Chapter 31 Vynsiel
VYNSIEL
What in Heavens was Izzy doing?
Didn’t she know mating with beastfolk was illegal?
Why would she even want to be with this man?
This was wrong on so many levels. Saldrea would destroy Izzy if she knew.
Luckily, as I’d flown out here, I’d seen no one else around. Izzy and her companion were far from campus. I’d only known where to look because of her draw upon my spirit.
I landed, furious.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, keeping my voice low, even though no one else was around. “Who is this? What’s going on? How could you…?” I let out a frustrated, disgusted sound and turned away, stalking down the beach. It was hard to look at Izzy, lying on the sand flushed and breathless.
“He knows!” the other man hissed. “We can’t let him live!”
Yeah, good luck with that, buddy. I was no slouch. I could take a shifter any day of the week. The most experienced tigers or bears might give me a decent fight, but this one looked young still.
“Myel, no!” Izzy cried out. “He’s a friend, he won’t tell anyone.” Then in a different tone, “Will you, Vyns?” The uncertainty in Izzy’s voice was a knife to my heart. She didn’t know if I’d keep this a secret. She should.
I heard shuffling in the sand, someone approaching slowly. “You are a friend, right Vyns?”
Was I?
I’d hoped we could be so much more. I’d hoped she’d be the one to save me from this wretched world, but now…?
Why was she with some shifter?
Wait…
“Is this the other man you’re with?” I asked, spinning to face her. I’d thought it had been a demon. This was far worse.
“Yes, Vyns,” she said, stoic. She looked me in the eye and spoke slowly. “We’re mate-bonded. We. Have. No. Choice.”
That took a moment to sink in.
Fucking Light Above!
“Bonded?” I scoffed in confusion. “How?”
“Myel was one of the ones sent to bring me to this world. As soon as we touched… fate took over.”
Heavens!
That changed everything… This was why she’d always be with someone else, why I’d have to share her. It was fate, no escaping it. If I wanted to be with her, I’d have to accept him… more, I’d have to protect him: a man I could barely stand to look at.
I didn’t know all the details of a mate bond, but I knew enough. If he died, she’d likely die as well. And this shifter would be put to death if they were found out. It would also give Saldrea more than enough leverage to dump Izzy in some dark hole for what little remained of her life.
Fucking, fucked up… FUCK!
I wanted to yell, but shouting at Izzy for something that wasn’t her fault wouldn’t help.
Tilting my head to the evening sky, I let out a barbaric scream, but it did little to lessen my furious frustration.
“Vyns?” Izzy asked softly. “Promise me you won’t—”
“Tell Saldrea? Of course I won’t. What sort of man do you think I am?” I turned and stalked away from her. “You’re safe. You and your… shifter.” That word burned my tongue. “Maybe now you’ll trust me. Maybe now you’ll let me in. If you even can?”
“Vyns…”
“No, Izzy. Don’t say anything. Not right now. I just… can’t. Your secret is safe, but… I need some time to… Heavens! This is so wrong!” I took flight, pushing my wings hard to pull myself higher.
And once I was high enough to see the still fading light of day over the horizon to the west I stopped. I kept myself there for some time, watching darkness take the world. A fitting metaphor.
This world was messed up in every possible way. I didn’t think anything could be worse than what Saldrea had made me do, shredding my soul. But seeing Izzy with that man had done far worse to my spirit.
And it wasn’t even her fault, nor even the other man’s.
It was fate.
Cruel fate.
I swooped back down, letting myself fall, feeling the rush of wind around me, ruffling my feathers, wondering what would happen if I didn’t stop myself. I could end all this misery.
I didn’t.
My wings flared, and I stopped, hovering above Izzy.
“I’m sorry,” I said, though I didn’t know if I was apologising for my harsh words or for her situation. “I need time.”
She nodded.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Her life was in my hands now.
I nodded and flew away, back toward campus and someplace to hide and think and plan.
As I soared high over the academy, my enhanced sight caught Saldrea and her friends heading for the lesser residence with Koar.
Were they looking for Izzy?
Did they know?
I silently glided higher, keeping them in view, watching them intently. I’d have to find some way to get Koar in private and find out what Saldrea knew.
For now… Izzy was safe, far from campus.
But if Saldrea knew about this shifter…
All bets were off.