Your Wish Is My Command (35 page)

“Yes, child. I have the power.” She nodded to Sebastien. “And so does he. He thinks his gift is merely that of knowing the ways of the men and women he has matched with their soulmates. It is not so.” She turned to Sebastien. “You never questioned your success. Did you not think it unusual? So many successes with such relative ease? Did you not understand that you could see into their souls, divine their needs even when they themselves could not?”

Sebastien laughed, but even Jamie heard the tension underlying it. “Love did not seem so great a mystery to me then.”

“Ah.” She grinned widely and laughed. “'Then,'the man says.” She clapped her hands. “And now? What say you now, Sebastien?”

Sebastien turned away from her and looked into Jamie's eyes. “I say I had no earthly idea of the power of true love. Until now.”

“It has taken you long enough.” Oriane clapped her hands again. “Far longer than I had anticipated. But even I should have known that there are things that cannot be rushed. And love is one of them. Even if it takes centuries.” She held out her hands. “Come to me, children, and take my hands.”

Sebastien looked at Jamie, who nodded.

They stood before Oriane. She took Sebastien's left hand, then Jamie's, and crossed them one on top of the other and held them joined between her own. “You were to have helped me in myjourney, Sebastien. I, the teacher, you the pupil. And yet, through all these years, you have also been the teacher.”

“How have I taught you, Oriane?”

“With your open soul. For a man who thought he could not love, you embraced and shared in the love of others with joy and abandon. Sometimes too much abandon,” she added with a look, even though her eyes twinkled. “But I do not condemn you for that.”

Sebastien grinned. “
Merci,
madame.”

She turned serious. “You have a great gift, Sebastien. Greater perhaps even than mine. Perhaps your powers will heighten with your new knowledge and insight. To rob the world of them would be a sorrowful waste.”

Both Jamie and Sebastien frowned. Jamie could feel his hands tense in hers as Oriane continued to hold them.

“What are you saying, Oriane?”

“I am saying that I planned today to take you back with me, to teach you the rest of what awaits you, now that you understand more of what lies within you.”

“No!” Jamie demanded. “You cannot do this.” She tried to pull her hands free, unsure if it was to grab hold of Sebastien or to put them around Oriane's throat.

With seeming effortlessness, Oriane held her hands in check. She turned a dark eye to Jamie. “You would rob the world of his gift for your own selfish pleasure?”

Jamie shook her head. “I won't deny that he has given me something that I never, ever, thought to have. But after all he has done for those countless other souls, he has finally found his own. How could you rip that soul from him? How will the world benefit from a man who has finally found love, only to have it taken away from him? Why would he want to share his supposed gift with anyone, then?”

Oriane said nothing in response to her outburst. She turned calmly to Sebastien. “And what say you? Do you think it is more worthy to devote yourself to
the love of one, rather than to the happiness you could bring to many?”

“What I know, Oriane, is that without Jamie I would be worthless to you. Whatever I have inside me can only be called a gift now because of Jamie. I would never have understood the real power of love without her.”

Oriane studied them both at such length that Jamie thought she'd lose the tenuous grip on what was left of her control.

“Please, Oriane.” She was begging now, but she didn't care. She would do whatever she had to. “I love him. He loves me. Surely whatever happiness we create within our lifetime is a worthy enough contribution to mankind.”

Oriane smiled then and looked to Sebastien. “She is well and truly the one whose soul is meant for yours. A fierce protector of those she cares for. You are a fortunate man. She will love you well, Sebastien.” She lowered her voice and fixed him with a hard look. “You will do no less for her.”

Sebastien turned to look at Jamie, the emotion that filled his eyes closing her throat over. “I will love her for the rest of my days.” He looked to Oriane. “We will be worthy of the forfeit. Surely you have others besides me to continue on with your work.”

“I do. They will have plenty to keep them busy. However, your work is not done.” When they both started to argue, she shushed them with nothing more than a look. “You have taught me that life never reveals all her plans in advance. I believe together you will bring more happiness to others than you would apart. Now, if you will bear with the ramblings of an old woman, I will bless your union.” She raised their joined hands high above her head.

Oriane bent her head and began to chant. It was part invocation, part song, all beautiful. When she
was done, she opened her eyes and blessed them with a beaming smile.

She released their hands and picked up the sword. She handed it to Sebastien. “A symbol of where you came from, and of what you are meant to do in your future.”

“What do expect me to do now?” Sebastien asked.

“I expect you to return to your home in the Quarter and make this woman proud that she fought so hard for you. Make yourself worthy of her love. You will continue as a mortal, for I cannot keep you in the other realm now that you are promised to her.”

Jamie took Oriane's hand and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Thank you, Oriane. We won't disappoint you.

Jamie wasn't entirely certain, but she could have sworn the older woman blushed. Even as she had the thought, Oriane stood straighter and cleared her throat. “You have the sword, and I understand you are powerful enough to wield it if necessary.”

Jamie's mouth dropped open, then shut again as she realized Oriane was making a joke. She laughed. “I think I like you, after all.”

Sebastien leaned down and took Oriane's hand. He pressed a courtly kiss to the back of it and offered her a bow. “The sword will grow tarnished for lack of use, I assure you.”

Oriane nodded, obviously pleased. She turned and walked back to the spot where she first appeared. “Enjoy your life, Sebastien and Jamie. When you reach the end of it, we will meet again.” Before either of them could question her, she winked—and was gone.

A
fter several long seconds of silence, Jamie said, “So I don't guess you want to explain that last part, do you?”

Sebastien pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. “I don't have time to concern myself with the hereafter. It will take all of my considerable attention to make certain you are happy in the here and now.”

Jamie smiled, the smile growing to a grin, then to laughter as she finally began to allow herself to believe what had happened. “Is it real? You and me? No more souls to match? No more disappearing back into the ether?”

He nodded. “Your soul and mine are the only ones I must concern myself with for the rest of our time on earth.”

“Mine's already yours. I love you, Sebastien.”

“I love you, Jamie.” He grinned. “I rather enjoy saying that. I hope you don't mind.”

“Go ahead. I dare you to make me tired of hearing it.”

“That is a challenge I accept with full enthusiasm.” He swung her up into his arms.

“Take me home, my pirate.”

He kissed her until she was breathless, but his grin was devilish when he lifted his mouth from hers. “I have other plans.”

Jamie lifted her eyebrows. “Not here. Sorry, I'm not
that
adventurous.”

Sebastien looked surprised, then laughed. “No, mademoiselle, that is not what I had in mind. However, I do enjoy the workings of your mind. I will have to think on that suggestion a bit. I'll get back to you on it.”

Jamie threw her arms around his neck. “Then exactly what plan did you have?”

Sebastien let her feet slide to the ground and, with another lingering scorcher of a kiss, reluctantly released her and turned to the sword and jeweled box. He rewrapped both carefully, then pulled a rucksack from the tree.

“Quite the locker you have there. Not a bad nest
egg
either,” Jamie said.

He smiled at her. “We pirates are a resourceful lot.” He finished storing everything, then closed the sack and hefted it over his arm. He stood and scooped her right back into his arms.

“You know, I should get really annoyed with how you toss me around like a rag doll.”

“Are you annoyed?”

“Not in the least. I'm a discredit to the feminist movement. I'll explain that later too,” she added, seeing the question forming.

“If the rest of your afternoon is free, I have a suggestion on how to spend it.”

“My life is yours. At least until tomorrow morning at ten.” She could only imagine Ree's reaction when she gave her the good news. “Where are we off to?” she asked as he started back through the woods.

“To plunder and pillage.”

“Ah.” She smacked her forehead. “Silly me.”

They reached the car and he swung her down once again. She caught his pointed look and stared him down but finally gave in with a resigned sigh—and a
small prayer. She dug the keys out of her pocket and slapped them into his palm. “Keep it under seventy-five.”

“For a woman who enjoys speed, I don't understand this sudden restraint of yours.”

“Yeah well, as it turns out, I do better taunting death when I'm behind the wheel.”

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Trust me,
ma chèrie,
for I would never risk something I cherish as much as I do you.”

Jamie merely snorted.

Sebastien laughed and went around to open the passenger door for her.

Once they were both inside—and she had securely buckled herself up—Jamie asked, “So, what is this about plunder and pillage?”

“This was not the only place I tucked away my … well, resources. From one summons to the next, I never knew what might still be around.” He pulled her close. “Have you lost your taste for uncovering buried treasure?”

A thrill rushed through her at the very words. “Treasure hunting? For real buried treasure? You've just granted my fondest wish. Well, one of the remaining few that you haven't already fulfilled.”

He rubbed his chin. “Well, there is the matter of a ring. I believe, if it hasn't been discovered, that I have a diamond and ruby ring that once graced the hand of a certain member of Spanish royalty. Unless you are averse to wearing a piece of my ill-gotten gains as the symbol of our betrothal, it would look lovely on you.”

“Depends on why she gave it to you,” Jamie said dryly.

Sebastien threw back his head and laughed.
“Mon Dieu,
but I love you. I shall let you choose your own jewel from whatever treasures we reclaim this day. We
will have it set in a ring of our own design. It will be yours and yours alone.”

Jamie took his left hand in hers and kissed his ring finger. “I don't want jewels. I think something like a simple band, maybe two bands entwined together. One for you, with a matching one for me. A symbol of our souls, matched and eternally wrapped around each other.”

“Is that your wish,
mon amour?
”

His eyes sparkled, and she could only think of how deeply she'd come to love this man. Her so-called normal life would never be dull or boring. She couldn't wait to see what happened next.

“That is my wish, my former pirate genie.”

He pulled her into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. “Your wishes will forever be my command.”

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Well,
that
could get very interesting indeed.”

“I'm counting on it. Now, kiss me.”

She granted him his wish, then sighed in satisfaction. “
Now
this feels like happily ever after.”

“Indeed it does.” Sebastien grinned, leaning in for another kiss. “Indeed it does.”