Chapter Eight

Holden

After a long day of taking care of the outer-worlder, I wanted nothing more than to eat and sleep. Nelson would be fine with Banir and Rauh, or so I told myself over and over as I snacked on algae and those squishy snails that seemed to repopulate every time I left the pond.

Though I was supposed to be on alert for the arrival of any new outer-worlders, I had already spent too much time in my human form for the day. I needed a break. After eating, I planned to take a nap on the partially submerged log at the other end of the pond from my favorite land log. Logs are life for us turtles.

I surfaced to catch a beetle that had probably fallen out of a tree and onto the water. Not as flavorful as usual. Though nothing I ate since returning to the pond had tasted all that appealing.

About to make my way to my sleeping spot, I glanced toward the forest and saw him. Nelson. The outer-worlder who was supposed to be with the head of the forest council. What was he doing out wandering around by himself?

My heart raced, hoping he'd come to see me, but I couldn't let him be on his own, not when he'd only just arrived and had fainted twice already. Plus, he would never be mine. I had to accept the fact. I swam to the edge of the pond then shifted into my human form.

"Jeez!" Nelson held his hand to his chest. "It startles me every time I see you do that."

I wanted to laugh, but I was more worried about his presence and his condition. "What happened? Why are you all the way out here? Did you get lost?"

Nelson's eyebrows raised as he glanced anywhere but at me. "I guess I kind of got lost." His voice rose up an octave at the end.

"What do you mean kind of ?" Nobody kind of did anything.

"I...I was looking for the meadow. I thought it was around here somewhere." Pointing his fingers together, he smiled, but it didn't come close to reaching his eyes.

"And why are you trying to get to the meadow?" It seemed like a lot of work to get Nelson to talk sometimes. I hoped not all outer-worlders were like him. Though that may have been what Banir preferred in a mate.

He sighed. "I can't stay here. I need to wish my way back to my world. And while I like you, I don't want to be kept a prisoner of anyone in the Enchanted Forest."

Okay, that was more than I had expected him to say. I took a moment to process it all before I responded. "And why do you believe you would be kept prisoner here? I told you Ahmed would take you back if that's what you want."

"That's what I want." He crossed his arms and nodded his head with finality.

Not a great start to the new batch of outer-worlders coming to the Enchanted Forest. My chest constricted at the thought of him leaving, but I led Nelson to the edge of the meadow where he'd arrived, and I called to Ahmed. I would rather Nelson return to his own world than for him to be unhappy in the forest.

With a poof, the wizard appeared, his cheeks flushed and his hair frazzled. "Oh, yes, hello." He ran his fingers down his long white beard. "What can I do for you?"

"I want to go home." With his arms still crossed, Nelson pouted.

It was a look that made me want to kiss his cheek or tickle him just to see him smile again. Strange because I'd known from the moment he'd arrived that he wasn't intended for me, but I would do anything to see him stay.

Ahmed stared at Nelson then gasped as if startled. "What are you doing here already?"

Nelson furrowed his brows. "What do you mean already ? You gave me the card and I made my wish. Then I ended up here."

Ahmed slowly shook his head. "I didn't expect you to use the card so soon. I thought you would be too stubborn to use it right away. Seems I underestimated you."

"Well, you underestimated me in thinking I would want to live here."

Nelson's words hurt a little. I didn't understand what was so horrible about the world I lived in, especially since I'd shown him all my favorite parts of the village and introduced him to my friends.

"Why?" Ahmed sat on the ground and motioned us to join him. "What do you not like about the Enchanted Forest?"

"Banir, for one. He's a pompous ass and I don't want to be mated to him." Nelson returned to his feet. "And another thing, I don't want to be kept locked away to pop out babies like Walter. I don't want to be a prisoner."

Ahmed leaned back and released a booming laugh. "Oh, my dear outer-worlder, you've got it all wrong."

I lowered my head, certain Nelson's misgivings were all my fault. "I'm sorry."

Ahmed clutched my shoulder and squeezed "No, no. It seems I didn't prepare you properly for our guests. The first person they should meet is Walter. He can explain this enchanted world to them as an outer-worlder."

"And, Nelson." Ahmed stood and rested his hand on the outer-worlder's shoulder. "I really did not expect you to wish your way here so soon. Because you were never intended to be Banir's mate. I picked someone else from your world I thought would be better suited for him."

Nelson's face wrinkled into the same expression I was sure I wore. Confusion. "What do you mean? Who am I meant for? I still don't want to be with anyone from the council."

Ahmed winked with a mischievous smile. "Tell me, my dear boy, who is it you would stay here for?"

I glanced at the outer-worlder, waiting for his answer, hoping I had helped convince him to stay in some way. But he would not look at me. Maybe I should have dressed after getting out of the pond. Yet, it was too late; my clothes were still at the pond.

Nelson wrinkled his nose before he chewed on his bottom lip. "There is only one person. Being."

My heart raced. At least he had made a connection with one of us. But whom? Perhaps Rauh with the amount of time they'd spent together. But why had Nelson run, then? Why was he ready to return to his world if he had already been in the presence of his desired mate?

"Well?" Ahmed prodded. "Who is it?"

Digging the toe of his shoe into the ground, Nelson quickly glanced at me, his cheeks red, before turning away again. "Holden."

My heart beat erratically as I tried to process Nelson's response. He wanted to be my mate. Was that what he'd meant earlier when he said he liked me? Of all those I'd introduced him to, he'd taken to me. I worried how Banir and the rest of the council would respond. While I liked Nelson, too, found him very appealing, I never saw him as a possible mate because I didn't believe I would have an opportunity to be with him. But it seemed I was the only mate he would stay for. Miffs, I was in trouble.