Lynn was over the moon with the departure of Sasha. She felt as if she had newfound freedom in Lark’s house now that Sasha was gone. She had always been restricted from searching Lark’s house for where he kept all the magical knowledge she believed he must have gained. Now at least she had some more freedom to search with less chance of discovery. There had been a few occasions when Sasha had almost caught Lynn going through Lark’s things. Now she only had to concern herself with Lark while she searched his house.
As if Sasha’s moving out wasn’t enough of a gift, the universe seemed to play even further into her hands. Sasha arrived in the morning two days after moving out. She was in tears when she entered and Lark ushered her into his office. He closed the door and they spoke quietly. Lynn did not eavesdrop. She was sure that Lark would tell her what had happened later.
And he did. Sasha finally left looking a bit better. Lark saw her out of the house and watched her as she disappeared down the street.
“Is everything okay?” Lynn asked.
“Yeah,” Lark said. “Her father’s been hospitalized back home. I told her to go home and take as long as she needs.”
“That’s generous of you,” Lynn said.
“Well, strictly speaking, I don’t need someone with me all the time and she can work remotely.”
“But she wants to be in New York,” Lynn said.
“She does but family takes precedence. It’s her choice. She can work for me there or here or wherever,” Lark said.
Lynn couldn’t believe it. The universe was smiling upon her and she knew she needed to take full advantage of this time that she was alone with Lark. She needed to step up her efforts to get closer to Lark.
Lynn pressed harder to learn even more about Lark. What he liked and what he disliked. She made sure that she gave him all her attention every spare moment she had. She wanted to make him feel that he was important to her and that she cared a lot for him.
Her efforts did not go unnoticed. Lark noticed the additional effort she made and he reciprocated. He also began to give more to the relationship if that was what it could be called.
The weeks after Sasha’s departure stretched into a month and Lark informed Lynn that Sasha’s father had died and Sasha would have to stay in Ohio longer than she had expected.
Lynn finally made another move to try and get Lark to open up to her.
Valentines Day arrived and Lynn cooked Lark’s favorite dinner and dessert. After dessert, she dimmed the lights, lit candles, put on romantic music, and took Lark’s hand. They began to dance in the middle of the living room. It was a slow dance of course and one song was followed by another. Lynn rested her head against Lark’s chest and he stroked her hair softly. When the third song was finished, Lynn looked up at Lark into his eyes.
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
Lark looked as if he would for a moment but he stopped himself. He sighed and stepped away from Lynn. He held onto her hand though and pulled her to the sofa with him where he sat down and invited her to sit down next to him.
Lynn looked at Lark patiently waiting for him to talk.
“I’m sorry,” Lark said eventually. “I need to tell you something but I’m afraid you’ll run away if I tell you.”
“How so?” Lynn asked.
“I would like to kiss you but it’s just not that easy,” Lark said.
“I don’t understand,” Lynn said feigning ignorance. “Is there someone else?”
Lark shook his head. “No. Not at all. It’s a lot more complicated than that and I doubt that you would believe me if I told you.”
“Well, you can’t be sure unless you do tell me,” Lynn replied.
“I know,” Lark replied.
Lark wondered if he should even bother or just end this now and ask her to leave. But the universe had offered him this chance. The universe had brought her to him. Perhaps that meant something. Perhaps the universe didn’t want curses to remain in force forever. Perhaps it wanted curses ended as much as the cursed wanted them ended. They weren’t natural after all and the universe was all about symmetry, life, death, and nature. Just maybe there would be more of a chance this time to succeed in breaking the curse than he had ever had before.
He made a decision. “Well look at it this way. You’re either going to run away and tell me I’m a lunatic or you’re going to believe me if I tell you.”
“One of those I’m guessing,” Lynn smiled lightheartedly.
“Okay,” Lark said. “I’ll tell you. I’ve been alive for six centuries now. I first met you roughly six hundred years ago.”
Lynn’s brow furrowed. She was immediately confused but she let Lark continue not wishing to discourage him.
Lark continued and he picked up speed as he recounted their past to Lynn. He finished by telling her that he believed saving her in the alley was perhaps a sign from the universe that he was to try breaking the curse again since he had not been looking for her actively since he had known her as Emma.
“Why did I not just kiss you in the past then?” Lynn asked when Lark was finished.
Lark had omitted the parts about her concern that there might have been a second spell that would affect her if she kissed him. He told her now.
“So, do you still want to kiss me?” Lark asked.
Lynn swallowed. “I don’t know. It’s always been a valid point, I guess. I am grateful that you resisted simply kissing me without telling me as you mentioned you have considered doing. I need to think about it,” Lynn said.
And there it was. Just as before. The same response Lark had received. But what could he expect? It was selfish to imagine anyone would throw caution to the wind and simply kiss him after he told them what he did.
Lynn had a few more questions and when Lark had answered them all, Lynn simply nodded.
“Thanks for your honesty,” she said.
“I know it sounds insane,” Lark said. “It’s the truth. I can tell you facts from those days that only someone who lived then could know. But I don’t want to feel that I have to convince you. You either think it might be true or you think I’m crazy.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy,” Lynn said shaking her head. “But I do need time to think.”
“I understand,” Lark said looking at Lynn. She smiled but her smile seemed colder now. Lark thought that perhaps she wasn’t being honest with him. After all, who would tell someone they thought was a madman that he was a madman? People were afraid of madmen and maybe Lynn was afraid of him too now. Maybe he would wake up the next day and she would be gone. If that was the way it had to be, then so be it he told himself. He excused himself and retired to bed for the evening. Sleep eluded him though and he lay awake for a long time before sleep finally claimed him.
Lynn couldn’t sleep. She was too excited. The universe was truly smiling on her at last she thought. She had learned from Lark’s blood that he was cursed. Not all had been revealed to her by what she had been able to glean from her scrying.
But now, thanks to Lark’s honesty she believed she now knew what she needed to know to complete the illusion that would make Lark believe she was the one. It was simpler than she could ever have imagined.
All she had to do was stop using the spell that made him think he transformed whenever she came near him. But she could not end that spell when they kissed. She had to say the words that would end the spell and she couldn’t say the words exactly at the moment that she kissed him. She needed something that would make him unconscious when they kissed. She thought of an enchanted lipstick but she did not know how to create it. She was also afraid that if she applied the lipstick it might make her unconscious too. She could not afford it. Not at that moment. There was an easier option. Sleeping tablets. If she could get sleeping tablets, crush them up and put them in his drink, they could work but they took time. And she didn’t want to give him so much that he would overdose.
She had all the answers except on how to address the question of timing. And the timing would be everything when she kissed him.
Lynn did more research and found some medicines that produced almost instantaneous unconsciousness when administered. They were her best bet but they were hard to come by and needed to be administered carefully or the one administering it could make themselves unconscious as well.
She began to research channels where she could find exotic medicines and when she finally managed to find a supplier she hit the next obstacle. Money. The medicines were not cheap and she did not have sufficient money.
She finally decided on another strategy which was simpler but relied heavily on her convincing Lark what had happened after he awoke from the sleep she would induce.