Chapter 14 Drecken
drecken
. . .
The bottles in my lab rattled as I slammed another vial back into its rack, my fingers shaking. The scent of charred herbs and bitter potions clung to the air, and the fire rune on the workbench glowed brighter than usual.
“Rowan,” I muttered, snatching up my communicator crystal. My voice crackled against the wards. “Answer.”
“Drecken.” His voice came through tired. “What’s wrong?”
“She’s mated,” I said, my throat raw. “Rune. The bond snapped with Jesper. That fucking agent of Sabine’s.”
Rowan let out a low sigh. “Oh.”
“No, don’t ‘oh’ me,” I snarled, pacing the length of my lab, trailing magic in snapping arcs that made the vials around me hum and crack.
“Do you know what this feels like? To believe that the Fates might’ve actually meant her for you, only to hear that the bond locked her to someone else?
To want her so badly your magic shakes out of you? ”
“Calm down. You’re not thinking straight.” His voice was sharper.
I laughed bitterly, dragging a hand down my face. “You’ve never felt this. You mated Wren first, remember? You didn’t have to sit there while…” My voice broke, the jealousy searing through my chest, carving it out. “While someone else claimed what should’ve been yours.”
Rowan paused. “You’re right. I didn’t, but the rest of Wren’s mates did.”
“I just marked her and forced the bond,” Damien claimed mischievously. “My little bird loved it. You should try that.”
My magic lashed out, shattering a vial on the counter. The sharp scent of acid and herbs filled the air.
“I can’t do that,” I growled out. “I’ve only ever kissed her. I’ve never even—” My throat tightened. “How the fuck could I possibly mark her, Damien?”
Damien’s laughter was sharp and merciless. “Do you have to use your tongue to mark her? I mean, it’s hotter, sure, but come on, you could just snap your fingers and brand her. Easy fix.”
“Damien,” Rowan cut in sharply, “he’s not as impatient as you.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Damien mused.
That fucking shadow demon.
“Shut up,” I hissed. My pulse was erratic, and my chest was tight. “This feeling is entirely useless.”
Rowan sighed again. “Drecken, breathe. It’ll happen when it’s meant to. You know this.”
I dragged a hand through my green hair. “I cracked the poison used on Rune,” I said suddenly, changing course back to council matters because it was easier than drowning in jealousy.
“I went to tell her, but—” My voice faltered as I remembered her in his arms. I shoved the thought down.
“Anyway. It’s essentially Tourmalyke but enchanted with human tech or something. ”
Rowan huffed. “Tourmalyke Type II, according to Koa. He’s officially undercover with the humans, so we have some great insight. For someone who didn’t go through House of Twilight training, he’s a damned excellent spy.”
“Right.” I pulled another vial out, swirling the thick, violet liquid.
“It’s a synthetic hybrid of Tourmalyke. They’ve recreated the molecular structure of the crystal’s essence.
It’s stronger and sharper. It leaves side effects when used on supernaturals, and it only works if injected.
Once it’s in the bloodstream, they just have to work it out. ”
“Great,” Rowan muttered.
“I need to go,” I said, my voice brittle. “But listen, don’t tell me the Fates don’t know what they’re doing. If I feel this for her, it means something. I’ve never, never once, shown interest in anyone like this before.”
Rowan’s voice softened. “Then trust that. The bond will come in time. Don’t let jealousy eat you alive before it does.”
The crystal dimmed as the call ended.
I stared at the rows of vials lining my desk. I had potions for sleep, for clarity, for silence, for lust, and for healing. My hand hovered over the one I’d brewed to numb the longing.
The jealousy clawed so sharp it felt like it would hollow me out.
I uncorked the vial.
The bitter fumes burned my nose.
“Just a test,” I whispered, voice hoarse. “Just…one. To see if I can make this pain stop.”