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“We can ask Oz,” I replied, pulling on my boots. “If anyone knows the history of Elven mates, it would be him.”
She grinned. “That’s a relief. It wasn’t a conversation I was ready to have with Haemir yet.”
I laughed. “Thank you for that. He’s only just decided not to kill me.”
“Well, we can’t have him changing his mind about that, now can we?” She kissed me and I chuckled, following her twitching hips as we made our way back to the camp.
The dense woods gradually gave way to the open grounds where our army had made camp. The low hum of conversations and the rustle of activity greeted us as we entered.
A few soldiers saluted as we passed, eying Kael. I understood why; before her transition, she was beautiful, but now that she’d ascended, she was radiant in a way that made it hardnotto look at her. Her features were the same, but a light seemed to emanate from her, drawing me like a moth to a flame. I’d thought it was our mating, but every male seemed to notice her on our return. A low growl began in my chest, and I glared at the males whose gazes lingered too long.
She looked back at me, a question in her gaze, and I shrugged, tugging her closer. If I’d thought I’d been possessive before, it was nothing compared to this. We reached my cousin’s tent, and I paused outside.
“Oz,” I called out. “Are you there?”
“Theron? One second.” He came out and I could sense the smirk on Oz’s face before I even met his gaze. “Back so soon?”
Kael rolled her eyes. “Oh, shut up.”
Oz chuckled, raising an eyebrow in appreciation. “Congratulations on your Ascension, Kael.” Then his stare became more serious, resting on both of us. “But why is my tent your first stop back in the camp?”
“We want to understand the concept of... being mates.”
Oz’s eyes flew open. “What?” He shook his head in wonder. “Are you sure? We haven’t had mates in centuries.”
Kael nodded.“Yes. We can feel something binding us together.”
“Incredible,” Oz breathed. He gestured again towards his tent and we entered, two steps behind him as he led the way inside. “The bond must have snapped into place after her transition. The old stories always said adulthood, but I didn’t realize that meant...” He trailed off, looking around his tent as if realizing it didn’t have the books he needed.
I sat down and Kael slid into my lap as if loathe to be parted. I understood. The need to have her close was overwhelming.
Oz settled himself on a nearby chair, looking every bit the educator. “No matter. Matehood has been revered since Atar and Thanja’s mating, before he’d even created the elves.” He paused, cleaning his glasses on his shirt. “Atar was a proud god. Many human women sought his favor, but his eyes were set on Thanja.”
Kael snorted, interrupting. “Of course he was. A bit like someone we know—too prideful for his own good.” She threw a teasing glance at me, and I laughed.
Shaking his head, Oz continued. “Despite Atar’s grand gestures, crafting magnificent mountains and jewelry in his forge to woo her, Thanja remained unimpressed. She saw through his arrogance and wasn’t swayed by his feats of power.”
Kael leaned in, intrigued by the tale.
“But things took a turn when Thanja found Atar in the depths of the Hollow mountains,” Oz said. “There he was, in his human form, not creating mountain ranges or forging swords, but tenderly caring for the small, overlooked creatures of the caves.”
Kael’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Let me guess, she expected him to be chasing after some majestic beast to show her what a mighty hunter he was?”
Oz shot her a pleased grin, a teacher proud of his student. “Precisely. She questioned him, wondering why he, a being of such power and stature, would concern himself with creatures so seemingly insignificant.”
“What did he say?” I asked. I’d heard the rough version of this story as a child, but I hadn’t heard it since.
Oz’s voice softened, a note of reverence entering his tone. “He told her that these creatures were beings of darkness, just like him. And that they needed his care, because he understood their plight, being abandoned—alluding to Ydonja’s departure to the stars.” Oz clarified. “He said he knew what it was like to long for the light. It was a side of Atar, raw and vulnerable, that he’d never shown to anyone before.”
A knot formed in my throat. I knew that feeling all too well.
“It was that moment of honesty,” Oz continued, “that moved Thanja. “She wove a bridge between their hearts, an eternal connection ensuring that Atar would never be alone in his darkness. And thus, mates were born.”
“Beautiful,” Kael breathed, looking up at me.
Oz nodded. “According to the legends, that’s why Fae and Elves look so similar. Atar modeled us after her Fae to give us more chances for finding our mates.”
“Huh. I guess that makes sense why only descendants of Atar and Thanja have pointed ears. Vetia must have taken after her parents.” I ran a hand down Kael’s arm before asking. “Do you know anything about the mating process? Is there a specific ceremony?”
