“Grape juice. It’s fresh and like nothing you’ve ever tasted,” Leif replied with an amused grin.
Since I was here for eternity I had to start trusting him. I put the cup to my lips and took a tentative sip. The sweet juice hit my tongue and I quickly drank more. He was right. It was like nothing I’d ever put in my mouth. The rich taste awakened my taste buds and I felt a little lightheaded. Warning bells went off in my head and I quickly set the drink down and reached for the bowl of berries.
“It was a sugar rush, Pagan. Nothing more,” Leif said as he reached for his cup.
I wasn’t so sure about that but then I was also paranoid. With good cause.
“Would you like a visit from Wyatt before he leaves?”
“Yes, please.” I’d managed to sound polite that time.
It obviously pleased Leif because he smiled a little too brightly.
I finished with my breakfast and hoped Leif would take that as a hint to leave. He’d knocked and woken me up asking if I wanted breakfast then given me barely enough time to pull on the robe he’d supplied last night with my pajamas. Which were flannel, thank God.
I’d had a dream last night of a memory that absolutely nothing to do with Leif. He hadn’t been in my head. I’d dreamed of the day Dank had come to my hospital room and I’d given him my brooch. Tears burned my eyes as I thought about the brooch that now lay beside my bed at home. It was the one thing I wished I’d been able to bring with me.
“I’ll take this tray away and come back for you soon. Maybe we can finally take that tour,” Leif said in a jovial tone. He had so much to be happy about. He’d won.
“Could you send Wyatt to see me?” That was all I really cared about.
Leif nodded, “Of course.”
He closed the door behind him and I stared at it hating the sight of it and wondering if this was ever going to get better.
Chapter Twenty- Three
“You convinced them to let me go,” Wyatt’s voice entered my head and I spun around to see him standing in my doorway.
“Yes, it’s the least I can do.”
“But what about you? What did you promise them to get them to agree to this?”
“Nothing I wouldn’t have to do anyway. I’m stuck here Leif. I just promised I wouldn’t be an eternal brat if they granted me this one wish.”
Wyatt smiled, “You do know how to be a brat.”
“Look who’s talking ‘Mr. No Girls Allowed.’”
Wyatt’s grin grew, “You aren’t ever going to let that go are you?”
“Nope and I have an eternity to simmer about it.”
His amused grin faded. I hadn’t meant to remind us both what I was in store for.
“I wish I could take you with me,” his voice had dropped to a whisper.
“Me too. But this is it. It’s my fate. It isn’t yours and I’m so thankful you’re being set free.”
“Do you think Death... er, Dank will come?”
I doubted Ghede would let him get close to me if he did. Besides what good would it do? I couldn’t allow Death to take me. Ghede would take the life of someone else I loved and we’d be back in this same predicament.
“Doesn’t matter if he does. I must pay this restitution.”
Wyatt shook his head in frustration. “This is so wrong.”