Chapter Twelve: Varn

Varn woke with a start. As he often did.

There it was.

Familiar fear bloomed in his chest. He'd never find his mate, no matter how wide and far he searched. She was gone.

Forever.

A part of himself that would always be missing.

No, his dragon said. One day, we will find her.

And today might be that day. It was the same thing they had said to each other over the last year as they searched for her.

It was what kept them going when morning after morning, they awoke alone.

We must keep positive , his dragon said as Varn swung his legs over the side of the bed and padded out of the bedroom, pausing to enjoy the early morning view of the ocean before he headed into the kitchen area.

Coffee. He'd feel more himself after a good cup of coffee.

Wine? He put his hands on his hips as he spotted the wine and chocolates on the otherwise empty kitchen counter.

Ash must have left them as a welcome-to-the-apartment gift.

Varn put his hand to his head and tried to shake off the muzzy feeling. Had he drunk too much last night?

He certainly recalled nothing stronger than tea, let alone enough alcohol to leave him feeling this disoriented. A tea party in celebration for Flint's child's first winter didn't seem like the place to drink excessively.

Maybe he was coming down with something.

Varn skirted around the wine and chocolates and picked up the coffeepot. A couple of strong cups would soon clear his head.

As he put the coffee on, he stifled a yawn as he folded his arms across his chest. There, next to the wine and chocolates, was a small gift box.

Had Ash bought him a gift, too?

That does seem a little strange, his dragon said.

More than a little strange, Varn replied as he picked up the gift box and opened it.

A moon and stars pendant. Perfection captured in glass. Vern screwed up his face as he stared at the pendant.

Perhaps it's a gift for Liselle and Flint's baby, his dragon said.

Now, that made sense.

But what made little sense was why it was here. And why Varn had no recollection of seeing it before.

Varn picked up the pendant, turning it over in his hand. The smooth glass felt cool against his skin, the intricate details engraved onto the moon catching the light. It was beautiful, but he had no idea why it was here in his apartment.

He set the pendant back in the box and closed the lid, pushing it aside. After he'd had coffee and showered, he'd head over to Ash's apartment and ask him.

The coffee maker beeped, summoning Ash, and he poured himself a large mug, inhaling the rich aroma. Yet the muzzy feeling in his head persisted.

Had something happened?

Something in that tavern, I suspect, his dragon grumbled.

Ah, yes, The Lonely Tavern . Varn nodded and sipped the hot liquid as he tried to piece together the events of the previous day. Surely that odd place had something to do with his confusion this morning.

He remembered arriving in Wishing Moon Bay, the familiar sights and sounds of the small town washing over him as his dragon landed by the docks.

After he'd shifted, he had gone to see Flint, catching up with his old friend over some of that awful bread beer Morwenna served in The Lonely Tavern. But after that, things got hazy.

Very hazy.

What exactly had he done for the whole day?

Tea. Cakes. A coven of witches.

Yes, he remembered those. And a boat ride.

A strange thing, a boat ride in such cold conditions.

Or had he dreamed it?

Varn wandered over to the window, looking out at the bay. The water sparkled in the early morning light, and the snow-covered mountains shimmered. He blinked, his eyes protesting against the bright sun. He squinted, trying to focus on the horizon, as if the answers to his questions might be found there. But the bay remained silent.

Varn sighed and turned away from the window, his gaze falling on the small gift box once more. He picked it up, running his thumb over the smooth surface, as if the action might somehow jog his memory.

Yes. He did buy it.

He'd gone into a store on the way home from Elsbeth's house where the tea party had taken place.

Presumably for Liselle and Flint's child. Yes, that must have been it. He'd had such a nice time at the party, and he wanted something to gift to Liselle and Flint as a thank you for everything they had done for him.

Perhaps he had something stronger than tea after all last night.

Varn drained his coffee cup and went back for a refill. As he waited for it to cool, he headed for the shower.

Half an hour later, he was feeling more like his normal self when someone knocked at the door.

He stiffened. Visitors often brought bad tidings.

This is not Cairnnor, he reminded himself as he strode to the door, his senses locking onto a woman on the other side.

"Hello!" Leah, Ash's mate, waved as he cracked open the door, dressed in what looked like business attire. "Ash left early with the children, so he asked me to pop over and see if you wanted to come over for that dinner today."

Varn blinked, trying to process the unexpected invitation. "Dinner?" he repeated, his brow furrowing slightly. "That's very kind of you, but I wouldn't want to impose..."

Leah waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense! We'd love you both to come for dinner."

Both? his dragon asked. I don't think we have ever been both invited to dinner.

Maybe the children want to meet you , Varn told his dragon. You know, I think I do remember Ash mentioning dinner yesterday.

"Ash was so pleased for you when he came home last night that he wanted to have you over as soon as convenient. Tomorrow? But I understand if you have other plans," Leah said.

"No, no other plans," Varn replied.

"Great. Then we'll see you both about seven?" Leah asked with a nod.

Varn nodded, still feeling slightly bewildered. "Seven it is. Thank you for the invitation."

Leah beamed at him. "Wonderful! We're looking forward to it." With a final wave, she turned and headed back down the hallway, leaving Varn standing in the doorway, bemused.

Why was Ash so pleased for us? his dragon asked, echoing Varn's own thoughts. I could understand if we'd arrived in town with our mate…

I don't know, Varn replied, closing the door and leaning against it. Perhaps because we are done chasing the ghost of our mate. He rubbed his temples, trying to ease the lingering fogginess in his head.

That witch Morwenna had said something about it being time to stop chasing ghosts.

He wandered back over to the kitchen counter, his gaze falling on the wine and chocolates once more.

We never thanked Leah for the gifts, his dragon said.

I'll head over there now, Varn said and strode toward the door. She went back to her apartment. I can sense her next door.

Varn grabbed the wine and chocolates from the counter and made his way down the hallway to Ash and Leah's apartment. He knocked on the door, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he waited.

After a moment, the door swung open, revealing Leah's smiling face. "Varn! I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. Did you need something?"

Varn held up the wine and chocolates. "I just wanted to thank you for these. It was very thoughtful of you."

Leah's brow furrowed in confusion. "Oh, those aren't from us. I feel like we should have left a housewarming present now." She laughed lightly.

Now it was Varn's turn to be puzzled. "Really? I found them on my kitchen counter this morning. I assumed you or Ash had left them as a welcome gift."

Leah shook her head. "No. Are you sure they aren't from…" She put her fingers to her head and winced. "Sorry, Ash told me her name, but it's gone."

"Her name?" Varn wrinkled his brow.

Leah nodded, her expression sympathetic. "Yes, your mate. Ash said you two met in The Lonely Tavern and spent the day together. He was so happy for you."

Varn stared at her, his mind reeling. His mate? He had found his mate? But that was impossible. He had no memory of meeting anyone special yesterday, let alone his long-lost mate.

No, Ash must have been mistaken. Perhaps Varn had simply been uncharacteristically charismatic and got to talking to one of the witches before the tea party.

"I'm sorry, Leah, but I think there's been some misunderstanding," Varn said slowly. "I didn't meet my mate yesterday. Trust me, I would remember if I had."

Leah's eyes widened. "Really? But Ash was so certain... He said he could tell from your face the moment he saw you last night."

Varn shook his head, a sinking feeling in his gut. This could not be happening.

He'd already had a near miss with his mate once. Surely fate would not be so cruel.

How could he have found his mate and not remember it? The very idea seemed ludicrous, yet a part of him yearned for it to be true. If she was in town…

"I... I don't understand," Varn said, his voice strained. "Are you sure Ash wasn't mistaken? I'd just been at a very lovely tea party with Flint."

Leah reached out and gently touched his arm. "Varn, I know this must be confusing for you. But Ash was quite certain. Not only did the Regulars tell him, but you told him as well. Don't you remember?"

Varn closed his eyes, trying to force his foggy memories into clarity. The tea party, the witches, the boat ride... But no matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn't conjure up the face of his supposed mate.

He remembered Ash meeting him at the door after the party. They talked. Ash mentioned how happy Varn had looked, but Varn just could not recall mentioning to him anything about his mate.

His dragon stirred within him, ready to rain fire down on whoever was responsible for this.

Varn backed away from Leah, a wave of nausea washing over him. "I need to go," he said, his voice shaking.

"Wait, Varn," Leah called after him, but Varn was already striding down the hallway, his mind in turmoil.

He burst back into his apartment, slamming the door behind him. The wine bottle and chocolates clattered onto the counter as he set them down roughly. His hands gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles turning white as he tried to steady himself.

How could this be happening? How could he have met his mate—the one he'd been searching for all these years—and not remember it?

His dragon paced restlessly within him, agitated and confused. We must find her, it growled. If she is here, in Wishing Moon Bay, we cannot lose her again.

Varn nodded, his jaw clenching. "You're right," he muttered. "We need answers."

He grabbed his jacket and headed for the door, determined to retrace his steps from yesterday. Someone in this town had to know what had happened to him, and he was going to find out who.

Varn strode out into the crisp morning air, his breath forming small clouds as he hurried toward the center of town. The streets were still relatively quiet, with only a few early risers going about their business.

First stop, The Lonely Tavern.

Varn ran a hand through his hair.

Perhaps this is some kind of trick, his dragon suggested. A cruel joke played by someone who knows of our search. Someone from our past?

You mean magic is involved. Varn sighed heavily.

It seems the most plausible explanation, his dragon said.

Morwenna? Varn asked. Surely not.

As he walked, Varn pushed his senses outward, searching for any sign of his mate. But there was no trace of her—not the merest hint of the soul-deep connection he had felt years ago, that fleeting moment of completeness that had haunted him ever since. If his mate truly was here in Wishing Moon Bay, wouldn't he sense her presence?

Unless magic was indeed involved, obscuring her from him. The thought made his stomach churn with a mixture of anger and desperation.

When he got to the bottom of this, when he found out the truth…

Someone would pay.

Oh yes, his dragon agreed. Someone will pay!