N. Walters - Strands of Love

Why was she staying here?

Because it was home. It was familiar. It was her family’s legacy.

But what did she want?

Now that was the big question. She wanted a family. She wanted to be loved and needed. She wanted children.

She could have all of that with Jace and Darian. All she had to do was leave behind everything she knew, everything that was familiar. She’d have none of the modern conveniences. Not that she needed much. She didn’t need fancy clothes or jewelry or computers.

What did she want to do with her life?

What she’d always done—farm. She loved to grow things. She loved the horses and animals, the sense of satisfaction with planting something and seeing it through to harvest.

Why was she staying here?

Because she was a coward. Because it was easier to stay than to take a risk and go with Jace and Darian.

How could she let Darian stay and Jace go?

She couldn’t. Either both men stayed or both men went home.

The first drop of rain hit her on the nose, startling her. The clouds had blown in while she’d been lost in thought and the sun had disappeared. The next drop hit her cheek and made her laugh.

Rain. The drought was over.

Sam laughed and spun in a circle with her arms wide open, embracing the life-giving rain.

As quick as her elation came it died. There’d been nothing in the day’s forecast about rain when she’d checked the weather station this morning. If anything, they’d been predicting another day of dry heat. The tapestry. Jace had told her the tapestry had first appeared to them during a storm.

The rain came down heavier, soaking her and the ground beneath her feet.

Sam tossed her mug aside and started running. What if the tapestry appeared and she wasn’t with Jace and Darian. What would happen?

Legs pumping, heart racing, Sam ran as fast as she could toward home. As the house came into view she started to yell their names.

The three men sat on the porch and watched the sky grow darker each passing minute. “I don’t like this.” Darian paced from one end of the porch to the other, searching for a sign of Sam.

“Wasn’t any rain in the forecast today.” Tim leaned against the railing and stared out toward the horizon.

“It’s the tapestry.” Darian turned to his brother. Both of them were completely dressed and had their swords strapped on. Even though he was staying with Sam he wanted to honor his own culture one final time before he embraced hers.

He started to remove his sword. “You should take this home with you.”

Jace put his hand on Darian’s arm, stopping him. “No, it is part of your heritage. Keep it and tell your sons and daughters about us.”

Darian swallowed hard. “I will.” He grabbed his brother, hugging him tight. “I will miss you.”

“And I you.”

“Rain is coming down harder now.” Worry tinged Tim’s voice and both brothers walked over to stand beside him. “Don’t want Sam out there if it comes to thunder and lightning.”

“Where is she?” Jace growled. Darian knew his brother feared he might not see Sam again before the tapestry appeared to take him home.

Then he saw her. She was a dot in the distance at first, but she was coming fast. “There she is.”

He stepped off the porch into the driving rain with Jace beside him. When they heard her yell their names they took off, sprinting toward her as fast as they could. Darian reached her first, but only because Jace held up at the last second.

“Sam. Sam.” He caught her as she threw herself into his arms. “Are you all right?”

“You’re still here. You’re still here,” she chanted over and over. “I was so afraid. The tapestry.” She was breathing heavily, having obviously run a long distance.

A bolt of lightning lit up the sky. A clap of thunder quickly followed it. “Come on. We need to get out of the storm,” Jace yelled. He grabbed Sam’s arm and the three of them began to run toward the house.

They were almost at the porch when the air began to shimmer in front of them. They stumbled to a halt. Darian met his brother’s gaze and knew this was it.

The tapestry shimmered into existence before them. Darian swallowed hard and beat down the panic welling inside him. In the distance, Darian heard Tim’s exclamation of surprise.

Sam screamed at Tim. “Stay back.”

Darian gripped her hand and began to pull her toward the house, but she clung to Jace’s arm and wouldn’t release him.

“You have to let him go,” he shouted.

Jace started to pry Sam’s fingers away as the design on the tapestry began to change. “No, I can’t,” she cried.

A powerful female voice rose above the storm. Darian wasn’t sure if he actually heard it aloud or if it was just in his head. You must decide now or the tapestry will decide for you .

The sorceress. It had to be the sorceress who’d created the tapestry.

Fear ripped at him and he tugged at Sam. “Come on. We have to get back to the porch and away from Jace.” It was killing him to leave his brother behind. Jace looked stoic and resigned, but Darian knew his brother well and knew this was killing him too. But he’d survive because it was what he did, what they both did. Sam was a lot like them in that respect.

“No,” she cried. She ripped her hand out of his and stood in the pouring rain, hands on her hips, looking utterly magnificent. “Tim,” she yelled over the driving rain. “Check the papers on my desk. And take care of Arrow.”

Before Darian could figure out what she meant by that, Sam grabbed Jace’s arm and yanked him close. Then she reached out to him. “Hurry.”

Darian locked his hand around her wrist as the wind started swirling around them.

“You have to go,” Jace yelled at Sam.

“I know.” Darian could barely hear her voice over the din as the world itself began to spin. It was too late. Whatever would be, would be.

Then he was ripped away from Sam’s world. He yelled her name and Jace’s as the black voice swallowed him whole.

Jace came awake in a rush. He leapt to his feet and drew his sword, but there was no enemy to fight, no foe to vanquish. He was back in Javara at the lake beyond Hunter Keep where they’d taken Sam. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the mountains rose behind him, tall and majestic.

He was alone.

He roared in anger and pain and dropped to his knees. His sword slipped from his hand and fell to the ground in front of him. His brother and Sam were gone. He was alone.

Jace swallowed hard, ignoring the tears filling his eyes. He was home, but home had never felt so empty before. He wanted to curse the gods even as he was grateful his brother and Sam were together. At least Darian would be happy. It was enough. It had to be.

A low moan reached his ears and he scrambled toward the sound. Lying on the ground was his brother. “Darian.” As much as it pained Jace to see him, he couldn’t help but feel glad he wasn’t alone.

But did that mean Sam had been left to pick up the pieces of her life by herself? What had the tapestry done? Was it Sam’s will that both brothers return home?

He shook his brother’s arm. “Darian, wake.”

Darian’s eyes shot open and he rolled to his feet. Jace slowly stood and faced his brother. “We’re home.” Darian spun in confusion.

“Yes.”

“Where is Sam?”

Jace shook his head and rubbed his thumb and forefinger over his eyes.

Darian roared and Jace could hear his own pain echoed in his brother’s voice. Neither of them would ever be the same again. “Why?” Darian asked. “Why did she send us both back? It had to be her will. The tapestry always allows the woman to decide.”