Chapter 22

Nomis had not expected the staff to let him wander the grounds without an escort, but after breakfast and a check-up with Ralph he'd been left to his own devices. It was nice to be outside, there was a soft breeze and the sun was warm, and smell of lavender pervaded the air. The smell gave him pause, he wasn't sure it was the season for the flowers to be in bloom…

He wandered through the grounds, avoiding the other residents, preferring his own company. His excessive periods of sleep were a concern, and there were elements of the meal he'd shared with Ralph that were fuzzy around the edges, although some of it had come back to him. He remembered drinking the blood, and eating less than great chocolate cake but it was still more of a blur than anything else. While he could accept his older memories might take time to return, he didn't think he should lose his new ones. No one seemed to want him to remember, he would have thought they could have tried to find a way to help him recall, and even though Ralph had alluded to something horrible happening during his imprisonment that shouldn't have meant he'd continue to repress everything. And that made him wonder if there might be other reasons why they might not want him to remember his past.

The grounds had a lake, causing another itch in his brain about something he'd forgotten, and he decided to walk around the banks, to watch the birds ducking and diving under the water. He felt as if he had lived somewhere as beautiful, a place with grounds and wildlife, and he was important, a life of leisure not of servitude. If that were the case why hadn't someone come to fetch him? Or maybe they had but had been unable to find him. He'd not asked to communicate with anyone outside the facility and Ralph had said it would be dangerous, but if he'd been so badly treated where were the scars on his body? Why was it only his mind that was a wreck?

Nomis saw a short wooden jetty, he looked around to see if there was a row boat but he couldn't see one and instead he sat on the edge, taking his shoes off so he could dangle his feet in the water. It was colder than he'd expected, but he liked the freshness, and the warmth of the sun. He closed his eyes for a moment.

A strange fizzing sensation rumbled from underneath his diaphragm, not unpleasant, far from it. A tendril wormed through him, it felt familiar, and right—as if a missing piece had been returned. He blinked as he stared at the surface of the water and a face appeared where his own reflection should have been. It was a man with blue eyes and blond hair, and despite the obvious signs of worry he was attractive, gorgeous even. Nomis felt an immediate pull towards him, this man was his, he was important and he was important to him.

"Simon! It worked it's Simon."

Nomis glanced around, checking there was no one else. This was a deliberate attempt to contact him, and not an accidental appearance. "Who are you? How can I see you in the lake?"

"Simon, are you all right? Are you hurt? Why is your hair red?"

"Do you know me? Why are you calling me Simon?" Simon sounded better than Nomis, the name felt right on his lips.

The man winced. "I'm Robin, and I'm calling you Simon because that's your name."

Robin—that name seemed familiar, but Ralph had mentioned a Robin Flint who had been his captor but this man didn't look like a monster. "My name is Nomis."

"No, it's not. You're Simon. Please, I know this must be very confusing, but you were taken. They've hidden you from me and made you forget."

"I was told I was rescued, that you were my captor. Why should I believe you?"

Robin appeared pained, and if he was acting he was good at it. "You're my husband."

"So you say. But why should I believe you?" He hadn't believed Ralph when he'd told him he was his husband either but at least he found this Robin attractive, and husband sounded right. "I don't remember you."

"I know it's hard. But listen, we have a bond, and it's been limited, don't you feel an ache in your chest like something's missing?"

He did, but he'd also been told his magic had been drained and he'd thought that could be a reason for him feeling bereft. "What if I do, that doesn't prove it was a bond with you, and if you were my captor and were trying to steal me back you could have done something to me."

Robin let out a choked sob. "No, I am trying to help you. Tell me where you are. I can come and speak to you. Bring your parents."

"But if Ralph is telling the truth, and you are lying, then if I tell you where I am I will put myself in danger."

"Ralph? Who is Ralph?"

"He's my doctor… and he claims to be my husband." He saw Robin snarl, fangs and all, a jealous reaction that seemed real and he felt the need to clarify. "But only in name, for my protection. Nothing more."

"It is bad enough that he has stolen you away, but if he has touched or hurt you I will make sure his punishment is drawn-out and painful."

Robin was an attractive man and a frisson of desire shot through Nomis at the thought of Robin holding him, showing him only he could satisfy his needs. A memory of a sitting in Robin's lap flitted across his mind but then it was gone. Was it real or an illusion? He didn't know who to trust.

"He is acting as my doctor. I spoke to some of the other patients and they said he helps many people and holds mass meetings, and if he can't cure them he invites them here."

"Where are you? Perhaps he doesn't realise the truth either."

"I don't know where here is." He heard voices, and he knew he shouldn't be caught talking to Robin. "There's someone coming. I should go."

He glanced over his shoulder and saw Nurse Teller hurrying towards him. "Nomis. I've been looking for you."

Nomis glanced back to the water, Robin was gone and his emptiness returned at full force. "I went for a walk."

"You were staring at the water muttering to yourself. Is there anything wrong?"

He got to his feet. "Nothing, I was talking to the ducks, they reminded me of a place I used to visit."

"They did?"

"Yeah. I couldn't think where exactly but maybe it's a good sign."

She pursed her lips and walked past him to the edge of the jetty. She flicked out her fingers and a sprinkle of golden sparks hit the surface of the water, which turned a purple hue for a moment.

"What spell did you cast?" she demanded. "You shouldn't be using your magic, it's unstable and dangerously low."

"I didn't cast anything."

She grabbed his arm, her grip firm, almost painful. "Who were you talking to?"

Somehow he knew not to tell her. As strange as it might be, he felt less at risk from the weird guy in the lake than the nurse who was supposed to be helping him. "No one. There was a fizziness to the water when I got here, I thought it might be kelp sprites and I called to them to see if they'd come out."

"We're going to see Dr Mettle. Maybe you'll tell him the truth."

He tried to resist, but she was much stronger than she looked. She steered him back to the house, still gripping his arm with no intention of letting go. There was no point in arguing with her and he thought it better to play along, act surprised and resolute that nothing had happened.

She didn't knock on Ralph's door as they approached, but he was alone. She gave him a shove and Nomis ended up on his knees. "He's been talking to the outside."

Ralph stood and helped Nomis to his feet. "Nurse Teller, what is the meaning of this?"

"I found him, I'm sure he was using a mirroricom… a way to speak through reflections."

"I don't even know what one of those is!" Nomis said, which was true in the absolute sense as he'd never heard of one before. "I told you I got there and there were bubbles in the water. Someone must have been there before me."

Ralph grabbed his chin and forced him to stare into his eyes. "Now, Nomis, we can't have secrets in our marriage. You need to tell me the truth."

"I am. I swear."

Ralph's eyes began to change colour until they were a bright red. "You are lying. Don't you realise the great danger you are putting yourself in?"

"How do I know that you aren't the danger and I'm already in it?"

"After everything I have done for you."

The metal cuffs began to warm, and he realised it wasn't Ralph but his own magic trying to react to defend himself, and it was trapped behind the gold. "Remove the cuffs. Let my magic be free."

Ralph let go of him and shoved him towards Nurse Teller. He was pulling a chain from under his shirt with a blue jewel attached. He thought he may have seen it before but he couldn't place it. "I think Nomis needs a lie-down. Then do a sweep of the lake, we need to be sure."

"Sure of what?" he demanded.

"Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over. Sleep."

The world lurched sideways into darkness.