I touched his face and then his hair without seeing that he had opened his eyes and was looking at me. I saw surprise in his eyes, I saw longing, and a feeling as if I was desired by him. As if he wanted me to lay down there, to look at him, to touch him. It looked like someone else had entered my body and the body was reacting on its own, the reasoning was gone. I ran my fingers over his lips and held him so close that his scent seemed to have drugged me. He kept looking at me strangely, until he closed his eyes feeling my touch and releasing a light kiss on my fingers placed on his lips. It irritated my stomach feeling wasp and my skin shivered all over my body. What was that? He opened his eyes again with an enthusiasm and hope, his eyes lit up, from his gaze I felt loved, valued, as if I were the most beautiful thing he was seeing. My hand was left in the air while the other was numb. I tried to pull my hand then he raised his head a little, taking my hand in his and rubbing it.
"Does it hurt"
I nodded, as if I could not find the voice to speak.
"Forgive me, I forget when you touch me." He spoke in a low voice, laughing to himself, kissing my hand, releasing it lightly from me. It was the first time I saw him laugh so candidly. It was actually the first time I saw him laugh.
He reached out his hand hesitantly as if waiting for approval from me, started touching my face with his fingers. It burned wherever he touched. His touch made me feel protected, loved, as if I belonged.
"Who are you?" I whispered with curious eyes. His hand stopped in the air, his gaze changed as if remembering something. He sighed lightly and got up leaving quickly.
I stood a little confused reproducing in my mind what had just happened. When he was talking to Franklin he was talking about how he cared about me, then when he touched me, he kissed my hands. Was he the lover they were talking about? But why was he so cold to me, what had I done to him?
When I felt better I went outside. Franklin was talking to Jugene while Gideon was talking to Aurea, when I came out he followed me with his eyes as I walked towards Merida. Occasionally he glanced at me. I had to figure out if it was him. I had to find a way. In every move I made I could feel his gaze, when I turned my head he was looking away.
I was so focused on him that I did not notice that we were somewhere else now, it was a well-maintained wooden hut. Opposite was a courtyard of small stones.
"Gather in a circle!"Franklin caught our attention. Gideon was standing next to him, and next to Gideon stood Aurea. I don't know why her presence bothered me so much.
"I want to introduce you to someone." He was looking between me and Merida, we followed his gaze. It was a person wearing a long overcoat and blue hood covering the features with his head down. He walked past me and Merida to stand in the middle of the circle. When he passed he touched me and it was like a piece of ice. After standing in the middle he extended his hand towards me, raising his head. I was able to distinguish his features. It was pale, his skin very white almost blue. He had some blue dots on his forehead.
"Tara you should approach him, have faith." Franklin turned to me, knowing that for approval I should also look towards Gideon who looked terrified.
I walked towards the stranger until I reached in front of him. He held out his hand to me, and when I touched his hand it was like ice cubes, shivering on my skin.
"Magic is strongly related to nature, every act of magic requires a sacrifice." He spoke but his lips did not move. Was he a ventriloquist? Why was required a ventriloquist there. Focus Tara.
"To use an act of resurrection, which is not allowed by nature, you had to sacrifice your abilities. Now Tara Butlo, you will have to make a vital decision for you and our fate depends on it as well." He spoke as I heard his voice inside my head. Focus Tara.
"You have to choose whether to regain your memory or your powers?"
That was it, I thought he would ask me if I wanted to stay or leave. If I wanted power without memory I would not know how to use it, and if I wanted memory I would be terrified, who knows what kind of person I would have been, who knows how badly I did.
"Think Tara! Time is running out." I was trembling, I was in tension, I turned my eyes to Franklin as if seeking salvation, then to Gideon who was avoiding looking at me, then I saw them all one by one in the face. If I were to choose the powers I would find the way to remember. I hope I made the right choice even though I did not have the right one there.
"If I remember I will know how to use magic, if it exists of course, will I be able to use it?" I asked him in my mind.
"Your skills can not be returned to you, you will be able to remember the part that was hidden from your memory, but you can not use the skills you had." He answered me again as if I had both voices in my head, mine and his.
"Wait! This does not make sense!" I pulled my hand away from him pointing at Franklin.
"You have told me many things so far, but in the beginning before I came with you you told me that you would bring me somewhere where I could regain both, as memory as magical powers, while now I have to make a choice? Which one suits you best? Powers? So I can help you with your plans? Or become selfish and pick up memories to finally figure out who you are and why you are dealing with me?"
In the end I laughed ironically. All this made no sense. It was supposed that the memory would be restored by the one who erased it! It was supposed to be someone I loved very much and he loved me very much! Is this it ?! I pointed my finger at the cold ice man I was near.
Franklin and Gideon were exchanging glances. Then the person next to me turned toward Gideon, seemed to be saying something without speaking, and lowered his head in respect. He lowered his head as if Gideon had more power than he did. Until that moment I had not seen any supernatural power in Gideon.
Gideon came toward me, and they both looked at me, holding each of them one hand. Then the voice was heard again in my mind.
"Grieko, magical abilities. Gideon, memories." He spoke inside my head. So his name was Grieko.
I stretched out my hand hesitantly to Gideon, as soon as I touched millions of sensations of tickling and warmth ran through my hand. Now what? With one kiss would bring back my memory, like the sleeping beauty, the snow-white, beauty and the beast? But not by pulling me in the middle of the circle, everyone bent down kneeling down, and Grieko had taken Gideon's place in the circle. Gideon took my hands and placed them on his head, on each side. He put his fingers on my forehead and something started whispering, everyone in the circle started repeating the same thing. My eyes were trying to look around as much as they could.
"Close your eyes!" Gideon said softly. I closed my eyes and they kept muttering words I did not understand. Until fragmented images began to appear. My head started to ache so much that it looked like it was going to burst.