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Eight hundred years ago, I never thought the promise I made would be the death of me. It’s ironic that my best friend’s son is my mate. A son who hates me.
“You have to do something,” Zyrl begs of me. “Surely, Raltena can do something.”
“I will not ask her to dive into magic that dark, brother. That is unfair. You know what that can do to a witch.”
He charges at me while I sit on the oversized ice throne, leans down, and grabs the arms of the chair to block me in. I remain calm and collected, knowing his anger isn’t at me, it’s at the situation. He is sad. He is desperate. I cannot be angry at him for caring so much.
“I do not care what it does to her!” he roars, his eyes watering but immediately the liquid turns to tiny ice droplets rolling down his cheek. He glances away and shuts his eyes, seething between clenched teeth. “I. Do. Not. Care.”
I place my hand on his cheek, turning his head so he can look at me. “Yes, you do. You do not mean that.”
He nods eagerly, the youth embedded in his veins becoming apparent with his quick temper. “I do. I do mean it. It isn’t fair, Cailian. Why aren’t you angry? Why aren’t you screaming? Killing? Demanding—”
I stand from my seated position which causes my baby brother to take a step back. “Demand, what, Zy? Demand that my mates love me? Where is the fairness in that?” I keep my words soft, but there is power in every sentence spoken. I am older than any elf here which means my power is stronger than any they will ever hold. “Love does not demand. They will come to me when they are ready. And if they don’t, fates be it.” I wave my hand in the air as if it doesn’t matter.
“Fates be it?” he scoffs, staring at me as if he has no idea who I am. “You are leaving this up to Fate? Fight for them. Fight for your mates.”
My head begins to pound, the ache in my bones becoming more apparent with each passing day I am not mated.
The secret I hold dear to my chest is threatening to explode from me for the millionth time. It would explain everything. My baby brother would see that it isn’t as easy as he is making it seem, but so much harder than he could ever imagine.
My best friend’s son will never accept me after killing his father. I can’t even gain his forgiveness. How can I expect his love?
“You know I cannot be where Rarity is. My body cannot withstand the climate. She will have to come here. I know it.” I hope when she does, her mate bond is enough to keep us alive. She doesn’t know of Nyx yet, so her soul is spared.
For now.
“And the dragon?” he sneers, a secret no one else knows beside Anwyll, the wolf who needed my help when he fell through a portal.
And it needs to stay that way.
“Events happened before you were born. You don’t know what life was like eight-hundred years ago.”
“You mean before you killed the Prince of Dragons and made life difficult for all of us?”
A slice of pain cuts open the wound that cannot heal on my heart. “Yes, Zyrl. Before I brutally killed my best friend. Look at me now. Did my evil plan work?” The question drips with impatience and anger, maybe even a little regret.
There is a small part of me that wishes I didn’t grant Dreven’s wish, then there is the other part of me, the one that is mad at him for making a choice that would leave my life like this. Is that selfish of me to think? I hate to have such horrible thoughts about Dreven, but was it selfish of him to make me promise to live this life of lies?
It’s a fight within myself I deal with every day.
“I am sorry, Cailian.” He sighs, taking a step toward me. “I am so angry for you. I am worried. Especially now that your mate is that… beast.”
I do not know what gets into me, but I wrap my hand around my brother’s throat, calling upon my power. Wind whips around us, swaying my robes and fluttering my hair over my shoulders. My iced crown glows as ropes of ice trap my brother’s body.
“Cailian,” he chokes, tugging on my wrists. His wide eyes do not deter me.
“He is many things to us, but he is still my mate, and you will show me that respect.”
“I will not show respect to a beast that would gladly kill us or refuse you. I will not show respect to him knowing you’ll melt without him.”
“It is the way of our kind, Zy. He knows of the repercussions. His own fire will eat away at him. That’s his choice.”
“At the expense of you?”
“It is the way of Fate!” I yell at him, losing my patience with my brother. “Accept it.”
“I do not care of Fate. I do not care of the rules. I do not care of what was. I do not care that we have a silent treaty with the dragons. I only care that my brother lives. I will deal. I will learn to be happy with the new age of life, but I refuse to accept your death.”
