Chapter 9 Thorns and Thornhurst #2
“I know it’s different than what you’re used to, but this is how Bryxton has always been since the beginning of our existence.
It’s all about balance. These guys trust each other implicitly.
They don’t get jealous because they know it’s meant to happen.
” She lifts a shoulder as something dances in her eyes.
“Plus, many are all about group participation.”
Despite being a virgin, I’ve read enough romance novels that the memory of Griffin’s body and Daire’s warmth pressed against me has my heart skipping a beat.
Heat pools low in my stomach.
I take a bite of the tart.
Sweetness explodes in my mouth, distracting me as I hum with appreciation, wanting to shove the rest of the tart in my mouth. It’s the first real food I’ve had in nearly a year.
Scarlet laughs. “Wait until you try this bread.”
I finish chewing my tart before asking the same question I tried to ask earlier: “What if they aren’t imprint markings?”
“They’re definitely imprint markings. Heart to hand.
It’s the signature of giving one’s heart away and receiving another’s in return.
When the bond is completed, the markings will be mirrored on the top of the arm.
Plus, you saw how Griffin reacted at the medical center.
That’s classic mate behavior. It’s why there’s a month-long break after the eclipse, ensuring bonds have time to settle to prevent bursts of power or jealousy rages. ”
Determined not to have more erotic thoughts, I shift the conversation. “It’s always multiple males with one female?”
“No. Vestras can be comprised of three to six individuals of any gender, but there is only one Keystone—the mate who anchors the Vestra’s power.”
“Anchors what power?”
“The Keystone is a conduit. Through a Keystone, the Vestra can share elements, amplify abilities, and create magic that no one could achieve alone. The Keystone also stabilizes and focuses energy.”
I blow out a shallow breath, my thoughts snagging on the words share and amplify. “They’ll be able to access my element?” Fear trickles into my tone.
“Not without your permission.”
I stare at her, the enormity of what she’s describing itching my thoughts.
“You’ll learn more about this at Thornhurst,” Scarlet says gently.
“Is it a four-year program?”
“It depends. Some attend for a couple of years, others for decades, but on average, I’d say four to six years.”
“Decades?”
Scarlet grins. “When you live forever, decades isn’t a very long time.”
“What do you mean, forever?”
Her blue eyes shine brighter. “We’re immortal.”
Shock sends goosebumps trailing over my skin.
“How old would you guess Willow is?” she asks, leaning closer.
“Twenty-seven...?”
“She turned two hundred and eighty-nine last month.”
My jaw practically hits my chest. “You can’t be serious.”
“Unbonded and those who find their bonds later in life will age a bit more, but an Elemental rarely ages physically past thirty.”
“My mind is literally...” I make hand motions to show that it’s blown.
She nods. “I’ve lived here for most of my life, and some of the nuances still blow my mind. Hell, I’ve been studying mating marks with Willow, and the idea of bonding is still completely overwhelming.”
“How does the bond get completed?”
Scarlet’s grin turns mischievous. “As the Keystone, that’s the fucking your brains out part.”
“Sex is the only way to complete it?”
She nods.
“What if I don’t complete it?”
She shrugs. “I’ve never heard of a bond not being completed.”
“Never?”
“Like I said, bonds are sacred. There’s no one you will trust, depend on, or care more deeply for than your mates.”
I twist my fingers in the hem of my shirt, unsure how to admit how depleted my trust is, and how I was on the verge of losing myself without even caring.
“Do you know Griffin and Daire or the others in their Vestra?”
She nods. “Kai Rurik’s in our year. We’re in a couple of classes together. But everyone around here knows them. They’re one of the strongest Vestras. Some even claim the strongest Vestra in history—and that was without their Keystone. Now...” She blows out a long breath.
“What does that mean?”
“Bonding will increase your power. Some believe that’s why soul mates are so rare, a balance from the universe.”
The idea of lighting a roomful of people on fire turns my provocative thoughts to ash as I search for another subject change. “Did your parents come to Bryxton with you?”
Scarlet shakes her head. “My mom fell in lust with a human, which resulted in me. My dad raised me on Earth until I was six, and then my mom brought me here.”
“Does your dad live here?”
Her gaze turns frosty. “Thank the Veil, no. He never knew what my mom was. She had moved back here when I was one to focus on her career, unaware that his favorite pastimes included illegal dogfights and gambling.” She leans back in her chair.
“He was sent to prison like the rest of humanity’s bottom feeders, and my mom was obligated to move me here. ”
I blink once. Twice.
Bottom feeders.
Shame colors me. I wonder if she would have agreed to come here if she knew I’ve spent most of the last year locked in a cell.