Chapter 29 #3
Besides, visiting Arnel this weekend would be the best way to spend our time. Since Master Fistideeous was currently looking more into the God of Night and Goddess of Light, and the information from Nathaniel’s colleague wouldn’t arrive until next week, we were idle at the moment.
My uncle glanced over his shoulder toward the warrior too, then turned back to me and asked almost as an afterthought, “Does he ever smile?”
“On occasion,” I replied good-naturedly. “But as I was saying, is there a good time for us to visit?”
My uncle shrugged. “If you’re wanting to come soon, tomorrow is fine.
You’re welcome anytime past eight. I’m actually heading home now.
” He glanced at the clock. “Speaking of which, I best be going. It’s a five-hour-long carriage ride, so I should be on my way, but I’m glad I found you before I left. ”
I laid a hand on his forearm to stop him from getting up. “You’re traveling this late and by carriage? Why not stay the night and not leave until tomorrow?”
He laughed. “I travel often at night. My carriage is equipped for sleeping, and the rocking is actually quite pleasant. And traveling during sleeping hours allows me to continue working during the day, even if functions such as this take me away from my studies.”
It struck me that I didn’t know what either Arnel or Leopold did for employment or even if they were employed, but before I could ask, my uncle patted my hand and stood.
“I’ll be on my way then. I’ll have my spellcasters rework the wards in the morning so you and your warrior are able to enter.
I’m assuming you’ll mistphase?” He raised his eyebrows, surprise and admiration clearly written upon his face.
“Russem also told me you’ve recently learned that magical Solis feat.
That’s absolutely extraordinary. I had no idea Silten fae could even learn that. ”
I couldn’t help but feel a flare of pride. “I did, and yes, that sounds lovely. Kole and I will mistphase there tomorrow to see what you’ve discovered. Until then, Uncle.” I stood and kissed him on the cheek.
He chuckled. “Goodnight, Primelle. Now, I must say my goodbyes to your parents and sisters, but I shall see you on the morrow.”
I dipped my head, and as soon as he left, another male took his place, sidestepping away from a group to approach me. “Princess?”
He was from House Kimmip, and if my memory served right, he was around two hundred summers older than me. “Yes, Lordling Kimmip?”
“Would you honor me with a dance?” His smile was full of swagger, and he held his arm out.
I placed my hand around him and ignored the energy soaring off Kole as brilliant happiness soared through me. We were finally getting closer to the answers I sought. “I thought you’d never ask.”
I didn’t leave my sister’s ball until the early hours of the morning. And even though I expected another warrior to take Kole’s place come nightfall, when his replacement arrived, Kole waved him off, telling him to wait on standby until Kole told him to return.
Given how often I’d danced with all of the lordlings, I wasn’t surprised that the energy surrounding Kole had increased all night.
I had a feeling he was going to give me an earful by the time I returned to my chambers, but I was still buzzing with happiness at everything falling into place, and I knew a few reassurances from me would appease the warrior’s possessive streak.
Once the clock struck two in the morning, I breezed out of the ballroom, and Kole fell into step behind me.
My nerves were buzzing, and I took each turn easily, sailing around the corners and humming to myself.
At my back, a low growl escaped Kole, and he closed the distance between us. “You seemed to thoroughly enjoy the night, Princess.”
I smiled at him genuinely. “I did. I had a wonderful time.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Is that because of the fifty males you danced with?”
I tapped a finger to my chin and said playfully, “Was it that many?”
His nostrils flared, and his jaw worked. “It was. Were you trying to make me jealous?”
“No, truth be told, I wasn’t trying to do anything, but I don’t blame you for being jealous. However, you have nothing to worry about. Balls are for dancing, and I was so thrilled at all that I learned tonight that I just couldn’t help myself from dancing the night away.”
“All that you learned?” Kole raked a hand through his hair. “That’s why you were flirting with all of those males tonight? You’re happy about something?”
“Yes, I’m over the moons happy.” I batted my eyelashes at him.
“And I can’t wait to tell you all about it, but it’s quite late, so I’ll wait until I have a fully clear head in the morning, but it’s most wondrous news.
Both my uncle and Nathaniel have made great discoveries about the creatures.
And my uncle even invited us to join him on his estate tomorrow so he can show us what he found. ”
Kole’s brow furrowed, and we finally reached my door. My nighttime Imperial Warrior was stationed beside it, the one Kole had dismissed earlier.
He eyed Kole, his gaze assessing and his aura perplexed, but Kole strode past him, not even acknowledging him. Kole followed me into my chambers and locked the door behind us.
I raised my eyebrows and began pulling the pins from my hair. Kole watched the movement, his aura rising again.
I frowned at him. “Is everything all right?”
Silence followed, thickening around us, but then he said gruffly, almost reluctantly, “I’m struggling right now, Princess, even if you’re happy over what you learned.”
The energy around him strummed higher, and I kicked off my heels and let my hair fall down. His gaze tracked every movement.
“Struggling with what, Kole?” I began to unbutton the back of my dress. It was hard since there were many buttons, but eventually, I loosened it enough to let the gown drop and pool at my feet. Only my underthings covered me.
His breath sucked in, and his gaze raked over my exposed body. “I’m not one to lose control.”
“I know.”
“But tonight . . .” He rubbed a hand down his face.
My frown deepened, and I stepped closer to him, genuinely perplexed by his behavior. “Tell me.”
He cast a silencing Shield around us, and his voice deepened. “I don’t like other males touching you, Prim. You’re mine. And tonight, it’s been rather hard to control . . .” His nostrils flared.
Bafflement filled me. “Control . . . what?”
He finally released his breath and bit out, “Instincts.”
Instincts? I stepped into his space. His chest began rising in unsteady breaths. “I’m sorry if my dancing made you jealous or caused whatever you’re feeling.”
His jaw ground. “It did.”
My tone softened. “But I did nothing wrong.”
His jaw ground more. “I know.”
“Then why are you struggling? You know how I feel about you.”
“Because those males touched you. They were touching a lot of you.”
I laughed. “It was just dancing, and it meant nothing to me.” I gazed at him tenderly, although still perplexed.
“But I’m confused about one thing.” I ran a finger playfully up his chest, but magic began to build on his wrist, so I stopped.
Tilting my chin up, my blood heated at the absolute want pounding in Kole’s aura.
“You don’t want others touching me, but you limit yourself on such an act.
It’s confusing. I know you want me, Kole, so why won’t you bed me?
You say you want to, and I’ve wanted you to for weeks, and we’ve found a way to trick the Council’s magic, yet you still refuse to. Why?”
“Because—” He cut himself off as magic again began to build on his wrist. Finally, he said angrily, “Just because.”
Sighing, I stepped away from him and strode across the room, not even caring that I was nearly naked as I did so.
“Fine, don’t tell me, especially if your answer is going to trigger the Council’s magic.
But in that case, if you won’t be honest about why you won’t bed me, and you insist on these cryptic replies that make no sense, then you can’t be angry if I harmlessly dance with other males at balls. ”
“Princess,” he all but growled. “Don’t push me.”
Laughing, I swirled toward him, and my hair flew around my shoulders. “Don’t push you? What are you going to do? Attack those males? Admonish me? What, Kole? Truthfully, I have no idea what in the realm is going on here, and it would be so much easier if you just spoke plainly.”
Before I could blink, Kole was in front of me, moving at his warrior speed, and his eyes were glowing so brightly they resembled stars.
My breath sucked in. “Your eyes. They’re glowing, Kole. Truly glowing.”
“I bet they are, Princess.”
My eyes widened, both from his pounding aura and guttural tone, and in that moment, something hit me.
Hit me like lightning.
Something I’d read once in a text long ago.
When fae males find their mate, a glow lights their eyes from within.
My breath stopped, and the second it hit me why Kole had refused to allow our physical relationship to progress any further, and why he’d made a comment about his instincts . . .
“Oh Gods.” I gasped.
Because both of those reasons could be because he was my mate.
My jaw dropped even more because all at once, I felt it.
Understood it. That strange pull in my chest. The yearning.
That all-consuming need to be with him. The way my magic had responded to his since day one.
The way I’d responded that night in Inisville when Kole had taken off after the creature, and everything inside me had begged me to protect him.
The way my forbidden magic had insisted I not use it on him the night he’d betrayed me in Gwen and Timith’s home. Not him.
Not him. My magic had refused to hurt him because of who he was.
I gasped once more.
Initially, I’d thought my crazy responses were all due to the Stone. That the Wishing Stone had been making me go insane. But that hadn’t been it at all. That’d never been the reason.
Everything all collided together inside me with epic proportions, and I knew.
I finally recognized it.
I lifted startled eyes to his, my breaths turning short and shallow. Amazement, wonder, and awe all hit me simultaneously.
A smile spread across my face, a laugh bubbling up next. “Oh my Gods, Kole. The reason you haven’t bed me and the reason you’re having such a hard time controlling yourself around other males is because you’re my mate, and you were waiting for me to recognize the bond.”