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faced the facts. Her soul mate didn’t exist.
    Your soul mate is downstairs. This voice, different from the first, sounded younger. Urd had sounded old or possibly tired. This voice came from someone much younger. At least she sounded younger. Lena would have guessed her age to be in the mid to late thirties.
    “My soul mate doesn’t exist. I’ve had psychics tell me that I’ve lived several lives and not once have I had a soul mate.”
    Do not tell me what I can see for myself. Your soul mate is Artu. He sits downstairs and broods. He feels something for you but will not risk heartbreak again. Artu may appear strong, but he is fragile inside. Too many times he has suffered the loss of love. He, too, has never been more than content. Why do you think he fights so vehemently the emotions he feels for you now?
    That is why he wrestles with the feelings he has for you. He does so to protect his compassionate spirit. He wrestles with the feelings he has. He does so to protect his heart, just as you are protecting yours.
    “Just the idea of trying again scares me.” Lena bit her lip.
    Love is a fearsome thing for those lucky enough to experience it. Would you live the rest of your life alone knowing that you could have been happy had you but had the courage to try?
    That was the real question, wasn’t it? Was Lena really willing to pass up the chance at the sort of relationship she dreamed of having?
    The answer was a resounding, no. As painful as love was, it was also joyous when one found the right person. Lena had already seen that first hand.
    Go to him, my child. Show him the Fates are not the evil bitches he thinks. Tell him Urd said you are his past, tell him that I, Verdandi, says you are his present and that Skuld says you are his future and he is yours.
    Lena felt Verdandi leave, much as she had felt Urd disappear. Sticking the tip of her thumb in her mouth, she bit the nail, thinking. After a moment, Lena, having made up her mind, headed for the door and, she hoped, her future.
    Just as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw him standing on a balcony. With a shake of his head he leaped into the air and flew off like a shot.
    Raising her hand, Lena started to call him back, but changed her mind. Perhaps he needed as much time to think as she did. She would approach him when he returned.

Chapter Ten
     
     
    Artu flew home as fast as he could. He needed to see Lena. He needed to know that she was okay. Once he mentioned her and told his friend of her plight, he knew he had made a mistake, but it was too late.
    How could he not have seen she told him the truth? Now, the man he had thought was his friend had told the authorities and his people wanted her imprisoned and they knew where he left her. How could he have been so stupid? Why hadn’t he listened to those strange voices in his head? Because he had thought he was crazy, that’s why.
    He poured on the speed. A loud boom coincided with his acceleration, and he smiled. He didn’t know he still had that in him. The world blurred as he flew over it, his body hurtling through the sky as those who would imprison Lena and steal her wonderful spirit raced to his home.
    It was a race. If he could beat the authorities to his home and claim her as his, they couldn’t touch her.
    He scowled down at the water as he flew over the ocean. He had trusted Benton to keep his secret. He had trusted Benton with his secrets for years, and the ass had betrayed him. It made him wonder how many other times Benton had undermined him. Perhaps his friend was the reason the other women had run from him in the past.
    The entire situation confused him. For years the people of this world threw women at him. Now, just when he wanted their blessing to try to keep a female for his own, they wanted to incarcerate her. It didn’t make sense.
    Artu shook his head. None of that mattered now. All that mattered was reaching Lena before the others. He would take her to his safe room and