Jolie snuggled up against a warm, inviting body and sighed. Most of her dream was a nightmare, yet her attractive companion kept her safe and even pledged all of him to her, a spell that was stronger than the bonds of marriage.

Her heart fluttered and core warmed, but it was time to wake and face her day.

She stretched and allowed another moment of the blissful sensation of a strong body against hers. She went rigid and opened her eyes. A peaceful mask covered Hans’s face, his chest rising and falling with his deep, even breaths.

Heat spiraled through her. Once again, his arm acted as her pillow, protecting her head from the hard, cold ground.

His beard was still in perfect condition, accentuating his strong jaw. His cheekbones were somewhat prominent, offsetting his deep-set eyes under thick brows. An incredible man. Her perfect match.

“Here.”

Jolie jolted up.

A full grown man around twenty-five held some fruit out to her. Johnny.

“It’ll act like a toothbrush and fill your belly.”

She blinked up at him and took the offered breakfast. “Thanks.”

“Congratulations.”

Huh? Oh. Her gift. Epia’s gift. Hans. But she had to be sure it wasn’t merely a dream. “Johnny, was Hans my gift from Epia?”

A twinkle alighted in his blue-grey eyes. “You know the answer. Jolie, we’re not quite done here.”

No, they weren’t. A new protective orb needed to be created and put in place. Her own magic couldn’t sustain the small barrier she’d set up the night before for more than a hundred years, and it only surrounded the little lake and just into the trees around the clearing.

Hans groaned, stretching. His eyes opened and stopped on her. His sexy lopsided smile melted her core. “Good morning, dear.”

Johnny tossed another fruit, and Hans caught it, his reflexes lightning quick while holding her gaze, another impressive feat.

They ate in amiable silence, then each found a somewhat private area to do their business. She considered checking out the nearby buildings, yet there was something off about them. However, Hans and Johnny had a shovel, toilet paper, soap, and the lake water to use to clean up.

Once everyone was done, Hans took her hand and guided Jolie back to the strange little hill and took a seat, her in front of him. “I have to create a new orb, but I need your help, dear.”

Her help? But she couldn’t touch the artifacts they’d gathered. Oh, but he could.

He pulled the obsidian arrow from his pack and reached in again.

“Hans?”

“Yes, dear?”

The way he called her dear so easily… Was it a term of endearment from the beginning, or merely something he said unconsciously? Though it didn’t really matter, especially if he only called her that.

“Why can’t I touch the objects but you can? And how come they’re different from the usual artifacts?”

His smile stirred flutters within her as he pulled out the next item. “You’re a special witch, Jolie, but I’m not like you or your family. There are others who wield magic, and mine is different from yours. Because of this, I was able to gather these objects. I’m not affected by the artifacts we collected.” His gaze fell to the ethereal cobalt orb of smoke, strange slimy walnut object, and obsidian arrowhead. “This will take a couple of hours. Will you help me?”

She eyed the cracked orb. Could it possibly be salvaged? “Yes, but I’m not sure how.”

“Start by lifting and holding the damaged orb using your magic.”

Her magic. Or rather, her magic but also the magic of all those who’d came before her. It was a lot, but her body, a vessel, easily contained and managed it.

Jolie latched onto a memory where five-year-old Medlotama wished to move the large stone that’d crushed her mother and father. The energy inside her hummed, vibrating faster, and the stone lifted, revealing a gruesome sight. But Jolie’s ancestor didn’t so much as cringe, her desire to bury and put to rest her parents her main concern.

Jolie tapped into her knowledge and easily lifted the orb without touching it.

“Well done, dear.” Hans picked up the arrowhead and gently pushed the tip in the crack in the orb. He whispered a spell. A small hole appeared. Magic zipped out of it, swirling like leaves in a breeze, then spread and sparked before disappearing.

“Dear, if you wouldn’t mind sharing some of your magic, I need to create a little vacuum so when your sister arrives… Well, you’ll see. But it has to be a special vacuum that won’t suck in people, things, or anything other than the intended magic… I’m not sure how to explain it. I need you to create the vacuum slowly while I weave enchantments on it to make it safe.”

A vacuum? Like one in space?

She called on her ancestors’ memories, and two cycled through. Though different women and lifetimes, the memories where each part of a puzzle, complimenting one another, giving her the full answer on how to create what Hans asked. With a little concentration, Jolie started the process.

The cobalt blue smoke thinned, and little by little, trickled inside the cracked orb as they worked.

For over an hour, Hans chanted while Jolie made a powerful vacuum that could destroy their planet and sun.

When he held up his hand, she stopped, but kept the vacuum in place, not allowing it to suck anything up.

At another few words, the obsidian arrowhead changed into a long rod. “As I push this in, slowly release your spell. It’ll act as a magical cork, if you will, the smoke binding my enchantments.”

A thin, stone rod. A cork. Well, okay. If he said so. She worked, using her senses and instincts to slow or hold back the suction until most of the rod was inside, leaving three inches sticking out.

“Now release it. The rod will hold.”

Jolie did. The rod sucked in. She grabbed hold of Hans’s arm and squeezed, but the rod stopped, perfectly plugging the hole.

He chuckled. “Well done. Let’s take a break and have a bite to eat.”