24. CHAPTER 24 #2
My heart stilled in my chest. My mouth parted, but I was speechless. It couldn’t be…
“No.” I bit out the single word and turned on my heel, storming for the staircase that would lead me up and out of the dungeons. I could hear Enora’s light footsteps on my trail, following closely behind me.
“No?” she questioned at my back.
“No,” I barked, turning to glare at her over my shoulder.
I stopped midway up the staircase and turned on her. She hadn’t been expecting me to stop so suddenly. She skidded into me, almost falling backward. I reached out a hand to grasp her elbow, steadying her.
“It can’t be possible.” My voice was rough and pleading as I stared down at her.
“But it is possible. Believe me, I hadn’t been expecting it either. But what other explanation is there?”
I turned, charging up a few more steps before whirling around once more.
I had nothing else to say. Nothing else to disprove her with. Because deep down…I knew it was true. It explained my mysterious connection with her. The way I was incessantly drawn to her. How she consumed my every thought since the moment I first met her.
I had dreamed of this day, fearing it would never come.
That I would suffer with this never-ending curse for the remainder of my days, however long that may be. I never expected that a day would come where it would be cured.
She was a human.
She was in love with Kallias fucking Ashbourne for gods’ sake.
This wasn’t a dream come true…it was a nightmare.
Did she feel it, too? Or did humans not feel the bond the same way fae did?
The blood drained from my face when I realized it had been days since I had ingested a single drop of blood. I needed to find a feeder, and I needed to find one fast.
I turned back up the staircase, taking the stairs two at a time to reach the top. I needed to see her. I needed to set this straight…somehow.
Enora caught up with me and grabbed my arm, turning me back toward her.
“What are you going to do?” she asked, breathless from chasing me.
“I need to see her.”
“And do what? She doesn’t know any of this.” Enora’s voice was stern. “You cannot simply thrust this upon her. You will scare her.”
“What am I supposed to do?” I asked, raking a hand through my hair, voice rising once more. “It can’t be true. You are wrong. Noor is wrong. Azhar is wrong.” I shook my head, covering my face with my hands.
The truth was—I didn’t deserve it.
I didn’t deserve to find my mate. And what a cruel twist of fate that when I finally did…she was already in love with somebody else. Mates could easily be rejected, and I feared that more than anything.
Then, I truly would be cursed to travel this realm injured and alone.
Enora grasped my fingers and pulled them away from my face, her expression severe as she held my gaze.
“Believe it or not, it’s true. You were cursed with a wound that wouldn’t heal until you found your fated.
What you do with this information is your choice, but she is my best friend. I will protect her at all costs.”
“You think I would hurt her?” A silence fell between us as Enora’s mind worked behind her gaze. I continued, “she already tried to poison me once, and I haven’t hurt her. I wouldn’t.”
Enora remained silent.
“Gods above, Enora. I don’t know what to do.”
She finally spoke. “Then do nothing. Heed my advice and wait.”
“Wait for what? For her to kill me and return to Myros to be with Kallias?” I could hear steps on the staircase beyond the corridor and I lowered my voice. “I haven’t punished her. I’ve already decided I won’t. But this changes things. Changes everything.”
“I know.” Enora swallowed. “I will tell her, if you’d like.”
I shook my head. “It should come from me, I think. Unless she already knows…though she has betrayed nothing to that effect in our time at Stormgaard.”
“Do nothing for now, and we will discuss this again after tonight’s festivities. Are we agreed?” she asked, taking a tentative step toward the staircase that would lead her up toward the dormitories.
Toward Aveline.
I wasn’t sure what other choice I had. I ran another hand down my face to mask my expression, thoughts swirling wildly in my head.
“Agreed.”
At that Enora cast me a sympathetic half-smile before disappearing around the corner.
I wasn’t sure where to go first. I needed to talk to Azhar. I needed to talk to Noor.
I needed to be alone.
I wasn’t sure what I needed right now.
I stalked down the corridor, unsure where my feet were taking me. I had felt this insatiable pull toward Aveline since the moment I had laid eyes on her. How much of it was the bond and how much of it was simply…Aveline?
I didn’t think the timing could be worse.
Aveline was in love with the prince of our rival kingdom.
She was human. My betrothed was currently residing in this very castle—waiting to marry me at week's end to secure an alliance with Gothryn.
King Mavros was ill, growing worse with each passing moment.
My ascension to the throne could happen any day now.
I was dumbfounded.
Everything had happened so quickly since her arrival.
Of only two things I was certain.
One: the gash in my side had begun to heal for the first time in decades, a stark relief from a century of pain.
And two: Aveline Drake, the maddening human from Myros, was my mate.