“Nay! I did it to save her. It was the only way to protect her. I took away her suffering.”
Abby’s eyes glistened with tears. “You took her suffering onto yourself.”
“So? Should I no’ do that when I love her?”
Abby punched his chest. “She loves you, too, you noble idiot! And you took that away from her.” With a huff, she marched out the door.
Dougal finished his bottle, then teleported to Tiger Town. Already the were-tigers were starting to gather in the courtyard for the Grand Tiger’s two-week memorial. Rajiv had asked him to play the tune his grandfather had loved.
Dougal’s gaze wandered to the tiger statue he’d broken with his prosthesis. He’d been filled with so much rage and frustration. Now he was full of doubt and despair.
Had he made a terrible mistake? He’d been devastated by his failure to protect Leah. How many times had he sworn never to fail her? He’d failed Li Lei, and for that, he’d suffered almost three hundred years of shame and regret.
Then a miracle had happened, and he’d gotten a second chance. Li Lei had come back to forgive him, but he’d failed her again. And Leah had suffered terribly for it. How could she ever forgive him?
How could he forgive himself?
He strode down the alley to the guesthouse to get his pipes. Was that why he’d been so eager to erase Leah’s memories? Not just to ease her suffering but to punish himself as well?
Because he couldn’t forgive himself. He stumbled to a stop. What a fool he’d been. Why had he longed all these years for Li Lei’s forgiveness? The fact that she’d come back for him meant she still loved him. Her love had spanned the centuries to find him.
She had been the one to keep the vow. She’d found him. And she’d always forgiven him. Always loved him.
Would Leah do the same? Would she find him again? Would she cling to her love for him no matter what?
Tears burned his eyes. He didn’t deserve such devotion. But he wouldn’t let his shame and regret get in the way. Somehow, he would move forward. Forgive himself. And beg Leah to take him back.
With a groan, Leah gave up. She’d been trying for ten minutes to remember, but it was only giving her a headache.
She crunched across the rocky shore and climbed the steps to the school. Was the mystery man still inside? She could track him down, but he’d probably just run away. Or teleport away. And never come back.
Inside the foyer, Briathos was standing. He inclined his head. “May I be of service?”
“No, I’m fine. Thank you.” She wandered back to her dorm to take off her coat, hat, and gloves. If she was going to piece together this jigsaw puzzle, she would need more pieces. More clues. Her gaze fell to her suitcase under the bed. There had been several clues there. Maybe she’d find more.
She squatted down to pull it out, when something caught her eye. A piece of paper sticking out just a tiny bit from underneath her mattress. She pulled it out, and sitting on her bed, she unfolded it to read it.
Dear Leah,
I know I frighten you, but I pray you will give me a chance. I know my chance is small, for you are so clever and beautiful. How could I ever be worthy of you?
You are a treasure to behold, a sweet melody to my ears.
You shine light into my dark nights and bring warmth to my cold heart.
You fill me with hope that all things are possible, even an eternity of love.
Dougal
Tears filled her eyes. A terrible longing welled up in her chest, and she cried out. He had loved her. And she had loved him. Dougal.
How could she have lost him?
It was him. The mystery man. It had to be him. Dougal.
She read the note again, her tears falling down on the paper.
What had happened? Why were they apart? Why couldn’t she remember?
Her skin chilled with a sudden thought. Why didn’t other people remember?
She stood, clasping the note to her chest. Other people had to know. Nothing was private around here.
Wiping her face dry, she marched down the hall to the lab. Abby would know. But if she knew, why was she keeping it a secret?
“May I be of service?” Briathos asked as she passed by.
“I’m fi—” She halted. Why did she keep lying to an angel? She wasn’t fine. Her eyes burned with more tears.
She turned to look at him. “What kind of service can you do?”
He regarded her sadly. “Dear soul, what is it you need?”
A tear fell down her cheek. “I need to remember.”
Chapter Thirty-four
Leah approached the angel. “Can you help me?”
“Yes.” Briathos watched her intently. “But I must warn you. The good memories you seek will not come alone. There will be others that will cause you great pain. You cannot have the good without the bad.”
Another tear rolled down her face, and she clutched Dougal’s note tightly to her chest. “I’ll do it.”
A flicker of light made her blink, then she realized another angel had joined them. “Bunny.”
Buniel smiled. “You remember me.”
She nodded. “You healed my ankle.”
“She wishes to have her memory restored,” Briathos announced.
Buniel’s smile faded. “Are you sure? Some of your memories will be painful.”
She swallowed hard. “I understand. I’m ready.”
Buniel rested a hand on her brow, then stepped back. “It is done.”
She blinked. “But I don’t remember anything.”
“The memories are there. You must find the key to unlock them.”
“The key?” She gave Buniel an exasperated look. “What key?”
“Look into your heart,” Buniel replied.
She groaned. Why did the angels have to work in such mysterious ways? She glanced down at her chest, where she was still clutching the note from Dougal.
Her heart swelled with longing. She needed him. He had her heart. “Is Dougal the key?” When she found him, would she remember everything?
She dashed down the hall to the lab. “Where is Dougal?”
Abby gasped.
Gregori put a protective arm around his wife. “Do you remember him, Leah?”
“I’ll remember everything if I can just see him. Where is he?”
Gregori winced. “This is not a good time.”
“He’s in Tiger Town,” Laszlo said.
“Laszlo.” Abby gave him a look of warning.
“I will not continue with this lie.” Laszlo stood, pushing back his stool. “They belong together. It was meant to be.”
Mina gazed up at him with wonder in her eyes. “You’re so brave, Laser.”
“I need one of you Vamps to take me to Tiger Town,” Leah insisted.
Gregori winced again. “They’re having a memorial service tonight. It would be bad form for you to show up. Given the circumstances.”
What circumstances? “I need to see Dougal!”
“We will take you,” Briathos said behind her.
She started. “Y-you can teleport me?”
Buniel smiled. “Put your coat on. It’s cold outside.”
She headed down the hall, then stopped, glancing back. Buniel was wearing a white hooded robe, and Briathos was dressed in his usual attire—pants and sleeveless tunic topped with a breastplate. “Don’t you guys get cold?”
Buniel shook his head, smiling.
Briathos frowned. “We are not of this world.”
“Right.” Like that explained anything. She ran to her dorm, threw on her coat, hat, and gloves, then dashed back to the foyer, where the angels were waiting.
Abby was standing nearby with her husband. “Be careful.” Her eyes glistened with tears. “And if you remember everything, try not to be angry. We were worried about you.”