Page 46 of Lethal Souls
I huff a laugh. “It does sound pretty crazy when you lay it out like that.”
There’s a gentle knock at the door moments later, and Sylvie appears with a chrome tray in her hands. “Tea for the Lady Monarch of Blackwater?”
I smile and sit up a bit as she enters the room and places the tray on the stand next to my bed. She pours two cups of steaming tea before stepping back. “I melted Luxor ice and used it for the water. It has properties that calm the body and settle the stomach. There is also a hint of verdeberry for flavor.”
Hearing her say verdeberry immediately reminds me of Decius…well, back when he was Manx and Alexi was simply a barman under his spell.
So much has changed since then. It’s insane how quickly life happens here.
“Thank you, Sylvie,” I murmur.
“Of course. And in case you want a treat, I slipped some cream biscuits beneath the napkin.”
I smile, raising the napkin and spotting the round biscuits.
“You’re way too nice to be working in a terrible place like this.”
“I keep my head down and my words limited.” She smiles back. “Besides, if I didn’t work here, I never would’ve met such an inspirational woman like you. It’s my pleasure to serve you.”
With a quick bow, she leaves the room, shutting the door behind her.
I pick up my tea, taking in the familiar flavor of the verdeberry. Killian eyes me before picking up the extra cup and taking hefty sips.
“Speaking of being attached to someone else,” I say, cupping the teacup in my hand. “On Armistice Night I saw you running off with Hannie Keery. Last I checked, you two hated each other.”
Killian pauses as he brings the rim of the cup to his mouth. “We’re not supposed to like each other.”
I don’t know how to interpret that, and judging by the way he diverts his gaze and takes bigger sips, it’s clear he doesn’t want to speak on this subject.
I wave a hand. “We don’t have to talk about it.”
The room falls silent, both of us sipping, the flames on the floating candles crackling.
“As crazy as what you and Caz have, sometimes I envy it,” Killian says after some time.
“Why?” I ask, a little surprised.
“Because there is no competition to be had. No need to worry about finding the right one. It’s instant, what you two have. You’re bound by history and fate. You knew each other before even meeting one another.” Killian runs a hand over his bald head, his frown slowly slipping away. “Ordinary people in Vakeeli can bond and mate too. Not sure if you’re aware of that.”
“Yeah. I believe I’ve heard that before.”
“It’s not as powerful as a Tether. We can’t feel each other from a distance, or hear each other’s thoughts, but we can feel the connection. The moment we find our mate, a bond is created and there’s this feeling I can’t quite explain. It’s like the heart swells, your blood pumps faster, and all you want is to claim that person. To hold them and keep them close. To…be inside them all the fucking time.”
I can’t help giggling, even as Killian blushes and purposely avoids my eyes. “Is that what you feel with Hannie?”
He nods, cutting a glance at me. “As soon as I saw her, I knew it. She was the one for me. And she knew it too. I could tell she felt it when we were in that club. The way she sized me up and made her little jokes was merely her deflecting what she felt when we locked eyes.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Because women like Hannie don’t like to be bound. Women like her live freely, especially when they possess the kind of power she does.”
“Oh.”
“What we have—well, what we had…it’s complicated. Doesn’t matter how much I want her or how much she wants me, we can’t be together. She’s been born into a family that’s like royalty, you get it? And with a status like that, the heirs don’t get to decide their futures.
“After that party where Juniper took it upon herself to start a fucking blood bath with the Rippies in Iron Class, Hannie’s and Tomán’s family started feuding. Both families are Gilded, and the Gilded are rare, so in order to end the feud, they made an agreement.” Killian sighs, placing his teacup on the tray with a gentle clink.
“What was the agreement?” I ask.