I had a bed and a dresser and that was all. There was another bedroom for Eli, and an extra room where I kept my books and essential things like herbs and tools.
Davin stopped short in his tracks when he saw the circle of salt. Unlit candles were situated about the circle divided by a line in the middle with the same salt. Then he glanced about the space.
“Looks like my room.”
I ignored his comment that was neither an insult nor a compliment. I had no idea how to react to that.
I grabbed the Elementum book from my bed. “Have a seat on whichever side you prefer, and then I’ll get us started.”
Davin took the left, and I sat cross-legged on the right side of the circle.
I placed the memory crystal in a wooden bowl in the center. After I picked up a small dagger from a tray of things I had placed out the night before, I cut across my palm and let the crystal soak up enough of my dripping blood. Then I wrapped my cut with a cloth.
“Wait.” Davin stood suddenly. “I don’t like this side. Let’s switch.”
What the hell? Davin sometimes acted more like a teenager than the actual teenagers in his household, Lucia and Zachary, his twin niece and nephew.
I gave him an are-you-kidding-me scowl.
“Well …” He shrugged sheepishly.
“We’re not moving. I’ve already started.” I narrowed my eyes at him and pointed at the floor where he’d been sitting.
He frowned, and then sat back down as he said, “Okie dokie.”
As I chanted the words from the Elementum book, the candles poofed into life. One by one, they lit up in a rippling affect.
“Now what?” Davin said, looking wary.
“Hold my hands.” I extended my arms to him.
When he linked his fingers to mine, he sucked in a breath. It’s working. Good.
“I hope I can find what you’re looking for.” His words were sincere and there was no hint of humor. No joking around. He understood how important this was for me.
I gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Me too. Now I need you to relax and close your eyes. I promise I’ll be there with you. You’ll be fine.”
Davin nodded and lowered his long eyelashes. His chest rose and fell with a long exhale. I began to chant and stopped when he squinted with one eye open.
“Davin. You have to keep your eyes closed,” I said, willing every ounce of my patients.
Forget teenager, sometimes he acted like a child.
“Oh. Sorry. I was curious. I’ll keep them closed. Try again.”
I released a soft irate groan and continued the chant.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
“Davin,” I said through gritted teeth.
He let out a nervous laugh and swiped at his phone. “Stupid thing. I forgot to turn it off. My social media is blowing up. I posted a selfie with the forest background and they’re loving it.” He chuckled.