Faylinn
PRESENT DAY
“So, my Mage. He is . . . kind?” Gisei asked, her speech heavily accented and hesitant. I wasn’t sure if her reluctance was due to suddenly finding herself in a new place or the fact that she’d never met Rohak before.
While a slight mistrust in Rohak raised my protective instincts, I could understand her desire to know more about the man she was Bonding.
The manIshould be Bonding, I thought. Those types of thoughts were unhelpful, though. I didn’t have magic—had nothing to offer Rohak other than myself. While that was a romantic notion, I knew he needed more than just me, even if that fact caused immeasurable pain.
If it couldn’t be me, then I wanted his Bonded to be someone who was thoughtful and caring, who appreciated him.
Though the instant mistrust Gisei was giving off wasn’t assuaging any of my fears. While Lord d’Refan was well within his right to request a Destruction Vessel from Samyr, he couldn’t demandwhichVessel. The Lord of Samyr had sent word a little more than a week ago that Gisei would be joining us in Vespera.It was interesting, though, that the Vessel I picked for Rohak was the same the Lord of Samyr agreed to send to Vespera.
I chewed my lip in thought as we climbed the stairs of the manor intended for Rohak’s room. I’d figured he’d be most comfortable here in his own space rather than in some nondescript, impersonal room in one of the temples or even his quarters in the Academy.
Now, though, seeing her in our space made my gut clench uncomfortably and my palms sweat. We passed the landing where Rohak cornered me, demanding I return to my own room, and my stomach soured further.
Why did I think this was a good idea?
I didn’t want her in our home, sullying any of the memories I had of Rohak and me.
Get used to it, my thoughts unhelpfully supplied,she’ll be living here now. And did you forget that he has to fuck her to solidify the Bond?
Ihadn’tforgotten that point, just chose to ignore it ever since Rohak agreed to be Bonded.
At least I won’t have to witness that. . .
“Rune Master?” Gisei lilted softly, her thin, dark-black eyebrows slanted down over her expressive honey-brown eyes as she frowned slightly.
“Sorry, lost in thought,” I admitted, and her expression instantly evened out.
“He is kind, yes. Though has a toughened exterior. It can be hard to break through to him, and he won’t tell you his feelings willingly. But I have never witnessed him act in any type of way that could be construed as cruel,” I said, hating myself for being unable to paint him in any way that was untruthful.
“Hmmm,” Gisei hummed softly, her slippers barely making any noise against the wooden stairs. In an effort to “make a good impression” on Rohak’s future Vessel, I’d dressed in a long-sleeved, floor-length black dress with a demure scoop-neck that covered nearly all of my rune tattoos. I even wore the soft black leather boots Rohak gifted me when we first arrived in Vespera.
I’d tamed my hair into a somewhat passable low bun, even though tiny curls popped out almost immediately, and lined my eyes with kohl black liner I was assured was “all the rage” among the elite. I poked my eye fifty times with the godsdamned stick and screamed in abject rage at least twice, much to Cotton’s amusement.
Even though I was far out of my comfort zone with my appearance, I’d felt somewhat . . . beautiful. At least put together enough to pass as the Vesperan Rune Master. And I was secretly hoping that my change in attire would elicit some sort of desire from Rohak.
Now, though, I was no longer confident. Standing next to Gisei was like comparing a rat to a parrot, where I was definitely the rat.
Gisei exuded grace and effortless beauty. Her pink silk dress fell to her knees and was adorned with large black and white peonies—the print would have looked gaudy on anyone else, but coupled with Gisei’s fair skin and lustrous, long, raven-black hair, it looked stunning. She’d subtly lined her eyes with the same kohl liner I’d nearly lost an eyeball trying to apply, and completed her look with a faint pink lipstick.
The woman practically oozed sex appeal.
I sighed internally and tried not to clomp up the stairs or wheeze the last few steps. Gisei certainly was doing neither.
“Right this way.” I gestured to the right toward Rohak’s rooms, and Gisei floated after me, her steps whisper quiet. Nodding to the singular guard on duty outside of the room, I procured a key from my belt and unlocked Rohak’s door with a slickclick. I pushed the heavy oak door wide and indicated Gisei should precede me inside.
“You do not use the Mage Orb?” she questioned as she stepped inside, her head slowly swiveling about to take in Rohak’s sitting room. It was much the same since the last time I’d been here—stark and militant.
I shook my head while pushing the door closed before brushing a few wayward strands of hair from my forehead. “No. I don’t have any gods-given magic,” I explained with little inflection.
Gisei simply hummed again.
“You may wait here, if you’d like, or you may follow me to the bedroom. I need to start preparing for the ceremony,” I said, my words clipped and short.
Gisei effortlessly sank to the edge of the couch cushion, the hem of her dress never rising further than just above her knees. She crossed her legs at the ankle and rested her hands in her lap, back straight and chin elevated.
