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“Oh.” Alora presses her lips, mulling it over. “Well, I’d say that’s far from the truth. If anyone doesn’t belong here, it’s Caz and Killian. They’re a couple of brutes, aren’t they? Rowan is decent. I like him very much.”
I laugh at her comments, then sip my wine. “I never thought there would be so much out there. I mean, sure, the world isn’t small, but me beinghere, in this other universe…it just makes me feel miniscule.”
“Darling, you are far from miniscule. You have the Cold Tether. That’s grand.”
“I don’t even know what a Cold Tether is. What’s so grand about it?” The question comes out laced in sarcasm. “’Cause I can tell you, being forced to hear that psycho man’s thoughts is not a pleasure.”
Alora laughs, then draws in a breath. When she exhales, she tilts her head and wraps a hand around my wrist. She leads me to a rusting gold bench that faces the waterfall and brings me down to sit with her.
“When I was a little girl, I came across a couple who were Cold Tethered. There are many couples who can be Tethered in Vakeeli. Tethers are a common thing, but most are simple,really. It’s no greater than someone claiming that the person is their soulmate. But aColdTether…well, it’s similar, but a bit more complicated. It derives from the original Tethered people—the first kind Regals ever made. From what I was told, Cold Tethers are rare and, unlike a regular Tether, your mind and body is instantly drawn to your mate. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never met them or seen them, you’re bound to them, and regardless of where you are, you will find a way to one another.” She pushes a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. “You also feel things simple Tethers don’t feel with each other. I always hear the senses are heightened in every way, and when you’re away from your mate for too long, it comes with great pain and misery. Apparently, it was designed this way to prevent loneliness and for the Cold Tethers to be with each other forever, but I’d say that didn’t age well. Anyway, a simple tethered person can be with whomever they want and live a full life. But not a Cold Tether. Theyhaveto be with their mate or else they die.”
“Oh my gosh.”
“Very unfortunate, yes. Anyway, when I was young, I was such a diehard romantic,” she says, smiling. “However, I was a queen in training, so my father didn’t approve of my romantic antics. He wanted me to be strong and resilient, to not waste time on boys unless I was ready to find a king…which I still haven’t done, by the way.” She waves a hand. “Despite his disapproval, I would write letters to random boys in the city. None of them were personalized, they were just letters, and I’d walk to the city on weekends and hand them to the boys I found most handsome.”
“Really?” I laugh.
“Yes. Oh, the boys got a kick out of that one. Here they all were, thinking the princess of Vanora wanted to marry them one day.” She titters, rocking a bit, her pearly teeth sparkling. “But one day when I was in the city, I gave my letter to a boy who wasunlike the others. He had the most beautiful brown eyes, and his skin was so pretty—like it was made of ground coffee. He was a stunning human, and he took my letter and ran to his mum. His mum smiled at me, and then a man stepped up beside her. And…I didn’t know it back then, but this couple had a Cold Tether. I could feel their energy from so far away. And the way they looked at each other, the way they held hands, the way they dideverythingtogether—it fascinated me. Their love wascolossal, and I remember thinking I wanted a love like that. I wanted a man to love me with all his heart. I wanted someone I could have beautiful brown babies with, with bright brown eyes. When I put a read on that couple, I wasoverwhelmedwith joy. It’s hard to explain the joy I felt that day, but if I had to describe it, I would say it was the sun, moon, and stars all wrapped up in a cool bed of flowers, somehow blossoming inside me.”
“Wow,” I murmur. “That’s beautiful, Alora.”
“It is. And everyone in the city loved that couple. They were gifted. The man built swords and shields for the people, and the woman was very good at designing custom dresses for women. I recall her dress making skills being very popular for Armistice Night.”
“What’s Armistice Night?”
“It’s the one night in Vakeeli when all territories agree to get along. There’s a big ball in Luxor, everyone from all walks of life attend, and for one night there are no feuds or fighting or wars. There is only dancing, laughter, peace, drinking…and sex. Love of Vakeeli, is there a lot of sex.” Alora laughs a bit, shaking her head, then her face changes beneath the moonlight, saddening, her lips twisting. “But one day…that couple was found just outside of Vanora’s gates. Their faces were hollow, eyes black, mouths ajar. The beauty and joy were gone. Someone had killed them.” She works hard to swallow. “Orsomething, rather.” Her eyes flicker up to mine. “The downfall of a Cold Tether is thatyou’re hunted for that beautiful joy you share. I’m not sure what it is that hunts you, but what I do know is that you and Caspian have a Tether that is just as strong as that couple who once lived in my city, whether you like each other or not. And I have a feeling once you give in to this Tether, it will be stronger than theirs, which will make it all the more beautiful to witness for me, but much easier for the malevolent to find you.”
I clutch my glass tight in hand, lowering my gaze. “Well, we shouldn’t have to worry about that. There’s no giving in to a man like him.”
Alora smirks. “Do you think so? Because I see him burning bridges for you.”
I scoff. “Trust me, hehatesme. He wants me gone and, frankly, I’m ready to go back home.”
“Are you, though?” She tilts her head, locking eyes with me. She searches my face, and it makes me uncomfortable, especially remembering she can read my energy. She knows I’m lying.
“I mean…it would be nice to get to know the person I’m somehow connected to, but he makes it hard to do that.”
“Sure, he’s a hard man to figure out, but don’t let that fool you. He’s your Tether, and whether he cares to admit it or not, he feels something for you. He can’t quite explain it yet, as these feelings are new to him, but he does. A Tether of any kind is inevitable. I’ve been conducting business with Caspian for years and never have I seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you.”
“He hardly looks at me, your majesty.”
She smiles. “It’s when youaren’tlooking that he does. And when you think he isn’t listening, he most certainly is. I bet you he’s listening right now.”
I let her words marinate in the crevices of my mind. I even try listening for Caz’s voice, but I hear nothing. I’m knocking and he won’t let me in.
She gracefully stands. “I’m going to finish off the rest of my duties for the night. We have an early start in the morning, so I’d like to get to bed as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy the rest of your night. And if you can’t sleep, ask Luzian for a cup of mulled wine with gold clover. It’ll put you right to sleep.”
When she leaves the garden room, I stand back up and walk to the window. I drop my gaze to the waterfall tunneling into the ocean, studying it a moment, before making my way back to my room for the night.
Before I can get to the room, I spot Juniper, whose room is two doors from mine, only she’s not in the clothes she had on earlier (a tweed suit and brown cap). She’s in high-waisted black trousers, a blood red blouse tucked into them, and a thick black belt wrapped around her waist, accentuating her hips. The belt doesn’t look like Vanora material, and when I see the red rubies in the buckle of it, I figure it’s a Blackwater belt she had with her.
“There you are!” she chimes when she hears my steps.
“You’re looking for me?”
“Indeed I am. I want you to come to the city with me.”
“To the city?”
