16. Wilder
Wilder
By the end of the meeting, Elorie moved to the window at the side of the room.
She stared out at the trees just as I remembered doing when I escaped the prison, focusing on every shift in the breeze and wondering what’s real and what’s an illusion that might be turned into a nightmare at the blink of an eye.
Elorie stood at the window, listening to the arguments at the table, but no longer offering input after making her stance clear to Aurora.
She refuses to waver on her promise to save both realms, no matter how much Aurora argues the logistics of it, and I love her for it.
Elorie wouldn’t be my mate if she wasn’t trying to save everyone, and while I don’t see how we can make that happen, I’m in awe of her determination.
Sunlight casts a warm glow on Elorie’s pink cheeks as the sun begins to set. The blue ends of her hair dance in the breeze.
Gods, the sight of her nearly ends me right here.
And not simply because she’s stunning—the very beauty that makes every fiber of my being react. Her iron soul and endless heart are breathtaking. She’s strong but soft. Determined but caring. Loyal to her people and firm in her beliefs, no matter the cost to herself.
My mate.
I’ve managed to hold myself together for her sake, knowing that she’s withholding from me because of the secrets I kept in the Ley Court. There’s a distance we’ve yet to close, and it’s my fault. Distrust I sowed by not telling her about our mating bond.
I did it to protect her, but I hurt her nonetheless.
Still, resisting the urge to reach for her is soul crushing. The surge of magic under my skin is nearly unbearable. I need her with every part of my soul, from now until Sarrow claims us.
“Alyssium stoked your fire.” I approach her at the window as the meeting ends and the others stand to talk or leave the room.
Elorie’s silver eyes move to me before flitting to Aurora walking away. “I hope you didn’t expect me to hold my tongue.”
“I didn’t.”
Her shoulders ease as if she’s surprised by my answer.
“I understand your loyalty is to your people. I’d never try to convince you otherwise.
But if that’s the case, who stands for Lyrichia when we know Malachi doesn’t?
You are my mate, but that is my realm. I can’t let them Cleave simply because he is their king. ”
I step closer, momentarily awestruck by her scent. Frozen pine and snow. A forest slumbering in the heart of winter, surviving in unthinkable conditions.
“I won’t be responsible for more death.” Even through the thread, her voice is a whisper.
My magic caresses her cheek, and her eyes flutter. “I’ll make sure you won’t have to.”
Elorie was given a choice once, and she chose her realm. But even then, the sympathy she felt for Vaelier was present. In her heart, it is not one realm against the other. One Crown against the other. Elorie fights for those who suffer because of it. She fights for both.
Her chest deflates with her sigh, exhaustion heavy in her eyes.
“You should get some rest.”
“Greer said I’ve been resting for nearly a day already.”
“There’s no time limit on what your body might need to recover after where you’ve been.” Thankfully, my hands are in my pockets so she can’t see my fingers clench considering the nightmares the prison put her through. “Rior needs to talk with me, but I can walk you to our room.”
“Callum or Greer can do it.” She breaks my gaze, and the rejection is nearly unbearable. “Do they know where I’m staying?”
“They do.”
Perame gave Callum and Greer a tour upon their arrival, much to Aurora’s displeasure.
She doesn’t trust anyone from Lyrichia, especially Callum and Greer, who were once members of Malachi’s Crown Guard.
She wasn’t at the Rite to see that trust fracture.
To understand why they chose Elorie and not their king when they went with her to Alyssium.
“I’ll have Callum or Greer take me to the room then. You have more important things to do.” She moves like she might place her hand on my chest, flooding me with her scent.
My heart hammers; my mouth waters.
But she pulls back, second-guessing herself.
“There’s nothing more important to me than you, Elorie.”
Her lips press tight; a glassy sheen covers her eyes, but she blinks it back. “I’ll be fine.”
She doesn’t realize how bitter her lies taste when they whisper through the thread. Even when she might want to believe them.
“We’ll talk later.” Elorie shifts away, and it might as well be a dagger to my heart.
Our bond is sure, but her trust is not, and I’m the one who broke it.
I sense that’s why she held back today. She managed to hold it together for the group as she spoke of what she learned in the prison, but through the thread was a thrum of uncertainty.
More she isn’t ready to say, either about her mother or Malachi.
Or both.
Elorie walks away without so much as a kiss, carrying a piece of my being with her.
Her silver eyes only glance back once, warming my blood before she looks away and takes the heat in the room with her.
Glancing out the window, I catch a glimpse of the bird she was watching.
It pecks at the branch then flutters away.
When I finally leave the meeting room myself, Rior is waiting for me in the hallway.
“Trouble with your mate already?” His eyebrow ticks as he lifts off the wall, meeting my stride.
“She needs to rest. I shouldn’t have encouraged her to attend the meeting so soon after the prison.”
Rior eyes me. “Seems she held her own. I doubt I’ve ever seen Aurora this flustered. Not that I blame her when it’s our enemy we’re talking about.”
“Lyrichia is Elorie’s home. They’re her people, Rior.”
“Forgive me if I lack compassion after what Malachi unleashed on Zealeh.” His hands ball into fists, and the mountain around us mumbles with his frustration.
As a witness to the bloodbath, I don’t blame his reaction, even if his core wielding threatens to collapse the mountain upon us.
Malachi’s army swept Zealeh at the start of our war.
They descended with the same ruthlessness they showed Tempest. Although in Tempest, they made everyone believe we were the ones behind the pillaging.
“We will deal with Malachi and any who stand for his cause,” I assure Rior. “But there is no need to make more innocents suffer.”
He chuckles, dropping his chin.
“What?”
“My oldest friend, tangled from his mating bond.”
“Do you have something to say about that?” I freeze, and he pauses beside me, looking me over.
After a long moment, he shakes his head once. “No.”
“Good.”
I don’t rule like Malachi, with an iron fist threatening to crush them for questioning me.
My court knows they can speak their minds, especially if it’s for the good of our people.
I trust their judgment. But I will not stand for doubt when it comes to Elorie, even if I understand Rior’s reasons for being skeptical about how the bond might sway this battle.
While he’s yet to meet his mate, he’s been burned by a mating bond, and for a decade after, he descended into bloodshed and rage while he worked his way through it. Even now, the ease that once existed within my friend is gone.
“Aurora was right about one thing,” Rior says as we continue walking. “Idunn can’t be trusted. Even if she’s right about the void, she’s been in the prison since before the Collision, and we don’t know what put her there.”
“Let Atlas worry about the void for now. I need your assistance with the humans.”
“You haven’t told Elorie about the aeraliss?” Rior’s attention perks at the edge in my tone.
“There’s nothing to tell when we’ve yet to witness it ourselves. As of now, the aeraliss is holding.”
“And when it doesn’t?” he challenges. “You saw the state of Alyssium; there’s no sending them back. If the old text is true, the aeraliss will burn out over time and become useless.”
“Then we find more.”
Rior breathes out a laugh. “Do you know of any veins outside the Mortal Realm?”
“Keep looking,” I demand, losing my patience. “I’m not telling my mate she cursed them all to Sarrow by bringing them here. Find another option.”
Rior nods, all amusement lost as he turns and walks away.
I promised Elorie no more secrets. No more lies. So Rior needs to get me better answers, or the truth will mean breaking her heart.