He chuckles, “I know who it is, I have caller ID. How’s your hand doing?”
“Oh, uhh it’s doing better. Much better than expected actually,” I tell him, “But I’m actually calling about something I need your help with.”
“K, shoot.”
From the rustling I hear on the other end, I assume he’s swamped and get right to my question, trying to get it over with, “Have you heard of ummm… soul-bonds?”
“Where did you even hear about that?”That’s a yes, then.
“When Alastor had me, he said something about Caspian and Fritz being mine and-”
“Fuckin’ hunters,” he mutters to himself. “Look, Bel, it’s really not something any of us know much about. We’ve heard whispers of it from the Sanctus’s leaked records, but-”
“Can you please just tell me what the whispers are?” I’m desperate. All I can do when they’re not distracting me is worry that Alastor fed me a load of shit just to make my last moments worse and ensure a lifetime of torture if I did manage to escape.
Eamon groans in frustration, “The gist of it is this, when a soul is sent to Vankhala, it’s split into three pieces and given new life. One of each type of demon.”
“But the souls sent to Vankhala are the worst of the worst, I thought,” I argue.
“That’s one theory. Not that it matters, because the soul is split into it’s basest pieces. It’s hunger is one, it’s bloodthirst another, it’s emotions the last. Everything else is an entirely new being, without the parts of it that made it who it was as a person.”
“And… where does the soul-bond come in?” I’m almost afraid to ask, “And why don’t Caspian or Fritz know this?”
“They might. Butyouhaven’t asked them, have you?” At my silence, he continues, “The soul-bond is a soul that was created for the three. A perfect soulmate, supposedly able to amplify their powers and keep them from being returned to Vankhala. However, the chances of them being found by even one of their soulbonds are astronomically low, much less two. So if you are well and truly in a once in a lifetime situation, and the hunters know that, they’ll stop at nothing to find you.”
Wait.“Does that mean there’s a third running around looking for us? One like… like you?” I ask in revulsion.
His loud chuckle shakes the phone against my cheek, “Somewhere. But trust me, there’s realistically no way you’ll find them, so I wouldn’t bother worrying about it. They may still be in Vankhala, not yet brought into consciousness. And they might never be.”
“So… what do I do?” I mumble to myself.
“You talk to Caspian and Fritz,” he answers as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, “If it’s true that you’re their soul bond, they deserve to know.”
“But-”
“And let me add one last warning,” his tone change startles me, no longer the annoyed man but a stern general, “From my understanding, the Claimingonlyworks on a soul bond. If you’re not it, it could kill you.”
“WHAT?” I shout into the phone before remembering myself and whispering, “No. No way. There’s no way for me to prove I’m this thing. Fritz won’t even like admit that helikesme, much less accept the possibility that I’m made for him. I’m not doing it. I’m just going to live my mortal life and di-”
He quietly laughs, “Okay, calm down. It’s not really an issue because demons don’t usually get… attachments. They don’t fall in love with anyone but their soul bond, so if they care for you, that’s your answer. Now… I’m sorry to have dumped all that on you, but you asked. I gotta go.”
The sudden silence of my phone disconnecting leaves me frozen. I got my answers, didn’t I? But it only left me feeling more empty and lost. If they can’t fall for anyone but their special someone, they’re not really even choosing me. It’s all some predestined bullshit. Not me.
Finally stepping into the shower, I barely even feel the hot water running across my skin as my mind wars with itself.
I have to tell them.
I can’t tell them.
They wouldn’t care. They would want me anyway.
They wouldn’t want me if they had the choice.
They’re everything to me.
Would I keep them even if they weren’t made for me? Obviously, yes.
What of this is real? Any of it?
