It was imperative that Pyxlevir remember the happy years they’d spent together. To recall the potential that couldn’t be lost to them despite the heavy distance wedged between them. Although Pyxlevir had a good idea why Gramlithyn had left, he needed to hear the words. Perhaps a moment of clarity would give them the best opportunity for a fresh start.
A clean slate was required if they had any chance for a future. The problem was Pyxlevir didn’t know how to communicate with Gramlithyn anymore. He’d clung so long to the image of the teenage Gramlithyn, he hadn’t prepared himself for a different, adult version of his mate.
Pyxlevir had to accept that his best friend was a relic of the past and he had a new person to befriend. But before theycould start that journey, they had to settle the past. He had to steel his heart for the moment when Gramlithyn would admit he’d run not from the idea of a matebond but from Pyxlevir himself.
Then Pyxlevir would demand an apology—Gramlithyn shouldn’t have suggested that he’d left to make things easier for Pyxlevir. It wasn’t Pyxlevir’s fault Gramlithyn had left behind his family. Gramlithyn had made that decision on his own, and whatever consequences he faced were Gramlithyn’s damn fault.
Pyxlevir could accept that he wasn’t Gramlithyn’s dream partner, but he refused to take any blame. Fate had put them together. If Gramlithyn wanted to be pissed at someone other than himself, he could berate the goddess who’d put them together in the first place. Because despite Pyxlevir’s inability to envision his life with anyone else but Gramlithyn, he’d still have some choice words for Fate if they ever crossed paths.
Chapter 15
The moon was high in the sky but partially obscured by a single cloud as Gramlithyn raced over the land. His hooves easily ate up the distance from one end of the park next to his new home to the other, so he turned swiftly with barely a pause in his rapid pace. Both man and zebra were committed to tiring themselves and enjoying the cooler air provided by the night.
Evening runs had become habitual in the past two weeks thanks to the uncomfortable living arrangement of sharing a roof with Pyxlevir. Not that the Valzadari elf was doing anything to contribute to the awkwardness. Each morning, Pyxlevir rose and hurried off to work, leaving Gramlithyn to his own devices.
Since Gramlithyn was a coward, he stuffed dinner into his body prior to Pyxlevir’s return from his job and avoided everyone but Dasan. The hummingbird never failed to miss an opportunity to point out to Gramlithyn that he was wasting his time. It was wonderful to have a friend who supported your matebond, but Gramlithyn didn’t require the reminder of his idiocy.
Gramlithyn knew he was a fool. He was also aware that he lacked bravery. So did his zebra, which was why Gramlithyn was shifting daily. The beast wanted Pyxlevir and had no patience for how horridly Gramlithyn was handling conversations with theirother half. That meant Gramlithyn desperately needed to pull himself together.
The problem was he didn’t have the first clue where to begin. While Gramlithyn had piddled away the past six years, Pyxlevir had lived his life. What did they have left in common? The elf didn’t even rank carrots as his top vegetable any longer, unless their trip to the grocery store had been an anomaly.
His hooves thundered across the dirt, and the dust flew up into his striped fur, making his nostrils flare. Although he wanted to race outside forever, fatigue was creeping in, so he charged to the oversized bathroom with an area provided for shifters to change in and out of their clothes.
Gramlithyn stopped outside the building and envisioned his elf body. The four thin legs he’d raced on morphed into his human limbs; his fur changed to the pear-green skin he’d inherited from his father. Soon, he was no longer a zebra but a slightly tattooed elf. Gramlithyn made his way swiftly to his clothes and tugged on his T-shirt, boxers, and sweats.
Dressed, he sat to pull on socks and shoes. He dragged a hand through his hair and didn’t bother to glance in a mirror as he left the bathroom. The walk to the apartment building was quick, and he didn’t encounter anyone else, which suited his mood. It would take too much effort to smile or otherwise appear friendly.
Gramlithyn took the elevator upstairs and used his programmed identification card to let himself into his home, where he would live for the next eleven or so months. As the door shut behind him, Gramlithyn heard a noise, and his heartbeat quickened. He didn’t want to scare anyone again, so Gramlithyn called out ahello.
The kitchen light flipped on to reveal Pyxlevir in a pair of lavender pajamas decorated with little lambs. Gramlithyn hadonce worn fun nightwear in a variety of fabrics made for him by Larissa, but all he had left were two faded pairs.
“Hi,” Pyxlevir said. He was standing near the fridge and had a container of broccoli in his hand.
“Sorry if I scared you.”
“I guessed it was you this time when I heard the door.”
“Good,” Gramlithyn replied, not daring to make eye contact as he snagged lemonade from the fridge and splashed some into a tall glass.
“Yeah,” Pyxlevir muttered as he grabbed a seat at the island and dug into his snack.
Gramlithyn emptied his drink in two gulps. Ravenous, he plucked an apple from the fridge and took a healthy bite as he gathered his courage.
“So, um…I wanted to apologize,” Gramlithyn said. “It was my choice to leave Vegas, and I shouldn’t have given you shit about it last weekend. Not that I want to make excuses for myself or anything, but being back here has stirred up all kinds of stuff. I know rumors fly through the family, so I’m sure you’ve already heard about my little aborted trip to Europe. That’s where I thought I’d be now, so I’m making this shit up as I go along.”
“You can’t go to Europe, it’s illegal.”
“I know, and Dasan and I got caught by the fallen knights. The druid we hired set us up. The next thing I know, Drystan and Conley are telling me to either get my ass home or I’m basically going to jail.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Gramlithyn dared glance at Pyxlevir and didn’t miss the surprise in his lovely blue eyes. “Interesting, I figured they would’ve told everyone by now.”
“So, you weren’t planning on doing anything about Fate before then.”
It was a statement, not a question, but for some inexplicable reason, Gramlithyn shook his head. If he had any chance of ever convincing Pyxlevir he was a worthy mate, honesty was imperative. The last thing they needed was a foundation with any lies or half-truths. Baring his soul wouldn’t be an easy task, but it was a necessary one.
“No, but once I was here, I decided I needed to face the future.”
