53

My thoughts were racing a mile a minute and I knew things were going to change soon. The Betrayer was not infallible, and I knew Millicent would be thrilled to have even such a small piece of information about who we would eventually face. I wasn't ready for a confrontation right now, just a few weeks into this new life, but I would train and be ready. No, Kelli and I would train, and we would be ready.

I finally pulled myself out of Kelli's loving arms after unsuccessfully trying to get some more sleep, and I made my way to the bathroom so that I could wash my face. I had spent a lot of time crying over the last couple of days, but I felt that I had come to grips with things pretty well, and I was finally able to give myself a small smile as I stood in front of the mirror.

Something had caught my eye, though, and I stepped back and looked down at my body. I was not sure how I had missed it, but with everything that happened I guess I just hadn't paid attention. What I noticed was a set of tattoos that now ran down the length of my arms to my wrists. On one side the design was a swirling green pattern that resembled a leafy vine, with a thin blue line winding through its twists and turns. The other side was a pattern of blue curves and lines that gave the appearance of waves, and like the leafy side, a thin green line snaked its way through this pattern as well.

In the mirror I could see that the two patterns joined each other in the middle of my shoulders, just below my neck. I did not know what to think, much less what to say, and I wondered if anyone else had noticed this change.

I went to sit back down, but I spent long minutes with my fingers tracing the curves and lines of the new body art I had. I was so engrossed in the intricate and beautiful patterns that I jumped out of my skin when Ali spoke to me in the dim light of the cabin.

"You don't do anything by half, do you," she asked me with a grin.

"What do you mean," I replied in confusion. "When did this happen?"

"You remember when you and the Neko glowed that night," she asked, and I nodded that I did. "You've been marked since that moment."

"I never noticed. Why would I not have noticed?"

"Who knows," she replied, and Ali gave me a thoughtful look. "We all had a lot on our minds that night, but I think that your power recognized that you wanted to never forget their sacrifice. And now you never will. You will carry the mark of Earth and Water with you always. That's what I think anyway, but what do I know?"

"I think you know more than you want people to think you do," I replied with a grin. "I bet it's because you like to have everyone underestimate you."

"You are probably right about that. It's a bad habit my mom has tried to break me of, but hey."

"Well, just don't act that way to me or Kelli and I won't get mad," I giggled with her. "Oh! I have some important news now too!"

I related to Ali the events of my dream, and of the revelations and information that I had been able to gather during my time in that world. She had pulled out a note book to write down the details, and I thought it amusing that she was so much like her mother in that respect. I must have gone over that dream ten times before we landed, and Ali promised me that the Circle would all know about it as soon as we were back.

A couple hours later we arrived, and again we were quickly cleared by our own customs agents. All of our families had come to see us return, because a few phone calls and some news reports are a poor substitute for actually knowing that someone is ok. Once we were ushered into the private waiting room, everyone waiting for us stood and rushed to greet us as fast as we ran to them.

Kelli and I plowed into our parent's arms and we cried as the six of us tried to hold on to each other in the tiniest space we could fit in. Hands stroked hair, hugs and kisses were given all around, and we must have blitzed through about three packets of Kleenex in just a few minutes. Once things had settled down some my dad reached out and touched the bright metal that made up my bonding collar. He allowed his finger to run along the surface of the woven silver band, with its golden accent threads and he smiled.

"I like the new jewelry little girl," he complimented me, and the rest of our family nodded in agreement. "It matches Kelli's bracelet, which is why you got them, right?"

"Not really dad," I replied and I reached out to take Kelli's hand. "While we were over there, and in fact, on the night everything happened, Kelli and I agreed to the permanent bond. You remember? The one we talked about on Valentine's."

"Oh! So you two are, umm..." Kelli's mom started to ask before she got flustered.

"Yes," Kelli confirmed as she squeezed my hand. "Myka and I are now permanently bound to each other as bond mates. We are in it for the long haul."

"So it's like you are married now," my mom exclaimed and both she and Kelli's mom pulled us into another hug. "I am disappointed that you didn't ask if we wanted to be there, though."

"There was a lot going on," I explained, and everyone got quiet at my comment. "Plus, it had to be done on the equinox, so there was only twenty-four hours for it to happen. It would have been really nice if you all could have been there."

I broke down in tears when I explained that to our family, and we spent several more minutes just holding each other, grateful for the feeling of safety that we had with each other. Eventually they asked questions about the good parts of our trip, and we excitedly showed off pictures we had taken, and souvenirs we had purchased for them until someone cleared their throat behind us all.

I turned around to see a tall man in a well cut suit standing there with his wife, and they were both flanked by Paul and Jess. I recognized Mr. McAlister's strong jaw and the dark brown hair and beard from his company's promotional ads that were around the city, but I had never seen pictures of his wife. She and Jess were so similar in appearance that, looking at her mom was probably like viewing Jess as she would be in twenty odd years or so. Mr. McAlister stepped forward and I put out my hand to shake his, but was startled when he pulled me into a fierce hug.

"I want to thank you for what you did," he choked out as he motioned Kelli into his embrace as well. "For what both of you did. You saved my daughter. You saved her and it's something I can never repay."

"Yes, I agree," and Jess' mom pulled us into her arms next. "You not only saved her, you gave her guidance and good advice. Just like you gave our son."

Kelli and I just stood there, our mouths open in surprise, while the two McAlisters gave us knowing grins.

"Well, Mr., Mrs. McAlister..." I tried to respond, but was immediately cut off.

"There will be none of that," he boomed with his deep, commanding voice. "It's Stuart and Kimberly, and I will be very upset if you try and use Mr. or Mrs. again."

I was dumfounded, but Mrs., I mean Kimberly McAlister's head was nodding in total agreement with her husband.

"Ok. Stuart, Kimberly. I am sorry that Jess was in that situation to begin with, but I am glad that Kelli and I were finally able to help. I just wish I had been faster..."

The McAlisters disabused me of any self-pity that I was trying to feel, as they all pulled in for another round of hugs and thanks. Jess, Paul, Kelli, and I made the rounds and introduced our families to each other, and I watched as new bonds of friendship were forged between complete strangers. Stuart and Kelli's dad hit it off almost immediately because of their shared service in the military, and my dad knew computers and tech which was half of the McAlister business so he was able to hold his own with them. Our moms just talked about various things, and I was amazed at how quickly they all moved from commonality to commonality. It really was good to be back.

I looked over to the other side of the room and I noticed a couple sitting together, away from our crowd, and every now and again one or the other of them would look over at us. I was curious so I asked the McAlisters who they were. The look of sadness when I brought it up told me what their answer was going to be.

"That's Mark and Tara Miller, Jasmine's parents."

I felt the blood drain from my face as my fears were confirmed, and I had to shake several people off before I was able to stumble over to where the couple was sitting.

"Mr. and Mrs. Miller," I asked in a choked voice, because I was barely keeping it together.

"Yes," they both responded, and I am sure that it was quite unnerving for them when I collapsed into their laps, weeping once more.

"Oh god! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I cried, shaking with sobs that I could not stop.

Kelli had dashed after me and was on the floor at my side in moments, but even her touch couldn't calm me down.

"I just wasn't fast enough. I couldn't stop him," and now the Miller's tears joined my own. "I tried, oh god I tried! I'm sorry, so sorry..."

"You were there," Mrs. Miller asked as she ran her hands through my hair and then pulled me in tighter as she also began to weep. "You were there when our Jasmine, when she..."

I could only nod and continue to sob, as my heart tore itself in two for people I didn't even know. I had wished all the way home that I could have done something else that would have brought Jasmine back alive with us, but I hadn't expected to run into her parents. To their great credit, they held us, because Kelli was crying with all of us now, and I was grateful that my family and the McAlisters had decided to leave us alone.