The Lion And I

(24) Part 1: The Lion - Reconnecting

Obsidian

When my eyes popped open , I glared up at the ceiling, knowing an hour couldn’t have passed since the last time I’d woken up.

Ugh!

Why couldn’t I just sleep?

My dreams were consistently becoming a problem. My past being relived during my sleep.

However, the reason behind this whole debacle wasn't a mystery. With what was going on right now in my life was definitely stressful. I dreaded losing Celeste to the Ivanov's. I was not okay with her being around Mikhail, no matter how much Ickarous assured us that the Ivanov's didn't have any ill intentions. Right now, they believed they had a chance to persuade Celeste to either choose Mikhail as a mate or get her to agree to be a surrogate. If she didn't agree to either, and she expressed it to them before safely being back here, they could force her to comply.

I hated that Ickarous and the others in the angelic council had agreed to let her go alone to the Ivanov clan. Constance felt the same way and was already working on Ickarous to change his decision on the matter. If not on the entire matter, just the part where she wasn't without protection on the Ivanov lands.

The other reason why sleep was possibly eluding me now was due to Constance's question.

I hadn’t given her an answer the other day when she asked if I would become one of the council members on the High Immortal Council. I understood she needed individuals she could trust, but I didn’t know if I could trust myself with such a task. I was starting to feel that out of control energy I once had when I was a young adult.

I wished Agatha were still around so I could speak with her and tease her as she laid some of that witchy wisdom on me. Seeing as that wasn’t an option, I decided to go with the second best option. I needed rest, and I knew with Constance’s controller abilities, she would be able to send me into a deep, healing sleep.

Throwing off my blankets, I stalked out of my room, intending to barge right on into her room when I stopped short. Constance was already awake and sitting at the table in the common area, a dim light shining on the documents spread before her.

“Princess?” I asked her, my brows furrowing. I thought she had agreed to pass this burden from her onto me?

Those large hazel eyes of hers slowly met mine and I knew something wasn’t right.

“What is it?”

“It’s Matt and the Knightmare pack. They’ve located their target.”

She was only saying the bare minimum. “And?” I pressed.

She pursed her lips. “They followed his trail to an underground, exclusive night club. A club where you have to get invited to go. And, Jamie—Matt’s mate and ex—was invited. So when Matt and the Knightmare pack crashed the party…” her voice trailed off as she rubbed her temples. “Matt assured me he had it all under control but I haven’t heard back from him.”

“How long has it been?” I asked softly, walking over to sit next to her. I knew Matt was a life-long friend. It was complicated and complex—just like all of her friendships and relationships seemed to be—but they made it work. And Jamie was a friend she had made later in life, during the time when Constance’s memories of her youth—and subsequently her immortality—had been erased.

She huffed, burying her face in her hands. “I don’t know,” she groaned softly. “It could have been minutes, hell, even hours!”

“Have you tried reaching back out to him?” I was sure she had, but I had to make sure.

“Yes. And I can’t touch his mind.”

“If I’m honest with you, I’m surprised you two can communicate with each other so easily.” It wasn’t common for immortals who hadn’t made a permanent blood bond to be able to communicate telepathically with one another.

“I still am a werewolf alpha, Obsidian.”

Ah, yes. And there was the exception. Alpha wolves—due to their shape-shifting capabilities—had adapted to being able to communicate telepathically with other alphas, and in rare cases, other immortals due to some genetic mutations over the years. It allowed alpha wolves to communicate without having to shift and be vulnerable to potential threats. “Still, you are half a world away from him.”

“I was tempted to teleport there, to help him, but I trust his judgement. Did I do the wrong thing?” She dropped her hands and the heartbreaking look she leveled me with mirrored some of the questions I had once asked myself when I'd become the lord of the stronghold.

As a leader, one had to make the tough choices and decisions. Did you trust a subordinate’s word when it came down to making a decision about combat? Or did you go running into the fray when they never asked for your help? There really wasn’t any one good answer, because if they were in dire straights and needed help, they would be grateful for the interference. However, if they had it all under control, rushing in would make it seem as though you couldn’t trust your subordinate’s word. You would come off too controlling and domineering. It could create bigger problems later down the road and create rifts in the relationship between leader and subordinate. “In my experience, and in my own opinion, you made the right decision. If you are going to allow someone to help you, you need to let them make their own decisions and mistakes and not interfere unless they either ask for it, or you know beyond a shadow of a doubt they will not be successful.”

“So I should just pray for the best? What if he is unable to reach out to me, Obsidian? What if—

“Sunshine.”

Gabriel’s voice drifted into our conversation.

“What have we said about ‘what if’s’?”

I heard her grumble something under her breath. “But Gabriel—

“There are no buts in this, remember. You promised.”

She heaved a sigh and started massaging her temples. “Do either of you know someone in that area who could check up on them?”

There we go. Now she was on the right path. “Yes. I have a few spies in Europe. I can reach out to them and see if any of them are close enough to run by and check.”

“If you could do that, Obsidian, I would be forever grateful.” I heard the relief and desperation in her tone. She needed to know if those she loved were okay. I understood that need to know well.

Even before she had asked, I had reached out to those spies and thankfully one was just a town over from where all the fun was happening. “We should know soon what Matt’s fate is,” I stated. “Now, I would like to ask a favor of you if you don’t mind?”

“Of course.”

“Once we hear back from my source, will you use your powers to send me into a dreamless sleep?”

“Is that it?” She looked surprised by my rather simple request.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay. I can do that.”

Simple. Easy. No questions asked. Sometimes, Constance surprised me.

Gabriel’s hand landed on Constance’s shoulder as he bent over and kissed her cheek. “Try not to stay up too late. And if Matt does need help, make sure to take either Obsidian or I with you. Understood?”

She covered his hand with hers and looked up at him. “I promise.”

“I’m going back to snuggle with those babies,” Gabriel yawned, turning to disappear back into their bedroom. “Don’t stay up too late kids.” He shot over his shoulder at us.

“You want to talk about them?” Constance’s question came in the comfortable silence that had settled around us.

“Talk about what?”

“Your dreams.”

Ah. This was difficult.

Our friendship was rather young and, while I trusted her indefinitely, some of those dreams were far too personal for me to share with her just yet. “No. But thank you.”

There was a long pause and I could nearly hear those cogs in her mind working. “Would you rather speak to Agatha?”

My gaze sharpened on her instantly. My heart started pounding against my chest. She didn’t have the capability to read minds, right? “That’s impossible.” My whispered words sounded so loud in that room. While a part of Agatha’s soul was fused to Constance’s, Constance’s soul had taken over, which meant Agatha’s was dormant. I didn’t know if we could rouse her from her slumber without having devastating consequences.

I wasn’t sure if trying would be worth the risks.

“Constance, thank you for the offer. However, I don’t think that it’s possible—

“It is.” She stated so confidently I could only come to one conclusion.

“You’ve connected with her before?” I tried to keep the disappointment from my tone but it still bled into my voice. This couldn't be a good omen.

“Twice.” She confirmed almost proudly, ignoring the tinge in my voice. “Once right after Camael’s attack on my family and another in my dream world just a few nights ago.”

I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing, allowing Agatha to connect with her subconscious and interact with it. I needed to call Raphael. We needed to observe her and make sure Agatha’s soul wasn’t trying to overhaul and take over Constance’s body. Because if that was the case… the two souls could come into conflict over who was the dominant and end up tearing apart the fragile fabric holding them together. If that unraveled, I didn’t want to think about what could happen to Constance and what it would mean for the rest of the world.

“Nothing has happened either time, Obsidian,” she reassured me.

“Nothing, yet. You’ve been lucky so far.” I replied gently, trying not to sound as concerned as I felt. Agatha's soul might look at Constance's soul as a talisman, even if it was an unconscious thought. The primal parts of ourselves could be coming out to play.

“You need to connect with her.” Constance stated.

While I wanted to argue with her, she was right. I did need to connect with Agatha, even if this was the last time. When she had come to sacrifice herself for Constance, I hadn’t had nearly enough time to say my goodbyes to her. She had been everything I’d needed and more when I had been a reckless young adult.

She had been my blessing in disguise.

Though she hadn’t birthed me, I loved her and looked up to her as my mother. And if anyone would know what was going on in my mind, it would be her. If anyone would know what to say to make this all better, it would be her.

What harm would it really do if I allowed myself to connect with her briefly just this once? My mind and heart were battling it out, because I knew the consequences of what could happen. But, Agatha and Constance had connected before without any negative fallout.

Constance stood up, making the decision for me and I slowly did the same. She held up her hands, palms towards me. Hesitantly, I mirrored her. However, I didn’t place my hands against hers.

“Maybe you should have Gabriel out here.” I stalled. If Agatha’s soul tried to attack hers I wanted someone with healing abilities here in order to keep a close eye on what was going on.

“He’ll know if something is wrong regardless.” She brushed off.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

She leveled me with a sour look.

“Alright!” I took a deep breath and pressed my hands firmly against hers. She interwove our fingers and drew us closer together, close enough it could have been taken as being intimate. I wanted to put distance between us, but suddenly, I felt it.

I felt the shift. Through the connection of our hands, I felt first Constance’s essence in my mind bleed out and be replaced by Agatha’s.

“Hello Obby,” she breathed emotionally into my mind. Her warmth enveloped me in a familiar, motherly hug and tears pricked my eyes.

I thought I would never get to hear her wonderful voice or feel her touch again. “Hi Aggie,” I responded, trying to keep it together, knowing Constance—while having drifted off into the shadows—was still very aware of what was going on and was intently paying attention to us. It was probably a self-defense mechanism, since there was the real possibility that Agatha’s soul could try to hijack hers.

“What’s wrong, son?” She asked in that concerned, maternal way.

I closed my eyes and pretended she was really, truly there.

“I know something’s bothering you. I could feel it even in my sleep.”

I hadn’t realized our bond was that strong. Nor had I known my unease and emotions were that palpable.

Before I could even think about answering her, I heard a sound coming from my right. I opened my eyes and turned towards Celeste’s door and saw her standing there, gaping in shock.