Salvage: Book 3 of the Magic Mutations Series

40: Lukas

June, 2019

Regret slammed through me as I realised the mistake I had made.

Quickly, I blubbered, "Of course not... I... Who were you..."

Her hand went to her mouth in shock as the tears spilled over. "It was. I remember it now..."

"You do?" I squeaked, wondering what else she remembered.

Though, of course, that was when our meals arrived.

We were silent for a while. Neither of us lifted our forks. Neither of us made an attempt to start our lunch. We just stared at our full plates as my disclosure hung in the air to ruminate on.

Then finally, Olivia muttered, "It's vague. Like a feeling of deja vu or something I saw on TV once many years ago... Hazy and like I'm seeing it underwater, but the memory is coming back."

"And... anything else?" Did she remember us as well?

She shook her head though, eyes meeting mine apologetically as I realised I was looking at her with misplaced hope. "Not this time."

"This time?" Was she saying this wasn't the first memory she recalled? How was she getting memories back? Did I not do the spell well enough?

A corner of her mouth turned up. "Since I've come back, small snippets have been returning."

"Such as..."

"Such as... I believe the first time we met?"

My heart thudded in my chest, but I didn't say anything. Too scared I'd misconstrue things again. That I'd wish for something that didn't exist.

But she went on. "When I found you by the pool that night... you turned to look at me, and I remembered the same thing happening in a lecture theatre."

"Is... is that it?"

She took a moment, twirling the pasta on her fork before popping it in her mouth and slowly chewing, as if she were relishing in my despair to know more. Then, finally, as I brought my drink to my mouth, she put me out of my agony when she breathed, "I remember thinking you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen... and falling for you at first sight."

Tea tore through my windpipe, and a coughing fit quickly ensued.

"Shit," she said, leaning across the table, hand slamming down on mine as a sense of ease channelled threw me. Then, before I knew it, the burning in my throat was gone. Like it had never happened.

"What did you just—"

"Healing magic."

And that was when the idea struck me. "What if you can heal them?"

"What?" Genuine confusion masked her face.

"The Mades."

I watched as my suggestion swirled through her mind, all the while she retreated back to her side of the table, letting me go.

I kicked myself a little for distracting her from our previous conversation. Then scolded myself further for being upset about that.

Olivia cocked her head to the side before her emerald eyes flickered back to mine. "It could work. It's something we could try." I could tell she was apprehensive—like it seemed too simple of a solution. But the same hope brewed in her that was now consuming me. "But, of course, when I get back."

"Seriously?" I deadpanned.

"What?"

"Nothing," I mumbled.