My gaze drifted down past his chest, past his belt. I shook my head hard.
Snap out of it, you hornball. This is important.
"So how does someone become a Knight?" I asked.
"You do not become one," he said. "You are chosen at birth. Our clerics perform a ritual on every newborn. Either you are a Knight—or you are not. Those chosen spend their childhood training."
"That sounds… intense."
"It is," he said, opening another door. "And it is the greatest honor our people can earn. Not all survive the training. Those who do face one final test."
The room beyond was a residential bay—modest living spaces arranged around a communal area. In the center, a teacher read to a group of children, the words of the story glowing in the air as each page turned. A small boy laughed at something, his brown eyes bright with wonder.
"What's the final test?" I asked.
"It measures compatibility with the tether."
"The tether,” I said.
He nodded. "The tether is a sacred bond all Zorathi Knights must join. It connects us to our lifemates. Strengthens us. Completes us."
Something clicked.
Torvyn—the morality.
Vaelix—the mind.
Kaedren—the shield.
Lyrin—the heart.
"That's why the four of you react together," I said slowly. "Your bond is mental and physical."
"Yes. The four of us were bonded when we passed the test. But no tether is complete at four. We require a fifth—someone who brings the whole together."
My chest tightened. "Is that why you saved me?"
"I saved you because you needed saving."
So much for feeling special.
"But," he added, "the Zorathi have an old saying: That which you seek will always find you."
I snorted. "I wasn't looking for you. I was looking for my next paycheck."
"Perhaps," he said. "Or perhaps you were looking for us without knowing it."
"What would that even look like?" I asked. "What is tethering?"
Torvyn stopped and faced me fully.
"The tether is everything," he said. "When Vaelix is injured, I feel his pain. When Kaedren stands guard, his vigilance becomes mine. When Lyrin laughs—" His expression softened. "I feel joy even when I have no reason for it." He met my eyes. "Beginning and end. Life and death. The transformation from one to many—for all eternity."
"That's a lot to dump on someone you haven't even taken on a real first date," I said. "What if I like my oneness? I've spent my entire adult life focused on research. Emotional attachment was a liability. Either your theories are right, or they are wrong, and you definitely don't letanyone close enough to steal from you. To hurt you." I forced a smile. "Give me a book and a cat, and I'm happy. I definitely don't need four alien knights tied to my hip."
"No invitation has been extended."
"Good. Because I'm perfectly fine on my own."
