Page 33 of Ascension
Despite telling me to relax, he looks stressed. He seemed excited to find his mate, yet I saw him in passing last night, and he hadn’t mentioned anything. Meanwhile, the first words I uttered when seeing him were that I found my mate.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” I ask contemplatively, taking note of his behavior.
“Like I said, things change when you find your mate.” A small, exhausted smile playing on his lips. “I spent yesterday trying to prepare her the best I could. Without telling her so much that I overwhelm her. I only told Mateo this morning since I needed him to look out at the orientation.”
“He seriously went?” I guffaw, surprised Mateo would leave his room for anything less than a battle. The God of War never seemed very interested in demigods’ wellbeing before. Adrian simply nods, taking another sip of his whiskey in thought.
“Where is that old softy now?” My amusement grows, I would be fully taking advantage of this rare opportunity. Teasing the ill-tempered God of War is one of Adrian and my favorite pastimes.
“He has a meeting with the other majors. He should be gone a few days, at least. Be careful brother, you know he’s more on edge than normal these days. He seemed even more distressed this evening,” Adrian cautions, swirling his drink around absent-mindedly and tipping his head back to take the last swig. The familiar term he uses causes my chest to swell. Although we may not be related by blood, the four of us have stuck together through thick and thin. Our brotherly bond has been there for as long as I can remember.
“I guess it’s a good thing I’m God of Healing.” Having healed more people than I could count after brawls with Mateo. Although, any adversary he faces stands no real chance at defeating him.
Adrian huffs out a dry chuckle, mind elsewhere when he rises, placing his glass down.
“I’d pay to see someone take him down a peg one day. As unlikely as that may be.” Shaking his head ruefully, most likely remembering all the times Mateo handed him his ass, he adds, “Let me know if you’re able to find anything.” He walks to the door, not waiting for an answer.
“Where are you off to?” Blinking at the abrupt departure, I move from the couch. Tilting my head in confusion, I watch him reach for the door.
“To see my mate, of course.” He looks at me sideways, his tone incredulous. A mischievous glint lights his eyes as his lips quirk up slyly.
My chest grows heavy at his admission. I roll my shoulders, releasing the tension, reminding myself of his words. I understand what the mate pull is. I recognized the foreign sensation the moment she turned the corner, almost passing me by in her haste. I have waited millennia to find her. While she has only been alive for twenty years, her life experiences are short. She will need more time, and I’m willing to give that to her. We have an abundance of it, after all.
“I wouldn’t let Max know yet,” he throws over his shoulder, letting loose a heavy sigh. Max, our fourth brother, has always struggled with the nature of his powers. Not once searching for his mate throughout the millennia of our existence. Not wanting our brother to feel as though he can’t come to us for help, or make him feel alone now that we have these new connections. I give him an understanding nod, a knot forming in my stomach at the thought of keeping such a monumental change in our lives from him, but I know it’s for the best.
With that, he steps through the threshold, closing the door behind him. The echo of the massive bronze door closing reverberates through the room with a finality, closing me in on my own, my racing thoughts my only company.
My eyes land on my briefcase, lying haphazardly by the door where I dropped it. I scoop it up, pulling open the door and closing it shut behind me. The silence of the empty rooms is too daunting for me to handle just yet.
Inhaling deeply, I strengthen my resolve, deciding to start my research now. Keeping myself busy would be much more constructive than sitting alone, dwelling on my thoughts. As Adrian said, it will take time. No amount of impatience will do anything to change that fact.
I dissipate back to my office at the library, and hope briefly lifts me as I click the deadbolt out of place. Swinging the door open, that hope crashes when my eyes land upon the seat where she last was, now sitting vacant.
Pushing my disappointment aside, I move through the stacks, searching for whichever books I can find to help Adrian. The opportunity to research this topic excites me. My thirst for knowledge acts as a soothing balm to my soul and I’m relieved to have something else to focus on to calm my overactive mind.