Mirai

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I stood at the edge of the forest that marked the border of my coven's area. I didn't know what I wanted to do the most in that moment. Laugh at the irony of it. Berate myself for my own stupidity. Scream in anger over that they dared to harm her.

So many things made sense as I looked at the forest. The fact that I had always felt that I needed to stay when growing up. That Mom had obviously known who Tamah was based on the mark. That when I had run that first day, when I had been almost completely drained of energy, this was the place my magic had taken me.

It was evening, but far from dark, so I knew I needed to wait with trying to get Tamah out. I wasn't sure what to do next, though. It would probably not take long before the coven knew I was back there, they had to be keeping an eye on my movements.

Maybe it was the best to let them take me? Let them properly think that they had won?

I didn't get long in my musings before I became aware of that I wasn't alone. I wasn't sure if there were any sounds at first that alerted me, or if it was my sight. But something moved towards me.

I looked into the forest. It looked completely still and calm. But then I heard the faintest of sounds. Branches snapping, birds leaving their resting spots in the trees, and something hitting the earth.

I took a step back, prepared for whatever it was. But that was completely unnecessary.

From the trees came Redmond. He was halfway through transforming back into a human when he exited, but by the time he wrapped his arms around me, he was all human.

"Fuck, M. We've been worried," he murmured with his cheek against the top of my head.

"I'm fine," I told him and tried to squirm away from him. Since he had just shifted, he was naked. I had seen both of them naked plenty of times, but it never stopped being awkward.

Redmond didn't let go of me until Richmond was next to us too, and then I was engulfed by Richmond's hug as well.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked as he hugged me.

"No. What about you two? Why are you still here? The coven must be furious since you helped me," I pointed out.

Redmond let out a soft chuckle. "Furious would be an understatement. But we've kept away and I don't think they actually care enough about us to hunt us down. Not with you on the run at least."

I turned to look at him and was met by a smirk and a hint of pride. Then I turned to Richmond, whose lips were in a line and eyes oozed of worry.

"I am fine," I told him again, but he shook his head.

"We've heard bits of what they've said about you. They say that you're looking for Lamia to release her. That's not true, is it? Lamia is a monster."

I barely let Richmond finish talking before I sent him flying and crashing into a tree.

"Don't call her a monster!" I yelled at him.

He got to his knees, and the worry had been exchanged by bewilderment. His eyes were wide as he stared at me. I felt a hand on my shoulder and whipped around to look at Redmond.

"What! Gonna call her a monster too?!" My shout made Redmond take a step back and hold his hands up in surrender.

"You need to calm down, alright?" he told me, still with his hands in the air.

"Calm down?! He just called my mate a monster!"

Silence fell. Even the birds that had sung in the trees were quieted by my revelation.

"Your mate?" Redmond asked as Richmond got up to his feet again. "Lamia is your mate?"

"Yes," I answered. My tone curt and harsh. "And her name isn't Lamia. It's Tamah."

"Is she the girl you've been seeing?" Richmond asked next as he got back to us.

"Yes."

"And you've been searching for her?" he continued.

I nodded.

"Have you found her?" Redmond was the one to ask.

I turned my eyes away from them and looked into the forest, towards the coven, towards where Tamah was held. Richmond and Redmond followed my gaze.

"She's... here?" Richmond asked with his mouth agape.

"They have her imprisoned," I nodded. Then I took a step forward. As one, they grabbed one of my arms each.

"What are you doing?" Richmond frowned.

"Saving her." I pulled at my arms, but their grips tightened.

"M, you can't just charge in. They are all on high alert and they know you're looking for Lam... Tamah. They'll have extra guards," Redmond said in a low and calm voice.

"And maybe you should stop and think for a moment. Sure, she's your mate. But... she's still dangero..."

My eyes narrowed and that was enough to silence him. I wanted to send him flying again, but I held back that urge.

"Please, M, can't we talk a little about this?" Redmond pleaded at my side. "All the stories about Lamia... You have to let us be worried."

I wanted to send him flying as well, but I found his words far too reasonable for that. Richmond's words had been so as well. They were only concerned about me and since all they knew about Tamah were the stories of Lamia, it would be more surprising if they weren't concerned.

"Alright," I gave in and then talked quickly. "Short version. Tamah's really sweet and kind and adorable, really. Lamia is a separate part of her that only appears when her life is in danger. It is not her and it isn't her fault Lamia exists. She doesn't need to be locked up, but in a place where she can feel safe and at home and heal from all of the horrible things she's been put through. There. Happy?"

"But," Richmond started in a very careful voice, "if Lamia is still a part of her, she's still potentially dangerous."

"Even if that's the case, what do you think I should do? Abandon my mate?" I scoffed. "And besides, even if she wasn't my mate, I would never be able to leave her where she is knowing what I know. I could never be that heartless."

Richmond frowned and I was ready for him to argue against me some more, so what he said surprised me. "You're different."

"What do you mean?"

"You just seem older and surer about yourself."

I hadn't considered that, but I guessed it was true. Both of those parts. That I was surer, felt natural. Though I still needed time to learn to trust my gift and to develop it more, I held a certain calmness in knowing it would always guide me right. When it came to older, I also definitely was that, and not only by the few days I had been gone. The Man of the Maze had said I had only spent a little time in the Maze, but for me, that had felt like years. Both as I had watched my own life in the paintings, the darkness, and then seeing Tamah's life unfold.

I maybe wasn't physically older, but my mind definitely was.

"I've learned to trust my gift and I know it'll always guide me to where I need to be," I simply answered him and he nodded.

"Alright, what help do you need from us?" he asked next.

"From you?" I looked from Richmond to Redmond. He had a huge smile on his lips.

"Did you really think you'd get rid of us that easily?" Redmond laughed. "We've hung around here just in case you need us."

I shook my head. "No. It's better if you leave. If you stay, you'll be hurt."

Redmond's eyes darkened. "All the more reason for us to stay. It might be you getting hurt instead."

"No." My voice was calm and even. I knew that shouting at them or arguing wouldn't get me anywhere. "Both of you need to leave this place. There's a community in Colorado for magical beings that have nowhere else to turn. That's where you need to go and live."

Redmond opened his mouth to say something, but already before Richmond had put a hand on his shoulder to calm him, he had closed his mouth. Both of them had their eyes on me. Both sets of eyes seemed to waver. Then Redmond opened his mouth again, but it was with calmness, not anger.

"Will you come there with Tamah also?" he asked and his voice sounded small.

"I don't think I will. I think there's another place we need to go." My throat felt thick as I said it and I swallowed to make it go away, but instead, it swam up to my eyes where tears started to sting.

"This isn't goodbye," Richmond said firmly.

"It isn't," I agreed. "But for now, it is."

Both of them moved forward together and pulled me into a hug. It was warm and crushing, almost suffocating, but I wanted the hug to keep going.

When they pulled away, Redmond swiftly turned his back on me and lifted his hand to rub by his eyes.

Richmond kissed my forehead lightly. "Make sure to keep yourself and your mate safe. And you'll have to introduce us to her one day."

I smiled and nodded and then watched as both of them shifted and took off at a run without a second glance back.

"You'll have to introduce me to your mate when we meet again as well!" I shouted after them.

Their steps halted for a moment, but neither looked back. Both kept running forward.