I nearly choked. This was too surreal. I never thought I would speak to a spirit face-to-face, let alone have a conversation with one about having sex with my fated mate.
"I still don't understand," I admitted.
Animus sighed in exasperation and dragged his clawed hand down his face. "This was easier last time… Don't you mortals all speak to each other?"
"Huh?"
Animus crossed his arms. "How much do you know about your fated mate and his family?"
I knew he was born of an osprey shifter and a koi shifter, that he had a twin brother, and a slew of cousins from mixed shifter parents. But given our circumstances, dodging the poachers and thinking of an escape plan, it wasn't like we had much time to chat leisurely about them. We were in too much danger.
"Not as much as I'd like to," I admitted.
Animus placed his clawed fingertips to his temple and rubbed, as if this conversation was giving him a headache. "You're aware of who Nautilus is, are you not?"
My posture straightened. "Of course. The great spirit of water."
Did Animus just roll his eyes?
"Yes, that's him," he said. "And are you aware that your fated mate—what did you say his name was?"
"River."
"How original," Animus mumbled under his breath. "Are you aware that River is a descendent of Nautilus? His grandson, in fact."
The news shocked me. I couldn't believe it. I almost thought Animus might be lying to me, but why would anybody lie about this? And Animus was also a spirit. He must have intimate knowledge about this. He had to be telling the truth.
"That's… wow," I breathed.
Animus looked amused but also a little annoyed. He drummed his fingertips along his crossed arm. "Yes, it's all very fascinating. Nautilus and his progeny keep themselves quite busy, apparently."
"But why are you telling me all this? And what does that have to do with saving River?"
The pale ice-like shards of Animus's eyes flicked in the direction of the cabin behind us. After a moment, he said, "I'll be straight with you since I doubt we have time to fool around. I can help you, but I want something in return."
"You said that before. What does that mean?"
"I already told you. I want the magic that results from the union of two fated mates." Animus smirked, as if challenging me. "That is, if you two truly are fated mates."
I bristled angrily, despite my innate respect for him. "We are."
He shrugged. "All right. Then do we have a deal?"
Something about Animus’s manner made me think he'd done this before. Was that what he meant when he asked if all mortals spoke to each other?
"Are you hiding anything from me?" I asked warily. "With all due respect, I don't want to accept your help if it means problems for me and my mate later."
Animus looked pleasantly surprised at my question. He laughed. "Of course I'm hiding something from you. But it's nothing you have to worry about. The magic I take has no use for you anyway. You're not capable of wielding it."
I wanted to know more, but this conversation had gone on long enough. Who knew what was happening to River? My desperate urge to return to my mate’s side was stronger than my curiosity.
"Fine, take whatever magic you like," I said, barely understanding what Animus was talking about.
His mouth split in a pale toothy grin. "Excellent. Thank you, omega."
It was the second time he called me that. I opened my mouth to ask why he kept referring to me that way, but when I looked at where he'd been standing, he was gone.
15
