Chapter 41 #2
“Dreynthor.” The evil uncle. According to my journal the last time I saw him he told me I was just something to fuck and toss to the side.
And Wolfe would never be serious about me.
Reading those words was bad enough, and harsh, but I could just imagine how hurt and humiliated I must have been.
I was definitely not looking forward to seeing him again.
“Don’t worry about him. He can’t do anything to you.” Arielle rolled her eyes and motioned for me to sit. “Wolfe would have his head.”
I took the closest chair, while she lowered into the one next to me.
“I just don’t like the unpleasantness. But I’ll deal with it. And him.” I bit the inside of my lip, wondering what tonight was going to be like. How many others would there be like Dreynthor who would have preferred Wolfe marry someone else? Someone who was at least Fae.
“Just remember to pretend you know him.” Arielle pulled me out of my worries. “He doesn’t know about the curse.”
“Sure. I’ve got plenty notes on him to act like I know him.”
“The same goes for Hyxian. We’ll be spending the day with Archmage Magdalena. She’s wonderful. You adored her.”
I smiled at that, recalling what I’d written about the archmage. I’d taken to her as if I’d known her my whole life. “I’m excited. I can’t wait to go to the academy.”
“You love the place. It’s good you’ll get to experience falling in love with it a second time.”
“I didn’t think of that.” I reached for a muffin from the stack and nibbled on it. “There’s so much…so much I want to do.”
“I know. And we can do as much as we can while we plan for the…I guess the bigger picture.”
I set down the muffin and focused on her. There were things I needed to say before we continued.
“I’m sorry I tried to escape, Arielle.” I placed my hands on the table, palms down as if I was showing her I had nothing left to hide, not even the tangled mess of my emotions.
She shook her head and tapped the space next to my hand. “It’s okay. I told you I understood. I meant it.”
“I know. But, I still… got things wrong. Really wrong. Even though it worked out in the end.” I slumped against the chair and thought back to my pathetic attempt to escape.
“When I left, I didn’t realize how hard it would be.
I didn’t even make it far. I foolishly thought I could phase myself across all kingdoms of Vaelthorne, to get to the Borderlands. ”
An exasperated sigh fell from her lips. “I think none of us even suspected you’d attempt it because we know the dangers.
It’s in the very air we breathe. The same beautiful things can be just as deadly.
But we know that, you didn’t. Which was exactly why you thought you could do it.
Add in the pressure of worrying about your family, and escaping was a no brainer. ”
She couldn’t have summed it up any better. “I was terrified for them. I didn’t know how we’d find a solution.”
She bit the inside of her lip. “Technically, you found the solution. Just in a twisted, roundabout way.”
“My soul.” I frowned. “I thought I was going to die. And just before the demon got me, I was nearly attacked by a group of assholes.”
She straightened. “Gods, I didn’t know that happened.”
“I didn’t tell anyone. I never got the chance to. Everything happened so fast and then it seemed like the least of my worries.”
“It was still serious.”
I nodded. “Yes, all of it was serious. There was the group, the shitty trials the demon made me do, and Thayden. All of them made me realize how weak I was.”
“Please do not say that.” Her face hardened. “You are not weak.”
I let out a soft, humorless laugh. “I am. I know I am.”
“I’ve seen the magic you can do. You learned to phase on your own and you used time magic.”
“That’s magic. And I’m not even that good. Without magic… I’m useless. And I don’t want to be weak like that anymore. Or rely on magic. You can use a sword, right?”
“Yes, but I’m a royal mage. I have to.”
“Given everything that’s happened and what’s likely to happen I need to be able to defend myself with or without magic. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
“What do you want to do?”
I thought for a moment, but knew what I wanted. “I want to train. I want to be able to use a sword. I was hoping that—if it doesn’t take too much time—maybe I could do some lessons. Something outside my magical training.”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
“You do?”
She smiled and nodded. “Yes. It may help balance you as well. Especially since you seem quite worried.”
“I am. I guess with the exception of Thayden, any of those other situations could have killed me. It grieves me that it could have been so easy to end me. When those guys got to me I was able to use time magic on one of them, but I hardly did anything. I was too burnt out. Then in the demon’s cave, I barely managed to pick up my sword when I got knocked on my ass by some acid, mist monster. ”
“I hear you. We’ll organize training. Maybe with Alaric.”
“Alaric?”
“He’s a great teacher. He taught me. Neither myself nor Bastian can teach you. We care about you too much. Garrick is also out of the question. Wolfe too.”
I raised my brows. “Why? And doesn’t Alaric care about me?”
She giggled. “No, that’s not what I mean.
It’s not wise for someone who’s close to another to train them to use a sword.
So that takes me and Wolfe out. We’d be too worried about hurting you.
You wouldn’t learn anything. Bastian can’t teach you because he would hurt you.
He’s trained to kill. They all are, but he’s different—which was why he couldn’t train me either.
Wolfe went crazy last time Garrick got too close to you. ”
“Really?”
“He gets testy that way with Garrick. But I think he was a little jealous because Garrick is so easy going and Wolfe is not. So that just leaves Alaric.”
Her explanation made me dizzy but I understood it. “I’ll be happy with whoever can help me.”
“Good, we’ll figure out a time that works. I think we should focus on your magical training though for now. Especially with the reset upon us.”
I nodded agreeing. “Yes that would be best. One thing at a time.”
“Yes, one thing at a time. Now that’s settled um…” A look of mischief flashed across her face. “There is one other thing you should be aware of that might impact your magical training.”
“What? What else is there?”
Her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. “The mating bond.”
Now it was my turn to blush. “Oh… that.” Five days to consummate the marriage.
“I’m told the magic that creates the bond can consume you for the entire five days if you don’t…consummate.”
I couldn’t hide my surprise. “Consume?”
“As in you literally can’t stop thinking about each other and if you’re apart for too long it could make you crazy. Well… maybe not completely crazy but enough to make a person do things they wouldn’t normally do.”
“How is that possible? Does the magic know or something?” I dreaded the thought of anyone watching us like that. Like… Gods, the Judges.
“In a sense it knows. So you stop feeling like you can’t be without each other after you consummate.”
“I feel fine now. I mean I’d like to see Wolfe but other than that I don’t feel crazy.”
Light laughter fell from her lips. “You’re fine now because he’s not here. Wait until you see him later.”
My pulse spiked and warmth bloomed in my chest. “You’re kidding right?”
She shook her head and tried to bite back a smile. “Nope. I am not.”
“What, so, I’m just going to look like I’m in heat or something?”
She laughed out loud. “I guess we’ll see, won’t we.”
“It’s not funny.”
She fanned her face and calmed her laughter. “I’m guessing from your shock and questions, you haven’t already taken care of that department.”
“No. We haven’t.”
“You might want to do so soon.” She nodded with conviction.
This was something I needed to know, but I realized it was also a clever way to ask me if Wolfe and I had slept together. “Okay, Arielle. And well played.”
“Hey, I’m just looking out for you.” She laughed, feigning innocence. “Wouldn’t want you to go crazy because you can’t mate with your mate.”
“Anything else I should know about?”
“Nothing new, exactly. You were able to sense each other before your memory reset, that should happen again soon. But now that you’re mates…” Arielle grinned. “You may grow so close you feel what the other is feeling. And…” She let the word linger for effect.
“And what?”
“Some mates can communicate with each other intuitively, like how we use the Veythral bond.”
I gasped. “Really?”
“Yes. But it’s different for everyone. Your bond may present in other ways.” She reached across the table and took my hand. “Whatever happens I’m sure it will be beautiful.”
I smiled at her and glanced down at the soul mark on my wrist. It seemed almost brighter today, and more meaningful. “I hope so, Arielle. Mostly I just want to remember it all.”
“Then eat up, and let’s get going. Hyxian awaits.”
I smiled, eager to face the day.