After a few minutes, Leo returned and looked again at the space between the door and the display case. I kept silent. I felt bitter and sour with sadness, all I could think about was the flowers and petals in the kitchen. Had he done the same for her? To woo her?

“Revelora,” Leo crooned.

I stayed sat, “Glenrothes isn’t interesting, huh?”

Leo groaned and joined me on the floor, “We were friends with benefits, that was all.”

“You never mentioned how pretty she was.”

“That isn’t important.”

An eyebrow raised as I scoffed, “Can’t imagine why you never wanted to see her again.”

He frowned, “Because I quickly realised how shallow she was on the inside. Then I started having dreams.” He gave me a pointed look.

“Jumped her every chance you got,” I repeated, looking down.

“Lexi, stop,” he growled.

Looking back at him, I saw his jaw twitch as he raised his hand to his eyes, squeezing between his brows. The silence grew along with my wild and wonderful thoughts.

“I stopped seeing her after I realised what they were up to,” he admitted.

He said that was only a few months ago, and I felt sick. Why was I this bothered? Was it because she was pretty? Friendly with him? Offered herself?

As my thoughts continued, I felt his hand tuck hair behind my ear, and I looked back at him; he was much closer now. His hand caressed my cheek.

“Whatever you are thinking of. Stop it.”

“Easier said than done.” My eyes watered a little.

He noticed the pouch I was clutching and gently took it from me. Placing it off to the side, his hands replaced the emptiness, and he pulled me gently to him. I moved to his lap, seeking comfort and reassurance.

“You’re the one I have been waiting for,” he professed, “I’m not going anywhere. The past should be left there,” he cooed, kissing the back of my hand.

“Tell me one thing… and be honest.”

“What?”

“The petals, you said you haven’t done it for anyone else.”

“I was telling the truth.”

I relaxed a little more; he was no liar.

I cleared my throat, “And... erm, your bed?”

“God’s no. I hardly get private time to myself, never mind bringing a girl around,” he laughed, “Well, except for right now,” he pointed out.

I chuckled, looking down at the dirty pouch.

‘Right. That’s what he wanted to show me.’

He followed my eyes, “I have no idea where it came from, but I’m glad you hid it. It feels… weird.”

“Do you remember our trip to the astral?” I asked, still sitting in his lap, “I think that had something to do with it,” I gestured to it.

“Huh,” he said, picking it up, “What’s in it?”

“My grandma’s necklace or at least that’s what I know it as. What it is tainted with, I don’t know.”

“Mind if I open it?”

I shook my head, No.

Undoing the gold knot, he tipped the pouch onto the floor.

“Elevitarus,” he said, and the necklace hovered before us. Twisting his hand, it rotated.

“Even weirder, my mum buried it in the back garden and placed wards around it so it could not be found.”

Leo looked at me, “And now it's here? That doesn’t sound creepy at all.”

I agreed and reached out to touch the pendant; it felt cool, and I felt the same intense sadness again. I quickly pulled away and wiped my tears.

“What’s wrong?” Leo alarmed.

“Nothing. When I touch it, I get these tears, and I’m overwhelmed by sadness that isn’t my own.”

Leo reached out to it also. The hand holding my waist tightened as he touched it, but no tears were in his eyes. He looked angry… fuming.

“What the fuck?” he growled.

I pushed his hand away, “Leo?”

Shaking out his hand, “You’re right,” his voice was much calmer, “I felt angry more than anything.”

I opened the pouch, and Leo dropped the spell, letting it fall into the velvet.

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“Any ideas on what to do with it?” I asked.

He rested his chin on my shoulder and thought, “Maybe bury it again without the pouch. We don’t know if it’s blocking its power or protecting it.”

“We’re home!” hollered Noel from downstairs, closing the front door.

Leo moved his head down, groaning, forehead now resting on my shoulder, “I thought I had more time with you.”

I giggled, attempting to get up from his lap, only for both his hands to hold me in place.

“Leo?” questioned Noel.

“In my room!” he shouted back.

“Did you have visitors earlier?”

“Yeah. I still do!” Leo looked at me, “Lexi is here helping me with homework,” he lied.

That must have been enough for Noel, as his footsteps left the stairs and the TV turned on. Leo winked at me, pushing the door closed slightly and kissed my shoulder.

“Now, where were we?” he whispered.

I tried to stop myself from laughing, “I was about to help you with your homework.”

I shifted in his lap, and his hands held me a little tighter in protest.

“A few more kisses?” he pouted.

Giggling, I shifted to face him and continued where we left off downstairs.

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My phone rang to life, startling us. His hand stayed buried in my hair as I reached for it. Somehow, it was pushed away from us. I assumed it was from when we moved to lie on the floor.

“It’s Quinn,” I said apologetically.

“Answer it,” he whispered, not stopping his kisses down my neck.

I cleared my throat, “Hello?”

“Hey, sorry I won’t be back tonight… I’m staying with Devan,” Quinn’s voice explained.

Leo still did not stop, moving further down to my stomach, skimming over my bra.

‘When did my shirt come off?’

I lifted my head to watch him, “Ah, Okay. No worries. Have you sorted things out?”

I watched him as he grinned into my skin. I felt the shiver as goosebumps appeared all over my skin.

‘When did his come off?’

“Er… You could say that…” she cooed.

I laughed at her words, “Have a great time. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Leo moved back up to my jaw as Quinn said goodbye. I ended the call and giggled as his lips found mine again. I gently pushed his bare chest, and he backed up with a hand next to my head.

“Your parents are downstairs,” I pointed out.

“And?” he leaned onto his elbows, boxing me in, “Doesn’t mean we have to stop.”

I matched his smile, “True, but I don’t want to be caught without my shirt on,” I whispered.

“That’s half the fun,” he purred.

He made the mistake of brushing a hand against my side. I snorted; the tickle-dam had been broken, and every move of his hand made me laugh and giggle more. His smile told me he was doing it on purpose.

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When I eventually got home, the sun was setting. I leaned back on the closed front door and sighed happily.

“Hello, dear. Had a good day?” Mum appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands.

“A great day,” I smiled.

“Hm, sure looks like it,” she inspected my appearance and I blushed.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said, taking off my shoes and retreating to my room.

“I thought we could have a movie night. Chinese?”

“Ooh! Yes! I’ll have my usual, please.”

Going to change into my pyjamas, I found out what my mum was referring to. My cheeks were flushed and lips red, almost bruised. I had faint pink marks on my neck, too.

I blushed harder and decided to freshen up before going back downstairs.

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I was disturbed by birds twittering. Groggily opening my eyes, I noticed I was not in my bed. More awake now, I lifted my eyes to see tall trees above me.

Laying on brown leaves, I’m surrounded by a forest and green plants. The sun was high, but I knew it was still the dead of night.

Sitting up, I felt a sense of familiarity, the Astral. But where was I?

I called out, “Leo?”

All I heard was the echo of my voice bouncing around.

I carefully got up, staying vigilant. My awareness grew, and I stretched my senses out.

“Lexi?” his voice echoed back, and the birds took off from the trees.

“Leo!” I exclaimed and walked forward.

That’s when I noticed the red string around my pinky. I laughed at the irony.

“Lexi,” Leo’s voice still bounced, and I moved forward a little quicker this time following the red string.

The trees started to thin as I came across a dirt road. It had two tracks and looked like it had been well used. Before I crossed, I heard the clip of horses’ feet and rocketing of wood. I stayed back in the shadows and waited for it to pass.

Two black horses pulled a Victorian-style topless black carriage. It was being driven by a footman driving the horses along the track. As it passed, I gazed the woman, sat in the back. She wore a cream hat and dress. Her brown hair peaked from under the hat as she sat in the back.

Her face… looked like mine. That’s why this place was familiar.

I could smell tobacco smoke emanating from the side of the road. Two men stepped out, blocking the road, frightening the horses and forcing the carriage to stop.

“Lexi?”

I jumped as I heard Leo’s voice much closer. Could they hear us?

Glancing back, they seemed unfazed, and I shouted back, “Leo?” and took a step forward.

The horse's whine caught my attention. One of the men knocked out the footman, and the other took the struggling woman. I felt a tug on my finger and gazed to the other side of the minor road. Leo.

I quickly jogged towards him, “The woman. Are you seeing this?” I panicked.

“Shh, what woman?”

I motioned to the left, just a few meters down from us.

Leo faltered, “Is that…”

“I think this is a past life,” I confirmed.

She fought against the two men, and one ripped a necklace from her neck. The pearls scattered, and the pendent flung to the side and landed before us. We looked at each other, seeing the same thing. It was the same one on my grandma’s pendant.

The woman cried out, making us observe the unrest once more. I held onto Leo’s arm as she was left on the ground with a stab wound to bleed out.

“ANNA!” A male voice cried out as he ran to her from behind us.

“That’s you,” I whispered to Leo.

The dark blonde man dressed in a white waistcoat and full-length dress pants skidded to his knees near her. We watched intently as he picked up her lifeless body. He was a few minutes too late. He cried out in agony, crying on her chest, his hair just shy of touching her skin.

I felt tears run down my face. My worst fear, like anybody else, is Death.

Leo’s hand wiped away my tears and turned me away from the scene.

“I think we have found out why the necklace affects us,” he murmured.

“And stalks us,” I whispered.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the road. As we exited, the scene disappeared like mist, and Leo pulled me closer and wiped the remaining tears away. Some texts suggested soulmates would meet again and again over lifetimes.

“I assume we are in the astral again?” he asked.

I nodded, “Yeah. We won’t be woken up until someone or something disturbs us,” I reminded.

“Well,” Leo looked around, “We can either stay here or continue walking.”

I looked back at where we came from, feeling much calmer. The small road was gone, and tall trees once again surrounded us.

“I suppose we keep walking.”

This time, we stayed close and walked in a random direction. The sun above us began to set rather quickly. Holding Leo’s hand, we navigated over fallen tree trunks and vegetation, with no clear sign that the forest would end soon.

Leo paused suddenly, “Do you hear that?”

I listened for a moment, “Do you mean the birds?”

“No, I can hear someone saying my name,” he looked around, confused.

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Before I could reply, I awoke in my bed, alone. Leo must have been hearing one of his parents, I concluded. Then, the alarm blared next to me. Without looking, I reached to click off the alarm, only to feel velvet.

It had moved again. I remember forgetting to take it home from Leo’s.

Moving the pouch, I clicked off the alarm.

Mum was already downstairs, and I asked for her help once again. Before covering the uncovered necklace with dirt, I added my own sigil to stop it from moving from the hole. Hopefully, that will keep it at bay.