“Thrice called, thrice answered, the souls are now combined. In perfect love and perfect trust, they remain until the end of time. So mote it be.” Atreyu’s words rang out and a shiver ran down my spine. A hush fell over us.
The birds stopped singing; it was as if the entire universe was holding its collective breath at this moment. We walked around the circle again, the opposite way, sealing our vows with a kiss as we ended. The ground rumbled beneath us. We’d completed the first alma se funden in Atlantis in over eleven thousand years.
We celebrated with Cleito, Atreyu, and Michael in Cleito’s palace. We had a small feast, with pleasant company. Atreyu tended to the small wounds on our hands, somehow reducing them to thin red lines.
“That’s crazy,” I whispered, fully examining the cut made earlier.
“You are mated to an Atlantean. Your body will go through changes now,” Atreyu explained. “You are no longer just human. You will age differently, heal differently, and may take up other traits of your mate.” He smiled. Rain gently sprinkled down upon us. Atreyu glanced at Cleito who was sitting just out of earshot of us. She looked euphoric, but unshed tears made her eyes bright in the candlelight.
“She is the most caring soul I have ever known. If she were able to shed tears, she would for the simple joy of bringing a soul together again. Poseidon sheds them for her.” Atreyu gestured to the sky. “He shares her joy that they will soon be reunited.” Atreyu loved Cleito. It was clear in the way he spoke about her; as though she were the most precious being in the world.
“There is one more ritual you must perform before you return to the surface.” Atreyu interrupted my inner musings. “You must return Cleito’s tears to her.”
“How?”
“I honestly have no idea.” Atreyu had the decency to look embarrassed. “The fates will guide you, show you the proper way.”
“Yeah, right,” I whispered under my breath. I wandered away from Atreyu, leaving him to gaze at Cleito longingly. After we’d celebrated with each other for a little while longer, the men left to congratulate Raif, praise Poseidon, and whatever else it is that men do at a handfasting, leaving Cleito alone with me.
“I think this is as good a time as any to give you my tears, is it painful?” I was more nervous about this than I had been about my handfasting. I hadn’t processed any of what was happening yet. It all still felt like a very strange dream.
“No, it is not painful. It is strange, though, to cry without shedding tears. I believe you must first begin to cry, and then simply give them to me. Your sacrifice will be remembered for years to come. I know better than most how much all of this is costing you.” She looked very sad and the rain came down stronger. I thought of sad things and attempted to cry. I smiled apologetically at Cleito when nothing happened.
I forced my thoughts to wander to what life would be like without Raif in it, without seeing his dimpled smile, hearing his deep bass voice, or being able to hold him in my arms. I felt the tears begin to slide down my cheeks almost immediately as the pain of being apart from him hit me completely for the first time. I didn’t want to stop the last tears I’d ever shed, so I stood there for a minute, letting them fall, paying homage to the love I was leaving. When they started to slow, I gently scooped one from my cheek and placed it against Cleito’s eyelids.
“I freely give of my tears,” I whispered, not knowing why, but feeling it was the right thing to say. In an instant, her cheeks were wet, the rain stopped, and so did the flow of tears from my eyes. It truly was a strange feeling to be sad and want to cry, but to be utterly unable to do so.
“Bless you, child. You and Raifuku must say farewell. Enjoy every moment with him, but don’t take too long. I shudder to think what Nereus will do if he finds you here. You will always be cherished in my heart.” She kissed my forehead and walked away. I went into my room to wait for Raif.
HE WAS already waiting for me on the bed when I walked through the door. He’d taken his shirt off and was sitting there in his black pants with his head in his hands. He looked miserable. It wasn’t a look I’d anticipated on my wedding day from any man, especially my soul mate.
Seeing him there was bittersweet. I was overjoyed to have him in my life for however brief an interlude, but extremely depressed knowing we’d be apart after tonight. I hoped to spend the rest of this night forgetting I was leaving in the morning.
“Don’t look so happy to see me,” I whispered as I shut the door. His head jerked up in surprise before he thought to school his features. His eyes were swimming with unshed tears. He blinked them back so I wouldn’t notice, but it was already too late.
“Oh, Raif, I don’t know what to do. I love you so much it hurts. Seeing you like this breaks my heart. We’ll see each other again someday. Don’t cry yet. I’m still here, hold me while you can. Please, don’t cry,” I said, tears I would never shed, choking my voice.
I flung myself onto his lap hugging his torso close to my cheek. If I’d still had tears, I’d be crying with him. There had to be another way. It just wasn’t fair. He stroked my hair while my head lay in his lap.
I nestled closer to him, curling my body around his legs. We sat in silence for a while, just holding each
