Chapter 31
“Mates?”
The word rolls off my tongue like a foreign language.
Daphne and Skylar just dropped it on me as if it’s a weather update.
I don’t even know where Lucas is. I haven’t seen Daisy or Jordan since the maze. Don’t know if they’re alive or dead. The second Kieran let go of me, the Council swooped in, dragged me back to the Council Hall, dumped a healing tonic down my throat, wrapped my bleeding hand in bandages …
And then casually told me that Kieran channels my injuries because we’re mates.
Mates.
MATES.
“I’m sorry,” I say, taking a slow, shaky breath. “Did you just say mates?”
“There’s no such thing as fated mates in this Court,” Kieran says carefully, his bandaged hand a mirror of mine.
“There is now,” Octavia chimes in, her eyes narrowing. “Not fated—but chosen.”
I’m really going to be sick this time.
“That’s not possible.” Aurora shakes her head. “There’s a reason this Court doesn’t have mates, and you’re telling me a human is Kieran’s?”
“Look, I don’t have an explanation for this either,” Daphne snaps, her voice razor sharp. “These two fooled around on a full moon while she had magic—and whatever the hell they did, it seems the River of Vows apparently decided they’re bound. Like they begged for it.”
Oh, Gods.
Oh, Gods.
Oh, my fucking Gods.
I remember.
I remember wishing we could be together.
I remember asking the stars for forever.
Did I do this?
“What does that even mean?” I shout, my voice louder than I mean to—my voice cracking on the last word.
Everyone flinches.
Except Kieran.
He’s looking at me with the expression in his eyes I can’t quite read—like heartbreak, fear, and hope all tangled together.
“Give us a minute.” No one moves. Felix looks like he’s about to open his mouth to argue, but Kieran cuts him off without even turning around. “I’m not in the mood to ask again.”
No one breathes this time.
They all clear out in a minute.
When the doors fall shut, silence crashes over us.
Kieran turns to me, sadness softening every edge of his beautiful face. He reaches for my hand—bandaged like his—and holds it carefully.
“I’m sorry,” he says, barely meeting my eyes. “That night, I …” He pauses, running a hand through his hair, his voice barely a whisper when he continues, “Gods, I think I … did this.”
My chest tightens.
Does he regret it?
Does he regret me?
That I’m bound to him?
That I’m his mate—whatever that entails?
“How …” I swallow, trying not to choke on the pain in my heart. My stomach clenches. “How can it be your fault, Kieran?”
“I don’t know, Cass.” His voice cracks, and that scares me more than anything.
“But we don’t have mates here. Not in this Court.
Maybe because I’ve never believed in that bullshit.
” He exhales sharply. “I’ve always believed everyone should have a choice.
Sure, fate might bring people together, but it shouldn’t bind them. Not for life.”
I press my lips together, squeezing his hand.
“But that night—I wished we’d be together,” he admits, eyes finally meeting mine, and my heart skips a beat. “I wished you’d stay. That you’d be with me. Forever.”
Mother of the stars.
We both wished for the same thing.
Chosen mates.
I don’t know whether to cry, scream, or be over the moon.
“You didn’t do this.”
“Of course I fucking did.” He groans. “I was selfish, emotional, and horny. Who knows what fucked-up magic I let—”
“Kieran, you didn’t do this,” I say again, gentler this time. I reach up to cup his face with my uninjured hand. The storm-lit eyes soften in an instant, like my touch is something sacred and wonderful. “I wished for the exact same thing.”
That hits him.
He doesn’t speak. Doesn’t blink for a full beat.
Then slowly, his mouth curves into a crooked grin. “You did?”
I nod, unable to stop myself from smiling with him. “Yes, I fucking did.”
“You really love me,” he mutters, eyes wide like it’s a surprise, but then he laughs—a gorgeous, constellation-bright laugh. The terror and the fear vanish from his face, chased away by pure happiness blooming like spring flowers in the dead of autumn.
And I forget every second of the pain I endured before.
I’m back in his arms.
And we’re mates.
Chosen mates.
“Yes, you idiot,” I whisper, tugging on his shirt to pull him into a kiss. I haven’t stopped thinking about how he said he loved me in front of the entire Court. Getting back to him was the only thing keeping me going in that mirror hell.
The only thing that pulls me from my own darkness and gives me a reason to live again.
Kieran pulls me onto his lap, kissing me even harder as his hand wanders down my back. I don’t know what the future looks like—I haven’t thought about it in a long time.
But this.
Right here in his arms.
This is exactly where I want to be.
His happiness mirrors mine.
And my happiness is his.
But when I pull back, just enough to breathe, I catch the look in his eyes. I don’t know if it’s the bond, but I can feel that something else is still bothering him.
“What is it?” I murmur, resting my forehead against his.
Kieran exhales, his finger brushing my cheek. “You’re human. And you don’t know what this means.” A pause. “Cass, we’re not just mates. We channel each other’s feelings, and that’s … dangerous.”
“I’m sure your Council will find a way.”
“I don’t mean to ruin the moment—because believe me, I’m over the moon that you’re my mate,” he mutters, but his eyes are heavy, shadows pooling in their depths. I can feel the weight dragging on him. “But … you have a family back home. A whole life. Then there’s the last trial, and I—”
“Kieran,” I cut in softly, pressing a finger to his lips, asking him to stop for a minute.
He’s still beneath my touch. “We’ll talk about this.
I’m sure those people outside are dying to voice their opinions.
” I glance at the door. “But right now—just for a second—can we take this in?” I smile. “My love … we’re mates.”
Kieran leans into my touch, eyes fluttering shut as he presses a kiss to my finger. The same bright smile returns to his face. “We are mates.”
“And there’s never been mates in this Court before.” I bite my lower lip. “Does this mean I have you … forever?”
“Before we fell, that’s exactly what it meant. Mates are bound for life. But here? Who knows. I’d like to think it still means the same thing.”
“Do you think this is because of our fake wedding?” I laugh. “And the wishes, of course.”
“Probably a bit of everything,” he replies, nibbling on my fingers. “I don’t really care why. You’re my mate. I chose you. And you chose me.”
“Don’t be too happy. I’m sure your Council is about to drag us down from the moon.” I tap his chest, flinching when I think about what comes next. “No way in hell they’ll let you have a human mate.”
“Well, tough luck.” Kieran scoffs. “Anyone who’s got a problem can pack their bags and fuck off.”
I want to believe it’s that easy.
But he knows how the rebellion is going to feel about this.
They’ll use it against him. Twist it into proof that he’s gone soft.
People will turn on Kieran because he allows the very reason they fell to sit beside him as his mate.
Kieran looks at me.
He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Okay, on second thought, this whole feeling-each-other thing is kind of creepy,” I say, narrowing my eyes.
But Kieran just smirks—and leans in to whisper against my ear. “Just wait until we’re in bed and you feel my climax when I feel yours …”
Oh.
That’s—
Um.
Yeah, maybe we should try that.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” He laughs.
I groan. He knows damn well I am.
“As much as I would love to test that theory right now …” Kieran hums, kissing my cheek softly. “You—we—are injured. And I have to take care of that.” He looks towards the door. “But why don’t I take you home first? There’s no need for you to sit through this. You’ve been through enough today.”
“You’ve been through just about the same.” I cross my arms. “And if you’re going to talk about me, then I’m staying.”
Surprise flickers across Kieran’s face. He chuckles softly.
“Fine, if that’s what you want,” he says, grinning as he brushes a strand of hair from my face. “If I ever take that throne, you’ll be a magnificent queen.”
“Oh, God.” I swallow, clutching my stomach. The image of myself in that bone crown flashes in my mind. “One thing at a time, please.”
Kieran laughs. “You should prepare yourself for when I open those doors again.” He winks. “Think of it as your first trial as my—hm, what would you be?”
He arches an eyebrow, like he doesn’t know the answer himself.
I roll my eyes.
It’s difficult when he refuses to pick a title, isn’t it?
“Just open the doors,” I order. “Let’s get this over with.”
“See—I might never be a king,” he says, stalking towards the door, “but you’re still my queen.”
“Open the door, my love,” I say again, voice sugary sweet, “so, we can finally go home and test that theory of yours.”
Lighting flickers in those eyes, and Kieran’s smirk deepens. “Your wish is my command.”
After two hours of discussions, we still haven’t gotten anywhere.
The truth is, the council doesn’t know how to handle something that’s never happened before either. Every time the conversation veers towards what to do next, it circles right back to how the hell this even happened in the first place.
They don’t want to believe it.
And I don’t blame them.
It sounds impossible
But Kieran and I are mates now—as much as that still sounds strange to me—but I feel it in every fibre of my being. And nothing is going to change the fact that we’re bound.
“We have to sever the channelling link,” Virgil says, his voice low and cautious. “If she’s hurt, Kieran’s hurt. That puts the entire Court in jeopardy.”
This is probably the first reasonable thing I’ve heard in the past two hours.
Sure, the sexy theory Kieran has might be fun, but it’s not worth the long-term risk.