Out of the Flames

Chapter 10. The Gala

"It's not that you hear every thought that runs through their mind, but you will always be able to find them, feel a dulled version of their emotions and mentally communicate with them. So if you sleep with anyone besides your match, you will have a third or fourth person in your head." Henri looked at me with a slight blush on his cheeks.

"So you are trying to tell me not to sleep around?" I asked.

"I am saying wait until you and Enrique are married because there is coming a time when you will have to leave him for a short bit and if he's in your head the effects could be catastrophic." He said urgently.

"So I can only sleep with Edi, but not until we are married. Right?"

"Yes." Henri took a deep breath which signalled the end of the awkward part of our conversation.

I leaned back in time to see Edi approaching us with a suspicious look on his face. Then I realized that in our conversation we had leaned in and whispered most of it, so we probably looked very cozy. Just before he was in hearing range, Henri leaned in and whispered one last secret to me. "Enjoy these next couple of months and love him as much as you can because things are going to change." He pulled back just as Edi stopped in front of us.

"I brought you a drink." He said and handed it to me gently. He then sat down beside me. "I'm Enrique Mendez, and you are?" He said giving Henri a cool glance.

"I'm Henri, we are old family friends Christine and I." Henri said smoothly.

Enrique seemed to relax a bit and opened his mouth to say something when he froze. "Your eyes." He sputtered. "The ring...it is white. You have the white ring around your pupil."

Henri and I shot a glance at each other before I spoke. "Yes, our Grandfathers were half brothers."

"We have the same genetic disorder." Henri interjected.

"Disorder?"Edi asked almost concerned.

"It's more of a trait. Like heterochromia." I said to receive blanks looks. "When your eyes are two different colours." I clarified.

"Alright, well then Henri, do you live here in New York?" Edi asked letting his guard down a bit.

"No, I wander from place to place, I never stay in one spot for long." As Henri said this I remembered my father saying something about my grandparents friends.

"Henri, do you know the time?" I asked wondering if he was the time traveler my dad had mentioned.

"Of course, it's December 2013, and anything more specific than that is unimportant." He said with a wink. "Anyways, I must be off, my future awaits me." He stood and shook my hand then Edi's. I clenched my hand around the note he had pressed into my palm and when Edi wast looking I shoved the slip of paper into the bodice of my dress.

"Take care Henri. Say hello to my grandparents if you see them." He gave me a causal solute and strode away.

"Interesting fellow." Edi commented.

"Yes, he is quite the nomad, I fear it has affected his social skills in the past few years." I let a small smile pass over my face.

"Would you like to go for a walk in the garden?" Edi asked.

"Sure." We stood up and quietly left the ballroom. As we stepped out into the cool air Edi took off his coat and draped it across my shoulders.

"Thank you." I smiled at him a paused trying to decide whether or not to say anything. "I'd like you to know that I have never met anyone else with such impeccable manners. I just want you to know that every door you open for me and all the sweet gestures towards me do not go unnoticed." I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my lips to his in a tender kiss.