“Tonight, I’d like to try something new.I’d like all the humans who love water, swimming, or seafood, and would be happy bonding a water blessed—along with being able to breathe underwater through their magic—to move down in front of the platform near the river bed.”
Of course the chatter starts immediately.
“Can you all listen to me for just a moment before you start asking questions?”
I notice that Azar—he’s changed forms again—has moved up behind me, lending me his authority.That’s a relief.“Thanks,” I whisper.
He inclines his head.
“If you’ve always had a connection with the earth, with plants or hiking, with metals or stone, or if you just like the look of the earth blessed, if you could move on the opposite side of the platform, around the back, I’ll have the earth blessed start to gather there.”
The blessed are reacting too, already moving to the areas I mentioned.I look back at Azar, rolling my eyes.In some ways, the blessed are more childlike than the humans.
“And finally, if you’ve always loved storms, lightning, or the wind in your face, and if you don’t mind tempers that change as often as the weather in Texas, then if you could move to the far end of this courtyard, I’ll have the darting, diving, strike blessed congregate in that area.”
Not all of us are temperamental,Asteria grumbles behind me.
I laugh.“That’s true, but most of you are.And with as blinged and beautiful as the strike blessed are, I thought you should come with a warning.”
Azar snorts.Then where’s your warning?
I spin around.“That’s rude.”
And also true.Asteria’s smiling.
“What would you choose?”Coral asks.At first I think she’s asking me, but then I realize she’s looking at Jade.
“Strike blessed,” Jade says, “if I could pick without Liz’s head exploding.”
“I don’t want any of them.”Coral looks around the gathering with a smug look.
“Excuse me?”I lift my eyebrows.“You must be kidding.I feel like you’d bond immediately if you could.”
Coral scoffs.“If I can’t bond a flame blessed, I don’t want to bond a blessed at all.”
Of course.She’s a little spitfire.
Azar hasn’t chosen a bonded yet,Asteria says.But she’s looking at me.
I have wondered who he’ll choose—I’m assuming that even with dual affinities, he’ll have to bond someone.I know he won’t pick me.I’ve been here all along, and he still hasn’t said a word other than asking me if I would rebond him.I can’t even push him for it, not knowing where I’m sure to be headed again.When one of those skulls disappeared after I went into the volcano...I’m not sure I’d ever really bond him again if he asked.
Losing your bond over and over...I can’t think of much that would be worse.He’s suffered enough for me already.
In spite of her bold position, Coral watches eagerly as the humans chat with blessed, and then we all smile and coo as those conversations turn into bonds.Jade’s just as fascinated, and each time, when a newly bonded couple leaves, it makes me smile.
Each of these bonds were chosen, and that makes all the difference.
A few moments later, the joy I’m feeling is interrupted in a big way.
“You have to,” Sammy says.
I won’t.Gordon straightens up, which is strange for him.His top parts rise up like a, well, like a serpent.He’s so high up that Sammy can’t really see him to try and stare him down anymore.
He’s such a big personality for such a small person.“I’ll never talk to you again if you don’t.”
When I step closer, I realize this isn’t like their usual lighthearted banter.
I can’t.Gordon’s head sinks a little, and his body coils tighter.I’ve tried.I even went and talked to a few humans last time, but I can’t bond any of them.
