Duality

part twenty-five

A gentle hand shook her awake, which was the last gentle thing about her life in the absence of Ashton.

Mila sensed Elaine and rolled, trying to curl tighter into Ashton so he would deal with exactly what he'd said wouldn't happen. She felt only coolness against her skin, the bed empty where Ashton should have slept.

In a trance, Mila looked at Elaine and saw they both understood the same thing: he'd sacrificed himself for her.

Tears flowed freely down her cheeks, and ominous thunder sounded above their heads. "None of that, now," Elaine said, pulling the covers back. "Let's get up." Mila huddled into a ball, trying to protect herself from everything she felt, and Elaine said, "I've seen it all before."

Despite her age, she somehow managed to haul Mila out of bed and into the tiny bedroom on the side. Inside the room led to another door that hid a huge bathtub. Unceremoniously, Elaine dumped her in and started running the water.

Mila couldn't believe he was... gone.

The water rose to her neck before Elaine turned the tap off. Submerged, Mila felt marginally better, imagining her pond by the hut. The brief calm gave way to guilt: Ashton was gone, and she was thinking about her pond?

Thunder rumbled again. "You've got to be careful," Elaine chided. "You have both powers, now."

"I didn't want this." Mila rested the side of her face against the cool back of the tub. Her tears were warm and unwelcome. Dying for centuries hadn't seemed like a problem until it was Ashton and she didn't know when she'd see him again.

She loved him.

"Didn't you tell him this is what you'd trained for?"

Mila shook her head against the words, though she remembered them clearly. That didn't give him the right to change the plan without her knowing. "How did he do it?" she whispered. "I was supposed to die." His pale face flashed before her eyes: he'd multitasked, just like he'd promised her.

"He gave everything to you. It drained him dry and was enough to replenish your life force." Elaine saw the expression—or lack thereof—on Mila's face and said, "He wanted you to live. You have to live for him."

"I will," Mila whispered. "Just not today."

Elaine turned out to be a much better guardian than Anna. She had a motherly aspect about her, possibly because she had kids—and grandkids—of her own. Mila already knew how to control the powers from her time training with Ashton, but Elaine was ready to issue advice: without yelling or getting upset.

The days passed much in the same way. Mila looked longingly out the window for any sign of Ashton, though it was too soon, and Elaine talked enough for the both of them. Every other day a different set of grandkids stopped by.

Gazing out the window, Mila paid no attention. Sometimes she thought she saw her horses through the trees, and guilt swept her at abandoning them. Once Elaine had followed her gaze and assured her the circle of life would do its job: like that was reassuring.

A child climbed into her lap and played with her hair, drawing her attention from the window briefly.

"Don't bother her, Elyssia," Elaine warned.

The little girl had jet black hair, brown eyes, and a proud nose. Even though it was impossible, Mila imagined she sort of looked like Ashton, as his cousin of sorts. "She's fine," Mila said, looking out the window again.

"Why are you always so sad?" Elyssia asked from her spot on the rug.

Her parents had died in an accidental fire, which Mila had grown agitated over: she should have sensed something and used her powers to make it stop. Regardless, she'd been unable, and Elyssia now lived with Mila and Elaine. Mila had offered to move back into her hut, but Elaine didn't even acknowledge the idea.