Free Fate Forgotten by Amalia Dillin Page B

dreamed of Thorgrim. But she didn’t want to sympathize. She didn’t want to grant him understanding. Whatever it was he felt, it didn’t matter. It was too dangerous. They couldn’t be together. Not without ruining everything. And she’d already lost the man she loved most.
    “Who was Thorgrim?”
    She stiffened, just hearing his name bringing his face to her mind, as she had seen him in her last life, while she had been hallucinating. “No one.”
    “No!” Adam’s fury erupted out of nowhere, and he was on his feet suddenly, grabbing her by the shoulders. “Look at me.” He shook her. “Who was he? Look at me, Eve!”
    “No one!” But he was staring into her eyes, using the contact to rip into her mind. Thorgrim’s face hung between them, her life with him playing behind her eyes uncalled. Thorgrim working on the boats for the village. Thorgrim, kissing her by the rocks. Thorgrim holding her while she confessed her history. Thorgrim feeding her strawberries he’d found, God knows where. Thorgrim making love to her, devouring her with his eyes, the heat of him seeping into her soul. Thorgrim glowing with pride as he held their son.
    “No. No, No, No!” He let her go so forcefully the chair slid back almost a foot. “You arrogant bastard! You had no right ! She was mine!”
    She closed her eyes, her head pounding. His shouting made no sense to her, and his anger was overwhelming.
    Lightning flashed so bright even her closed eyes were stunned, and then a thunderclap shook the windows. Her headache eased and Garrit pulled her into his arms, murmuring reassurance. She heard Alex crying distantly, and Adam still shouting. Still raging. Against Thorgrim?
    “He’s dead, Adam. It was three thousand years ago!”
    “You!” Adam stabbed a finger at Garrit. “You invited him into your home. Do you have any idea who he is? Who he was? What he’s doing? What he’s already done!”
    “Ethan! What happened?”
    He spun and stared at his wife, and Eve felt the fury drain out of him in that moment. “Nothing. I’m sorry.” He crossed to her and buried his face in Mia’s hair. “I’m sorry.”
    Garrit pulled her to her feet. “ Ça va? ”
    “I’m fine. I don’t know what happened. One minute it was fine. Everything was fine. I was telling him what a good father he would be, and the next…” She shook her head, staring at Adam and Mia. She was running her fingers through his hair and he was kissing her as though they were alone in the room. Eve looked away, back to Garrit. “He just started shouting at the window.”
    “Raving like a madman, more like.” Garrit frowned. “Who were you talking about? Who is dead?”
    She shook her head again. Wishing the thought had never occurred to her. Wishing she’d never laid eyes on Lars Owen to remind her. “Just a man I used to know. One of my husbands, ages ago.”
    Garrit’s hands tightened. “ Quoi? ”
    “You’re hurting me, Garrit. Let go.” She pulled free and stared up at his face. He looked gray. “What’s the matter?”
    He stared over her head and she turned to look. Adam held Mia, her back to them, and his face twisted still, but she saw them exchange a look. Garrit and Adam. A look of understanding and determination. And then Mia pulled him from the room.

Chapter Nine: Future

    Adam waited at the shop bright and early the next morning. She fumbled with the keys, her eyes hidden behind dark glasses. He didn’t think she noticed him at first, leaning against his car. She dropped the keys, and mumbled what might have been the most obscure curse he’d ever heard before she retrieved them and finally managed to get the door open.
    He chuckled and she turned, dropping the keys a second time. “You again!”
    “I didn’t mean to startle you.” He picked up the keys and handed them back to her.
    She pushed the glasses up into her hair and stared at him for a long moment. As if something had pained her. He could well imagine she was