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That being said, those kinds of abilities were gifted to a race of wielders that I had only ever read about. And I was still relatively susceptible to the impact of a physical weapon, like a broadsword, especially in my fae form.
“Did Zurie say what kind of hybrid he was?”
He was clearly part fae, but…
She hesitated for a moment before chuckling.“Human.”
“What?”
She shifted to look up at me, rolling her eyes. “I know, right.”
Silence hung heavy between us for several moments. My throat wanted to close up and suffocate me just so I didn’t have to suffer the reality of who this male was to her. The words came out like razor blades lacerating my throat.
“Congratulations, by the way…”
Still facing the creek, Mareina’s eyes shut briefly as her features tensed.
“Malekai… I…”
“Mareina… It’s ok. Really. I am genuinely happy that you found yoursoulbound.Honestly. Iwantyou to have that kind of happiness… But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t hoped it would be with me.”
After several moments, I thought she might not respond, but finally, she turned to face me. Watery emotion glistened in her eyes.
“I love you, Malekai…So fucking much.For years, I thought about what could be between us… I have always wanted us to have somethingmore,desperately,but I am fucking terrified that the love and friendship we have would be destroyed by it. You are all that I have… AndeverythingI want. I can’t imagine a world without you. Ineedyou here with me like I need fucking air in my lungs.”
My heart thundered in my chest as it swelled to bursting.
“Mareina… There isnothingyou can do to drive me away. There is noeventthat could take place that would ever make me want to leave you. You could literally shift into some demon that crawled around on all fours, hissing, spitting, snarling, and incapable of forming intelligible sentences, and I’d just be like… ‘Well… I suppose a leash and a muzzle might be useful for when I have to take her out for walks.’”
Mareina gifted me one of those rare, unrestrained smiles as she burst into a laugh. The action finally caused her tears to tip over the edge and spill down her cheeks. My own grin bloomed as I bathed in her laughter, and her smile felt like water on parched soil. As her laughter settled, I nuzzled away each tear with the tip of my nose and licked the saltiness from her rosy cheeks. The scent of her arousal blossomed in the air, filling my nostrils. My grip on her tightened with need.
My conscience lurched, reminding me that she was now bound to another male, but I promptly set it ablaze, willing that it burn to ash... Yet I found myself pulling away slightly regardless.
Mareina stared up at me, lips parted and breath held as if she wanted to say something more. I couldfeelthat she had more to say but finally settled on a shake of her head, seeming to think better of it, and heaved a tremendous sigh. “I fucking love you, Malekai."
Holding her tightly against me, as always, gave me the feeling that the weight of the world had finally lifted a little, and I could breathe again.
“I fucking loveyou,tessari mú. In this realm and the next.”
Mareina's tears spilt as she gave me another wobbly smile. She exhaled a shuddering breath.
“There are a few other things that I wanna talk to you about, actually…”
I pulled back to catch her expression. Dread sank its talons into me.
“Don't worry, it's nothing bad," she quickly reassured, "I just..."
Mareina tortured that delicious bottom lip as she studied me, hesitating to say whatever she needed to get out. It took everything within me not to steal it from her. To not take that lip between my own teeth before caressing it with my tongue.
I thumbed her cheek, trying to encourage her.
"Whatever it is, Mareina, so long as I breathe, I will be here for you..."
Her throat worked, heaving a sigh and shaking her head.
"There are few things, one of which... Well, now would be a terrible time to discuss it... But as for the rest, whatever is happening, it's bigger than just Zurie… I don’t know where this all leads… Other than taking her throne, but--
I reared back in shock… He was hersoulbound…Of course, she would take the throne beside him and become Queen…
