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“So I won’t die?” Cal’s voice wavered, reality slamming into her. Death had always been a given. How could it no longer exist for her if she bonded with him? This did explain why Relian had never seemed overly concerned about her mortality, though.
Relian gave her an odd smile. “Not of old age. That’s not to say immortals can’t die. We do, just not of old age—at least not directly.”
“Huh?” Maggie uttered, which Cal matched with a “Come again?”
Relian spoke again. “Like all things, we can and do die. Age-related illness may not take us but the ages can. Untold years can take a toll on anyone’s mind. When that happens and it becomes too painful to endure, we give up our lives.”
Cal remained silent, for what words of comfort could she give? Somewhere in the background, Maggie said, “Sounds suspiciously like suicide.”
Cal agreed. She now realized with clear recollection the hints and glimpses the elves had given her. The people here didn’t equate immortality with eternal happiness or light. Conversations and emotions too often turned sour when she broached the subject of long elvin lives. It was a bittersweet ending to learn that death, too, came for them. But how does one give up life?
Relian seated himself next to her on the divan, taking her hand in his. She was sometimes still amazed at how well he understood her. While he couldn’t directly read her mind, the emotions behind those thoughts were up for grabs, especially if she didn’t guard them well.
“There are some who seek it out in a more violent manner, such as in war. Most prefer the peaceful way—slowing down respiration and heart rate until the body shuts down.”
How in the world did they bring about those mechanics to achieve death? Drugs? She dreaded to hear anymore, though. There’d be plenty of time to find out if she did bond with Relian.
It seemed all paths lead to him, and she couldn’t imagine her life without him.
Her mind screeched to a halt. She couldn’t imagine her life without him? Was Maggie right? Was she that crazy about him? In fact, had she passed “crazy” and now waded into “permanently and deeply”? It was a sobering thought. Sure, she’d dated and liked some guys well enough but nothing more. No one had ever made it past lukewarm. Until Relian.
“Cal? Cal? Are you okay?” Maggie’s voice floated to her.
Cal jumped. “What? I’m sorry.” Her heart pounded much too fast for her voice to sound normal.
Maggie clucked her tongue. “We’ve been trying to get your attention for the last half-minute or so. You had Relian panicking. I thought he was going to shoot down the hall to fetch a doctor.”
Turning to Relian, Cal was startled to see him kneeling next to her. Though he glared at her friend for the descriptive account she gave, his cheeks had lost all color and something greater than worry lurked in his eyes.
Cal gave him a weak smile. “I’m fine. I didn’t mean to concern you.”
He squeezed her hand. “As long as you’re fine, all is well.”
How could she resist him? His gaze burned into her, warming every crevice. They stared at each other until Maggie’s words drew them apart.
“The whole immortality thing for mortals—wouldn’t that upset some kind of mythical universal balance or something?”
Talion gave a hint of a smile. “Ah, but not everyone would choose to live through eternity. To choose to do so, one has to be offered the chance first. There are not enough mortals being offered the opportunity to cause that kind of imbalance.”
“Yeah, considering there are only two unwed mortals here to begin with, I wouldn’t think so.” Maggie’s tone was dry.
“There used to be quite a few unions of that nature in the past when I was a child. The world didn’t end. In fact, it was quite peaceful at that time.”
“Back when the dinosaurs walked.”
“We can’t all be fresh from the cradle, little one.”
“World War III, here we come,” Cal muttered to no one in particular. For a moment Maggie appeared as if she might launch out of her chair and greet the king’s face with her fist. Like so many times before, a potential disaster was averted. Avrin leaned nearer and whispered words in Maggie’s ear, placing a restraining hand on her arm.
Cal sat back while Relian stood behind the divan, a possessive hand on her shoulder as they listened to Maggie challenge the king.
“So tell me more about when you die? Where do you go?”
Talion lifted a lazy brow. “Me? I don’t go anywhere. I’m alive.”
Maggie huffed impatiently. “Not you. Your kind. I thought that was understood.”
He sent her a small bow of the head that came off looking more haughty than courteous. “When we die, we most likely go where you do, wherever that may be.”
Maggie looked at him through lowered lashes. “I thought there were legends about a paradise where only your kind goes. Wherever that is.”
His shoulders shook in a slight laugh. “You can’t believe everything you read. Some legends don’t have any truth in them whatsoever. That is one. As for the ‘wherever’ of death—why, as far as I know—no elf has ever come back for a visit after leaving this plane of existence or yours.” He smirked at Maggie. “That would indeed be a memorable occasion, but alas, sadly it’s never happened.”
Maggie closed her eyes and appeared to be counting to ten in an effort to control her temper.
Relian sighed in her ear. “Children.”
Cal couldn’t agree more.
