Chapter 9 Thorns and Thornhurst
THORNS AND THORNHURST
Istare at Lief, unsure how to respond, fearing this poor man is about to be brainwashed for learning my secret. Edmond looks as rattled as I feel.
“Yes,” Griffin says.
“You’re certain?” Edmond leans closer, examining the mark.
“Positive.” Griffin’s voice turns gruff, and I notice how Edmond takes a small step back in response.
“And this is Scarlet Ravelle,” Daire continues. “She’ll be staying here to help Brielle acclimate.” His eyes lock with mine. “This is Lief. He’s our house manager. If you ever need anything, he’ll be able to help you. And this is Edmond. He oversees the archives.”
Edmond offers a tight nod. “Welcome to Mysthaven.”
Lief smiles warmly. “Please let me know if there’s anything you need.
” He turns to the tray and reaches for a saucer and teacup, both covered with a pattern of blue flowers.
“This is for Lady Breslin. It needs to be drunk while it’s hot.
” He hands the cup to Daire, who passes it to me—like I’ve slipped back in time a few hundred years.
“I added some goldenroot syrup and silverleaf sage to stave off any possible infections and toxins since we don’t know which plants she might have touched. ”
“Thanks, Lief,” Daire says.
Lief inclines his head.
“Should I look into the bond?” Edmond asks.
“Yes. Everything you can find,” Daire says.
Edmond nods, and then he and Lief leave.
I track the door closing and wait for a reaction, but no one seems to care that Lief just admitted to knowing about the bond.
“You need to drink that,” Griffin says, turning to me. “All of it.”
“You already healed all the scratches,” I say, glancing at my once-again flawless skin.
He shakes his head. “We leave the front grounds mostly wild for the green witches and botany alchemists. Half of those plants are toxic and traces could still be in your bloodstream.”
That’s enough to bring the cup to my lips. I take a tentative sip. The taste of summer-ripe raspberries, sweet with a slight tang, bursts in my mouth. There’s an aftertaste of citrus—brighter and sharper than a lemon.
Daire watches me drink before turning to Scarlet. “Why don’t you two stay and have something to eat? Scarlet can tell you more about Bryxton and Thornhurst while Griffin and I listen to Holden and all the boring bullshit scenarios he’s likely concocted in the five minutes we’ve been gone.”
“I want to hear those bullshit scenarios,” I insist.
Griffin grins. “Trust us, you don’t. Holden’s going to put us all to sleep before he lands on reasoning. At that point, one of us will be up to get you, and we’ll give you a full recap.”
I shake my head, not about to allow complete strangers to dictate my future.
Scarlet lifts a shoulder. “Lochlan wasn’t exactly being reasonable at the healing center.
It might be better if you stay and let them work out whatever Vestra issues they have, and then you can be there for the parts that involve you.
” She glances at Daire and Griffin. “Because as your mates, your safety and happiness will be their sole focus.”
To my surprise, Daire nods. “No decisions will be made without you.”
I don’t believe them. I don’t know them enough even to try.
Griffin taps a series of buttons before handing Scarlet her phone. “I programmed our numbers in there. If you two need anything,” he gives me a pointed look, “let us know.”
They head for the door, where they both turn and glance back at me. “Drink the tea,” Griffin insists before they disappear behind the closed door.
Scarlet sighs dramatically before collapsing on one of the plush cream chairs in front of the fireplace. I move to the large windows, searching for a latch as I try to gauge the distance to the ground. “If we use the bedsheets, we can get most of the way down. Do you know how to open these?”
“You want to climb out the window?” Amusement tugs at her lips before sympathy softens in her gaze. “I’d probably run too, if I were you. But they’ll find you—the imprint guarantees it. And as crazy as it may be to hear, this is where you belong.”
“Belong?” I scoff. “They made Willow forget everything. They were ready to clear your memory, too. And I’m pretty certain they’re all homicidal.” I consider how they become beasts. How Lochlan stares at me with undiluted hatred. “If we can get back into town, maybe we can find someone to help us.”
“If you think you’ve seen them homicidal, wait until someone tries to help you escape.
” She leans forward. “Look. I know they’re failing intro to bonds, but this is way bigger than you realize.
You can’t ignore fate. If you try to turn your back on it or try to fight it, it won’t be to your benefit.
There’s a reason fate brought you here.”
“No offense, but fuck fate. She’s been screwing me over for years.” I glance back at the window, searching for a latch. “Besides, they all seem convinced they aren’t supposed to have a mate, and if that’s the truth, we’re a liability.”
Scarlet shakes her head. “I don’t know why they would say that. Mates aren’t predicted. The only way they would have come to that conclusion is if a seer scammed them.”
I bite my lip as I wrap my hand around the cup of tea, hoping the warmth will soak into my chilled body. “Are we safe?”
“There will never be a place safer for you,” she says with so much confidence, I almost believe her.
“Trust me, there’s no way they’d hurt you.
As your mates, they would literally walk through fire and move mountains to protect you.
” She pauses, letting the weight of that promise settle.
“This is the year of the Veil Eclipse,” she continues.
“So this is just the beginning of crazy bond behavior.”
“What’s the Veil Eclipse?” I slowly, reluctantly abandon the idea of climbing out the window and take the seat across from her, marveling at the soft plushness of the chair.
“Shit. This is all over your head, isn’t it?”
Normally, I wouldn’t want a stranger to know how clueless I am, but right now, I’m desperate for information. I nod.
“The Veil’s a barrier,” she says simply. “A boundary between realms that keeps the Seelie Court and the Gods away.”
“The Gods and the Seelie Court?” I repeat, dumbfounded.
Scarlet stares at me for a moment, then slowly blinks, scratching at her neck. “Right. You really know nothing.” She exhales. “Normally we have a better process for this at the healing center, but with the whole”—she waves a hand—”alpha show bullshit, that went out the window.”
She presses her lips together. “This is going to be hard to wrap your head around, but as Elementals, we’re descendants of Titans and the Original Fae.”
My pulse stutters. “You’re telling me that I’m—”
“A descendant of Fae and Titans, yes.” She meets my stare. “But we were never supposed to exist.”
“What does that mean?”
“Before us, Titans created the Gods and the Fae created the Seelie Court. Somewhere along the way, forbidden unions happened.” Her gaze sharpens. “Elementals were born with power from both—and the Gods and Seelie Court feared us for it.”
I blow out a shaky breath. “So the Veil protects us.”
She nods.
“And it… eclipses?”
“Every four years, the moons align beyond it. The barrier thins just enough for bonds to surface, and mating marks to be revealed.”
“Isn’t that dangerous? I mean if it thins wouldn’t that be the perfect time for an attack?”
“A peace treaty was made a couple hundred years ago. The Veil remains as a reminder, and because most Elementals still don’t trust the Gods.”
“Are mating marks the same as an imprint?”
She tilts her head toward my cup. “I’ll keep talking if you keep drinking.”
I gulp half the tea.
“Cosmic bonds are guided by the stars,” she says. “They’re revealed with mating marks, but imprints don’t follow the same rules.”
“So what’s the difference between a bond and a Vestra?”
“A Vestra is also revered and cosmically chosen, but the connection is bound by strength and aptitude—a shared destiny. They’re family.
They look out for one another and are known for being one of the strongest relationships.
Each Vestra has one mate—its Keystone—which is a romantic bond rather than a platonic one. ”
“And Daire and Griffin think they’re all my mates?”
She grins and picks up a tart from the tray. “If you’re asking if all five of them are going to fuck your brains out, the answer is a hard yes. All five are your mates.”
I nearly drop my cup. “Do I get a say in this? What if I don’t like them? What if I don’t want to be their mate?”
“You will. As much as I want to be a cynic and ride with you on the crusade, mating bonds are sacred because they represent your perfect balance.”
I snort. “I’m reserving my cynicism.”
“You deserve to. You were dropped into the madness before even arriving here.” She shakes her head. “You should give them hell.”
“Do they ever have other romantic or… physical relationships?” I can’t help but think of how Kandi had looked at Griffin and Daire.
Scarlet shakes her head as she swallows her last bite of tart. “Bonds are exclusive once formed. There are three types of mating bonds, though.” She ticks them off on her fingers. “Fated Mates are the rarest—written into existence before either person is born. That’s what you and the Vestra have.”
My stomach flips.
“Then there are Cosmic Mates,” she continues. “They’re revealed during the Veil Eclipse every four years. The eclipse thins the barrier between realms, and some bonds just... click into place.”
“And the third?”
“Selected Mates. Chosen, not fated. Usually for those who haven’t found their Cosmic Mates. They’re rare because the stars don’t guide Selected Mates, so the bond doesn’t come with the same strength.” She points at the tarts. “You have to try one of these.”
Distractedly, I pick one up. “But you said they’re all crazy jealous. How do five guys share one mate?”