AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, good boy.” I scratch behind his ears. “You want to go for a walk with me?”
He woofs, deep and short.
“Sounds good.” I pat his head, keeping my hand in his soft fur as we walk to the lake Maven has made for the water creatures we have welcomed into the coven.
The journey to the new lake is beautiful. Maven’s magic keeps the plants alive all year. I pass large, towering sunflowers and black roses, mixed with snapdragons and lilies. Even the scent is sweet emanating from the middle of the flowers. It helps ease the tension that’s been constant since I’ve met Cailian.
“He must hate me,” I say to Whiskey, knowing he can’t reply back, but I don’t need anyone to.
I sit on the bench Greyson made to enjoy the new view and speak with our new coven members. Whiskey groans as he lies at my feet, huffing just as his snout plops on my foot.
“I hope you’re right,” I reply to his nonsense, imagining he said, “Cailian doesn’t hate you.”
“I wouldn’t blame him, you know. I’ve been a difficult mate. I’ve been emotional, stubborn, and fighting the bond.” A small manic chuckle fills the silent air. “Fighting is useless when it will end the way fate intended it to.” I tilt my head back, resting it against the edge of the bench, staring up at the stars again. “It’s crazy to think that one of those dots is a galaxy that holds Elementalu, where my beloved is.”
“It’s a beautiful thought, isn’t it?”
I scream, holding a hand to my chest, whipping my head around to see who spoke.
Irving walks out from the lake. “I am sorry, Rarity. I did not mean to frighten you. May I?” He points to the spot next to me.
My heartbeat tries to return to normal. “Of course.”
“Next time, I will try not to creep out of the darkness.”
A laugh bubbles free. “That’s a good plan. It might not be me you scare next time, and they might not be as nice.”
“Like Finnick,” we say in unison.
Our laughter fills the space and water drips from his body, the gills in his neck expanding with every breath. He mimics me, lying his head back to look up at the sky.
“I wonder if my mate is up there amongst the stars,” he says, a stab of guilt ricocheting off my bones.
“I’m sure they are.” I pat his webbed hand. “You’re too kind to be alone, Irving.”
“As are you, Rarity. So may I ask, why you want to be alone?” He turns his head, his large dark eyes blinking at me inquisitively.
“What? I don’t want to end up alone.”
“Then why put off the inevitable if loneliness is not your goal?”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I stay quiet, thinking of his question. “It isn’t that I want to be alone. I want to be with Cailian. I’m scared, but it’s more about choosing my own way to get there. I envy humans and their ability to choose who they want to love. I feel I’m being forced into something I’m not ready for.”
“How do you know you’re not ready unless you try?”
I open my mouth to answer, but nothing comes out.
“Your heart will feel better once it’s fully healed.”
“Healed? I’m fine, Irving.”
He exhales a long breath. “It aches from the past and it will never be full until you go to your beloved. You’ll be surprised just how much your life will change once you open those wounds again to allow yourself to heal. Your beloved is the cure.”
“Having a beloved isn’t a cure.”
“I never said it was instant,” he says, scratching his arm. “I envy you. I’m nervous my mate will see me and run. Who wants to be mated to a monster?”
“You aren’t a monster, Irving!”
