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Vaeront loves unfortunate events, especially when they happen to someone other than himself. He rarely becomes rattled, so the fact that he’s visibly unhappy with what he’s learned doesn’t bode well.
“What? What do you see?” When he doesn’t answer immediately, I shout, “Tell me!”
His hard eyes lock with mine. “There’s no need to yell. You know how I feel about unnecessary noise.”
“Then get on with it.”
“It’s no wonder you offered an alternative deal.” Stressed, he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Ellister, prepare yourself, for what I’m about to tell you is going to be upsetting.”
I grind my teeth. “I’m waiting.”
“Without your soul, of course you wouldn’t know this… but there’s a reason you feel attached to this human.” He waves a hand at Hannah’s limp form. “She’s your mate.”
That’s… not what I expected him to say.
“My mate,” I deadpan, disbelieving.
“Yes. Of thefatedvariety,” Vaeront elaborates with disgust. “You two are destined for each other.”
Ice infuses my veins, and I swear my heart stutters.
Long ago, someone described meeting their soul mate to me. They’d likened it to getting struck in the heart with lightning, the electricity running through their veins with a heated sizzle every time their mate was near. They’d spoken of a buzzing in their fingertips and toes, and their skin feeling alive with tingles.
I’ve felt that with Hannah. Every time we touched.
I look down at her face, wishing I could see into her eyes. Wanting to stare deep into her soul to try to sense the bond.
Though, as Vaeront said, my soul is gone, so there’s nothing for Hannah’s spirit to connect to.
On some deep level, I think she and I both knew we had something special. There was an otherworldly pull between us from the very beginning.
The mate bond is the purest and most natural form of magic. Being able to look into someone’s eyes and instantly know they’re your other half because fate demanded it is the greatest gift.
But to have that person taken from you, or worse, to cause them direct harm, is unthinkable. To hurt one’s mate is to hurt oneself.
This would be the ultimate karma—for me to be sent to kill the only being in all the universes who is supposed to belong to me; the one woman who could love me back with equal fervor, despite who I am and what I’ve done.
And then, after draining her life, to be forced to hand her over to someone else.
This is absolutely what I deserve, but it’s too tragic for me to accept.
“No,” I utter, more to myself than Vaeront.
“Yes,” he rebuts.
“You know this for sure?” I rasp, still hoping it’s not true. “You could be mistaken.”
Vaeront sneers in the way he does when he’s offended.
“I wish I were, but I am not. Although neither of you are attached to your souls at the moment, I can see remnants of them. You can’t possibly understand my power, but I’ll try to explain.” He sniffs haughtily. “After a bright flash of light in the darkness, spots might dance in your vision even though the sparks are gone, yes? That is what your souls look like to me—shadows lit from within. An illusion of what once was. And they’re flowing into each other. Souls don’t merge in that way unless they’re meant to. Unless fate allows it.”
“Then you must let us be together.” Good news.
Perhaps Vaeront will see reason for once and make a rational decision that doesn’t directly benefit him. If he could allow Hannah and me to be a family here, I think we could find our own version of happiness.
“You haven’t completed the bond.” He says it like a statement, because of course he can tell.
“No, but we will. The bond will pull us in. You know that.”
