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“Why would being mates change that? What does being mates even mean?” I asked, wanting his definition on top of the vague one Bright had already given me.
“A mate bond is a death sentence among the fae. You’ll keep it a secret until the suns’ eclipse erases it. Our connection means nothing.”
“If you want me to keep it a secret, tell me what it actuallyis. I want concrete answers, Kierden.”
He growled, “A sealed bond is a soul-deep connection that lasts through this life and every other that follows after you cross the veil. What I created between us is the start of a connection. It will vanish entirely with the next eclipse unless you seal it by repeating what I said back—which you will not be doing.”
Those foreign words ran through my mind as if I’d just heard them.“Sillah ovim rett warumm.”
“Obviously I have no desire to do that. Why is a mate bond a death sentence? And how does it protect you against amagical assassin?”
He scowled, still holding his grip on my hair. “Because your magic is life and mine is death, yours is supposed to hide mine. A mate bond alters the magic of both parties. I’m sure you can feel my ice strengthening you even as your damned plants strangle me slowly. Centuries ago, a cult formed that killed anyone who created a mate bond. Most of the cult was eradicated afterward in revenge, but some of its members slipped through the cracks. All around Evare, they still hunt down mated pairs and slay them mercilessly.”
My eyebrows shot upward. “So you’re riskingmylife in an attempt to save yourself.”
“Yes.” He didn’t seem apologetic, not even a little.
“Well, at least you can admit that you’re a bastard.”
He wasn’t fazed by the insult. “I gave you the information you wanted. Now cut off the magic.”
Guess it was time for honesty. “I can’t.”
His grip on my hair tightened, and I inhaled sharply at the suddenness of it. Maybe it should’ve scared me, but for whatever reason, I wasn’t afraid of the king in the slightest. “Now, human.”
A furry, muscular body slammed into the king’s side. He released me as the force of the esu rolled both of them. My eyes widened as I watched the king and Bright wrestle, her teeth snapping insanely close to his throat while he only defended himself.
“Enough.”A low growl rolled through my mind, and my attention jerked to Death, who was prowling toward the wrestling fae and esu.
Kierden released his hold on Bright. She remained on top of him as she snarled into his face, snapping her teeth at him but not biting him. Fury edged her voice as she said,“A male esu would sooner skin himself alive than physically hurt his mate. A king should know better, even if your bond is temporary.”
Kierden growled back, “Your companion isdraining me, and I didn’t grip her hair tightly enough to hurt her.”
“She’s draining you unintentionally, and humans are hurt more easily than fae,”Bright snapped.“You’re the one who created the bond, so you have no one to blame but yourself. Apologize.”
“I am aking. I apologize to no one.”
“No one except your bonded esu—and your bonded mate.”She bared her teeth at him, sharp white fangs practically glistening.
“Brightfangs is correct. You bound yourself to the human; she’s now your responsibility until the eclipse erases the bond,”Death said, still speaking loud enough for me to hear him.
Kierden snarled, but when Bright climbed off him, he covered the distance between me and him in the blink of an eye. His eyes burned with some emotion I couldn’t read—probably anger—and he gritted out, “I was not trying to harm you. It won’t happen again.”
Well, that was a terrible apology.
But something told me it was the best I was going to get, and I really didn’t want Bright to kill the fae before he led me to his city.
So, I simply nodded once, and then went back to eating.
Chapter4
Nissa
Kierden’s temper calmed as he ate too. We didn’t speak to each other, but Bright came over and sat next to me. I found myself stroking her fur and leaning against her.
It had been so long since I felt loved. Or even like I really mattered to someone. And in such a short time she had already made sure I had time to eat and sleep, and defended me too.
Kierden finished his food, then strode to the shelter he’d created. He folded himself inside easily, though he barely fit in the thing.
