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We weren’t ready—we hadn't even fully re-united our people to go up against them all. The Paras still went to war on the Council’s order, and soldiers still fell in line at the drop of a hat. If they both turned on us, that would be it. The Resistance would go under, and the Free Kingdom would take everything over in the power gap.
I was surprised to see Elias suddenly stumble out of the tree line, clad in only a pair of sweats.
“Oh,” he said. “Hello, Aria.”
There was always some discomfort whenever we were in a room together, but that discomfort was never more noticeable than when we bumped into one another alone. He shrunk, looking around like he was hunting for an escape route.
“Hey, Elias,” I sighed, and the burly man crossed his arms almost defensively. “I’m just trying some yoga. I’ve tried just about everything else to calm my mind, so. Yeah. Are you just getting back from a run?”
Of course I am,his eyes screamed, but instead of brushing off my olive branch, he nodded and stalked towards me.
“Yeah, I needed to let my wolf romp for a while. I was about to climb up the walls.” He scratched at his jaw as he spoke, a small smile tilting his lips. “Jack is a big fan of yoga, actually. He could probably give you some pointers.”
“I feel like he’s a drill sergeant, though,” I confided, earning a laugh for my efforts.
Elias grinned broadly, shrugging his shoulders. “You’re not wrong. It’s what will make him a good leader, though, once this mess with the Council is cleared up.”
Nodding in agreement, I straightened back up and put my hands on my hips. “What’s the status on that, by the way? I’m sure you’re doing some maneuvering behind the scenes to boot Francesca out.”
Elias shook his head, looking more amused than I had ever seen him. “Interspecies relationships are frowned upon, still. I’m just focused on keeping us both alive at the moment, but if you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them.”
I twisted my torso, humming thoughtfully as he spoke. “I never asked, but are you two fated? Because that could get you some brownie points.”
He shook his head again. “No, we chose one another. It’s just been a bit of a bumpy ride.”
“You’re telling me!”
I laughed, feeling Sariel prodding at our bond curiously. Opening it up earned me a trickle of amusement from my mate. Even though I was a bit annoyed that the older man had almost made it seem like our bond was lesser since it wasdestinedrather thanchosen, ever since I’d started coming to terms with the bond, relationships, in general, had become fascinating to me.
People really did just go out and pick another person to spend the rest of their lives with, continuing to try over and over if they chose wrong the first few times. I was lucky that I got to skip the hassle, but that didn’t make it any less romantic. Elias and Jack were proof that the old-fashioned way could work, too; they’d chosen to love one another despite the risks, deciding every single day that they wouldkeepchoosing each other, no matter what.
Recalling his conversation with Sariel that I’d eavesdropped on, I could kind of understand Ashe’s want to choose for himself, too.
“I’m sorry if I offended you, Aria,” Elias said softly, and I realized I’d been staring at him for too long to be passed off as normal. “And for my part in your pain.”
“Hey, no, you’re fine! We’ve already hashed this out, and we’re good. No hard feelings.”
My smile must not have been convincing enough because he continued. “Francesca could have had Jack's magic stripped for being with me, orworse. Somehow, she’d caught us together on video, and while I’d like to say we were brave enough to tell her to fuck off… we weren’t. No, actually,Iwasn’t. Jack had been ready to come out to the world the moment she tried to hold it over my head, but—”
“You wouldn’t risk him,” I interrupted. “I get it, Elias. Honest.”
He frowned at my gentle words, looking like he wanted to keep rambling.
I took his much larger hand in mine, then gave it a squeeze. “The world is rarely black and white, and the quickest way to make people fall in line is to go after their families. You’re not a coward for choosing your family's safety over a pair of strangers.”
Elias closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath, and then gave me a heart-stopping smile. “You’re a good woman, Aria. Jack and Ashe are my life; I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to them.”
Flustered at the praise, I shrugged and stepped away from him, barely resisting the pull to fiddle with my hair.
“I’d wondered why Barimuz decided to pull Hell's support of the war, but it’s obvious now,” he proceeded to joke. It earned a mortified groan as I rubbed my hands over my face.
“I don’t know why he did that! Well, I mean, I guess I kind of do.”
I went on to explain how Barimuz had infiltrated the Resistance and forced my bond with Sariel to solidify into the tangled mess it was now. Elias listened intently, brow furrowing more and more as I went on, and by the time I reached the end, he looked furious.
“That bastard,” he growled out, more gravel than words. He cleared his throat. “Sorry. I know it worked out for the better, but that’s… that’s disgusting. I’m sorry everyone keeps putting you in these positions, Aria.”
The acknowledgment tugged at my heartstrings. I blinked back at the sudden burn in my eyes, shrugging. “It’s no worse than the things Francesca had you and Jack doing, I’m sure.”
