Chapter 25
After a relatively quiet and awkward meal, we file out of the dining hall. The fire blazes in the hearth of the kitchen as we pass its door. The heat seeps into my tired limbs.
Gran’s sailing is tomorrow. She’s gone and now all that’s left is to honor her. The thought leaves me breathless.
“Will you be staying here or returning to your own realm?” I ask Freya, hoping she’ll stay here and help. I could use her guidance.
She pauses, thinking through my question. “Would you like us to stay?”
I nod quickly, my eyes watering.
“Odr and I will stay here then. I’ll need to discuss those options with Harald and Piominko.”
“Thank you,” I whisper. “Evander?” I turn to find him. His copper hair gleams in the fireplace’s glow as he passes. A small smile curls his lips and there’s a steady warmth in his gaze as he approaches.
“Can you find two available rooms for Freya and Odr, please?” I gesture to them.
“We’ll only need one room. Thank you,” Freya adds. Evander nods and strides off in the direction of the residential wing. A blush creeps up my neck at having not guessed correctly.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to assume.” I murmur to her. We begin walking down the hall again.
Freya smiles and the corners of her eyes crinkle the same as Lachlan’s do. “Not to worry, dear. I’m just surprised you didn’t notice the mating bond.”
My head cocks to the side as my gaze roves over her and then to Odr as he walks closely behind her. “I wouldn’t know what it looks like. We haven’t had any here.”
Freya raises her left hand and a nearly invisible gold thread with delicate runes wraps around her ring finger. I glance again at Odr busy in conversation with Lachlan now, but sure enough, an identical gold thread with runes marks his finger as well.
“With no magic here, it’s not a surprise there aren’t any new matings.” A smile blooms on her face as she watches me closely. “Do you have questions?”
We enter the throne room, the emptiness of it still a surprise to me, and begin heading towards the residential wing.
My mind chugs, as if coming back to life after a long slumber, and I sigh. “I’m sure I do, but it’s hard to think right now.”
She giggles. The sound washes over me like a breath of fresh air. “Ask whenever you’re ready.”
No one could tell me much about mates before, besides what Odessa told me. But that wasn’t even the real her, so who knows if that was correct?
I throw a look over my shoulder at Lachlan, who might be in earshot, and whisper, “How do you know if someone is your mate?”
Freya follows my gaze before giving me a knowing look. “It’s a tug at first. A gentle pull in that direction. But when the bond slides into place, you know it.” She struggles for the words. “Like a key fitting perfectly into a lock. If you accept it,”—she raises her hand again—“this appears.”
Her analogy, a key and a lock, has my cheeks burning with color. Every time Lachlan’s called me, ‘Key’ dances around in my mind. Mates. We could actually be mates.
“Do you think you might have one?”
Knowing who she’s related to helps me see her in a new light. As someone I could confide in and seek guidance from. She’s not just one of the most powerful rulers in our realms, but also the grandmother of someone I’ve been in love with my entire life.
My front teeth slide over my bottom lip, clamping it into place as I reminisce on moments with him. “I hope so.”
Freya grins, her eyes bright and lovely as she glances at Odr. “It’s a wondrous feeling.
That shared connection between you and your soul mate.
It’s woven into the tapestry of the universe.
Nothing could keep you from finding each other, and nothing could tear you apart.
Well,”—she grimaces—“that is if you accept the bond.”
My nose scrunches as I think over her words. “Do some people decide not to accept the bond?”
“To deny the bond is to deny fate. Some choose to set sail on their own paths. And it has not ended well.”
Evander walks through the residential hall and into the throne room before us. “We have a room ready for Freya and Odr.”
“Thank you, Evander. I’m not sure if we’ll need another room for Harald and Piominko. Can you check with them when you see them next?” Evander gives me a nod, clasping a hand on my shoulder as he leaves.
I turn to Freya. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
She studies my face and cups my cheek gently. The action is so motherly it makes my chest ache. “Tomorrow will be difficult for you. Get some rest.”
She looks at Lachlan, her eyes gleaming with emotion. “I would like to speak with you sometime. If that’s alright?”
Lachlan nods, his face gives nothing away to how he’s feeling. “That’s fine.”