44. Morelle

44

MORELLE

T hroughout dinner, Morelle kept catching herself rubbing her hand where she'd shaken Jin's. Had Jin attached a tether to her during that brief contact, or was she just being paranoid because of Jin's mischievous and irreverent vibe?

As Jin launched into a long story about her first and only significant mission for the clan, Morelle studied her more carefully. There was something about the tilt of her lips and the amusement dancing in her eyes that suggested a natural troublemaker. How did someone as mellow and sweet as Arwel handle such a mate?

Margo had said something about opposite personalities being attracted to one another, but Gabi had qualified that statement by pointing out that it was crucial for a couple to have at least some things in common and that their differences should provide a little spice to the relationship but not define it.

It was all so confusing, and completely unknown territory to Morelle. What she'd been told about Kra-ell interactions was centered on loyalty to the tribe, respecting the pecking order, and honoring the Kra-ell traditions. The head priestess had never talked about the intricacies of one-on-one relationships because they were foreign to the Kra-ell culture.

"...so there I was," Jin was saying, her hands painting pictures in the air, "finally having tethered Kalugal when all mayhem broke loose."

Morelle tensed again, rubbing her hand, but Brandon seemed unconcerned, and he had shaken Jin's hand as well.

"A human shows up with a gun," Jin continued, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We all ducked as bullets started flying, and then I saw Arwel soaring over the crowd like Superman and landing over the shooter, taking him down to the floor." She looked lovingly at her mate. "You were incredible."

"I was terrified that he was going to hurt you." Arwel clasped her hand.

"And that's how Kalugal realized that Arwel was an immortal," Jin continued, "used his compulsion to freeze everyone other than Jacki, who is immune, and caught himself a Head Guardian."

The tale grew more complex with each passing minute, so full of twists and turns that Morelle glanced at Brandon. "You should write this into a script for one of your movies."

His laugh seemed a little forced. "It would be too fantastical for people to suspend disbelief. As the saying goes, reality is stranger than fiction, and most people don't realize how true that is."

By the time Jin approached the culmination of her story, the Odus were serving tea and coffee along with a freshly baked chocolate cake that made Morelle's mouth water.

Back home, the food she'd been given was meant to nourish her, but it had been mostly fruits and some vegetables that were somehow sneaked into the temple.

She'd never tasted anything as decadent as chocolate, and the scent of it mixed with coffee was intoxicating.

"So that's how Kalugal ended up in the village," Jin finished with a flourish. "A prime example of the Fates at work."

Morelle nodded, thinking of her own journey. "The way Ell-rom and I were found is another example of that. If Jasmine hadn't accepted her criminal boyfriend's invitation to spend a vacation with him at the same hotel where Margo was attending her brother's soon-to-be former mate's party, she wouldn't have been found by the clan, and without her scrying ability, Ell-rom and I wouldn't have been found and would have probably died."

"Fates forbid." Brandon squeezed her hand.

She smiled at him. "The Fates brought us together."

"Yes, they did." His smile was the first genuine one she'd seen all day, making her wonder if he was still upset about her interest in trying Perfect Match adventures with or without him. His mood had improved considerably after she'd agreed to move into his house, though she still hadn't found the right opportunity to tell Annani about that decision.

"Your turn." Jin waved an elegant hand at her sister. "You should tell them about your talent and how you used it to find me."

Mey's story was also entertaining and filled with tense moments, carrying them through coffee, tea, and several pieces of that amazing chocolate cake. Morelle was just reaching for another small slice when Amanda cleared her throat.

"I could keep eating this cake until I burst, but I think it's time for testing."

That was apparently the signal for everyone to thank the Clan Mother and rise from their seats.

"We'll start with Jin," Amanda announced, motioning for the younger sister to approach. "Try to attach your tether to Brandon." She turned to Morelle. "Your job is to prevent her from doing that."

Morelle frowned. "What if I can't stop Jin? Will Brandon stay tethered to her?"

Jin's laugh was light and careless. "I'll snap the connection, silly. It's not like I enjoy being a peeping Tom and observing someone else's life." She leaned in closer to Morelle. "I'll let you in on a secret. Most of the time, it's incredibly boring, and sometimes it's also embarrassing."

Morelle could imagine private moments that should never be observed by another person, even a loved one.

"I wonder if this is going to feel different," Amanda said. "Cassandra's explosion ability is straightforward but unique. Somehow, she manages to influence with her mind the molecular structure of the object she wants to blow up, and she doesn't even know how she does it. In that respect, Jin's mental tether almost seems simpler, but it implies that consciousness is not bound to the body and, under certain circumstances, can be independent of it."

"I could have told you that," Syssi said. "How do you think I access visions? Consciousness is also not bound by time and space, which is why I can see into the past, the future, and even other planets."

For some reason, the explanation eased Morelle's mind about the test. It made Jin's power sound more like science with a tinge of spirituality than magic.

Looking at Brandon's face, she could tell that he shared some of her reservations about Jin's ability, and she couldn't blame him. No one wanted someone else's mind inside their own or even just hitching a ride on their optic and auditory systems.