"Oh, if you think this is bad... wait." The ogre glares at him and then steps out away from us.
"What’s he doing?" Charlie whispers and takes a step closer to me.
"I wish I knew." Whatever is about to happen, I'm thinking it's going to involve me.
"Can I have your attention, please?" The ogre claps his hands and steps out away from everyone so he can be seen. "I have something I want to share."
"You said you wanted to speak with her for a moment," Tide hisses, and his jaw clenches. "What are you doing?"
The ogre ignores him and puffs out his chest. "I want everyone to know that this lady," he says as he points to me, "helped me when she didn't have to. My wife had a severe disease that causes our kind to die in six months. We found out about your world and how you might have a spell that could extend her life. We came here and bought it but shortly after going home, the fan that disbursed the water into the air failed." He walks over to the lady with him and kisses her on the cheek.
Wait. Wasn’t his wife sick? This lady has bright eyes and seem energized. Could that be possible?
"After she helped me fix the contraption, I took it back home, and it ran perfectly." He laughs and pulls his wife over with him so everyone can see. "Not only did the new spell help slow her disease, yesterday the doctor said she was cured. He's never seen anything like it before, but my wife is healthy once again."
How in the hell did I do that? My power took control and did it on its own accord.
The market breaks out in cheers, but Ria steps out with a large frown on her face. Her eyes land on me, and she scowls.
Tide walks over to me and whispers in a very low voice. "What have you done?"
Everyone here is happy. The ogre, his wife, and most others are enthusiastic with the news. However, I just pissed off the two people in charge. I'm sure this isn’t going to go well for me.
14
As we head back to the house for the day, I can't keep a smile from my face. People were accepting of me. That never happened back on Earth. Maybe this really could be my home.
"A penny for your thoughts." Charlie bumps shoulders with me.
"Oh, just thinking about how maybe we could really stay here." He mentioned he would be okay with it a few days ago, but I don't know if he was humoring me. I couldn't stay here without him.
"As long as I'm with you, I don't care where I am." He winks at me and taps my nose.
"It's just earlier today felt nice." Am I being crazy? "Maybe I finally found where I fit in."
"You know you can fall from favor as fast as being graced with it." Dax lets out a long sigh and rolls his eyes. "Don't be naive."
Shit, he's right. Am I being unreasonable? The thought of making this place home and then something happening where I feel like an outcast doesn't sit well. I don't want to make such a huge change for it to be just like living back home.
"Oh, stop it." Charlie frowns and scowls Dax's direction. "She's happy here. Why are you trying to ruin it?"
"I'm not." Dax lifts both hands up as if in surrender. "I'm just trying to make sure you look at the whole picture. Yes, you saved a woman with a spell you didn't mean to do, but what if you cause a huge earthquake and ruin part of the city. They could just as easily dislike you again."
Dammit, I wish he'd quick talking. I don't even know how I saved that woman. You'd think to do it, I'd have to know the spell, but my powers did it all. They persuaded me to take the machine and fix it.
Oh my God. I'm a reaper. A terrible thought occurs to me. Yes, I have the artifacts inside me, but at the end of the day, my black power merges with the others. What if I didn't heal her? What if my reaper magic killed her and my healing powers brought her back. Just like Becca.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Charlie's eyes fill with concern, and he tugs me close. "Don't let what Dax is saying get to you. He wants to go back to Earth when it's all said and done."
"Oh, stop it." Dax groans and runs a hand down his face. "That's not it. I'm looking out for her."
"Guys, stop it." Just when things felt like they were settling down, now I'm freaking out. "It's just... how did I save her?"
"You have three powerful artifacts inside you as well as the magic you were naturally born with." Charlie takes my hand and squeezes it. "You just knew what to do."
"But what if I didn't?" I can't admit to him my fears right now. Not out here in the public and not until I'm sure. Maybe Dax is making me paranoid now. But what if it's true? "Maybe we should go talk to her. After all, Tide offered them a place to stay here for a little while to relax and make up for any misunderstandings."
"You do realize it's because he wants to monitor them." Dax pulls out the keys to Ria's house and opens the door.
Oh. Why didn't I realize that? I'm becoming too complacent and not paying attention to people's motives. "That's probably true, but it doesn't hurt to talk to her when we know he's preoccupied."
"Let's go inside and relax." Charlie pulls me into the house and kisses my forehead. "We've been at the market all day, and you didn't sleep that great last night. I'll make some dinner."
I want to fight him, but he's just
