Chapter 13 #2
“Sounds like a big commitment,” I deadpan. Seems about as good of an idea as getting married before your frontal lobe is fully developed. “Does everyone have a mate?”
“Some people think that most everyone has at least one mate,” Naomi muses.
“While others think it’s less common. Many magicae have relationships, fall in love, even get married to people who aren’t their mates.
But overall, our culture really encourages mating, since it’s a deeper bond than just a legal coupling.
Mates are pretty common among shifters because our heightened senses make it easier to know when you’ve met your mate.
You can also reject the mate bond, but that doesn’t happen often. ”
I’m intrigued by how heightened senses would help find a mate, but something else she mentioned takes precedence. “Can your mate be from any kingdom or insignis, or even human?” I think about Dmitri’s parents and how his mom was human.
Naomi finishes up her sandwich as she spells it all out for me.
“Yes and no. Technically finding your mate outside of your insignis can happen, but it’s not common.
It’s one way to get around laws about insignis mixing.
My parents being mates is why they were able to be together even though my mom’s human.
Human and magica pairing isn’t illegal like insignis mixing is in most cases, but it’s frowned upon. ”
“Laws about insignis mixing?” I ask.
They lay out the laws of the four kingdoms. Each kingdom has distinct views on relationships but specifically partnerships and procreation.
Insignis mixing occurs on occasion between Transformare insignia because children are likely to take on the shifted characteristics of only one parent.
In Convalescere, formalized partnerships are considered on an individual basis and based on circumstances of compatibility when a couple or group applies for a marriage license.
There’s some mixing within light or stygian houses.
But never between light and stygian houses.
Like a gorgon and a gargoyle would likely be compatible to have children and could request a marriage.
Whereas a gorgon and an angel would be denied the ability to marry.
For both Elementum and Devorare, insignis mixing is outright illegal outside of mating bonds.
I push down the uneasy feeling building in my center.
Aki explains that these laws are in place because birth rates are low among magicae and infertility is high.
Apparently, these laws privilege not only the compatibility to have children but also ensure progeny are born with abilities that are consistent with their insignis. Still, mating supersedes all laws.
Gemma explains, “Mating is our most precious and protected tradition.”
“But what about kingdom to kingdom? Like do vampires and wolf shifters ever get together?” I ask.
“No, not outside of the mating bond,” Aki says, as we clean up our lunches.
“Doesn’t this all seem kind of antiquated?” I push, thinking back to Kian questioning what house my mother may hail from. They look a little uncomfortable with my inquiry, and I’ve already made enough people uncomfortable today so I drop it. For now.
I change the subject as we leave the dining hall. “So what are other kingdom differences?”
“Oh, that’s fun!” Naomi exclaims. “There are rules around feeding in Devorare and around pack practices in Transformare. And you know that Convalescere has two royal houses, but every other kingdom only has one. That’s because there used to be a lot of in-fighting and civil war between Stygian and Light Insignia.
So there are policies to prevent civil unrest. Once Boden is crowned, he and King Amani will have to agree on most big decisions. ”
“Wait, what? Boden is a prince, too?” I nearly shout, and too many eyes in the quad turn toward us. I search for one pair in particular, but luckily my golden shadow is glued to his phone, not paying me any attention as he follows behind us.
“And Callum,” Gemma whisper-giggles.
“Okay, back up. Go over all of this with me,” I demand as we walk to the residence hall. “Start at the beginning.”
Gemma confirms what I had started piecing together: Teariki is a wolf shifter and the Transformare Prince, while Kian is a fallen and the Convalescere Stygian King.
She then reveals new information: Callum is fae and the Elementum Prince, Professor Komarov is a vampire and the Devorare Prince, and Boden is seraphim and the Convalescere Prince of Light.
“So, like, why do they all have jobs and are in school and stuff?” I ask as we approach the front steps of Havard Hall.
Gemma whispers, “You know how we were talking in class about the Sun Wars?”
I grimace in acknowledgement.
“Sorry if it’s awkward, but the royal families were almost completely wiped out.
Only six royals remained. The only people to survive were in the one safe house not hit by the attack, and Kian.
Most of whom weren’t high in the line of succession.
So Elementum, for example, lost their Fae king and queen in battle and three royal children in safe houses.
Callum was the youngest in their family.
Due to the extraordinary situation, and because the princes were too young to lead, they put regents in place until they all finished school. ”
“And when Teariki came of age, he needed to first focus on his role as an alpha, so we’ve been in regency for a few extra years,” Naomi explains.
“I don’t know if this is true, but I heard Professor Komarov was a professor already when his four older sisters and father were killed.
His mother was the sole surviving ruler, safeguarding the children in the one remaining safehouse.
The queen agreed to stay on the throne until Boden and Callum finished school so that Komarov could watch after them here. ”
I glance over my shoulder at the stern blonde, while I mull over all this new information.
It sheds light on why the princes have been so weird.
I still don’t think that everyone’s actions toward me have been fully justifiable, but I’m starting to understand their behavior.
And although there’s a gnawing pit in my stomach that may be empty of magic, my insatiable hunger for answers is finally starting to be fed.