Aerin may not have given her magic butthis, this is everything. Reyna leaves the bathroom to find all four of them staring at her.
“When do we leave? For Valtara?”
Aerin smiles at her. “Oh this is going to be so fun.”
At the same time, Khortland answers her question. “Tomorrow.”
57
KHORTLAND
Khortland leaves Reyna at the Eastern gates in her Human form. She complained profusely about having to shed the Fae-form, even to make the trip back to her settlement to pack her bags.
Everyone says Humans are inferior to Fae, but Khortland never considered Reyna a part of this. She’s his equal, smarter than him, fiercer, braver, more empathetic. Reyna’s everything Khortland wishes he was, and he doesn’t deserve her. He certainly doesn’t deserve to be blood-bound to her.
His mind strokes down the bond out of habit. Reyna is humming on the other side, her fingers hovering over the locket as she makes her way to her settlement outside of the walls.
[Pay attention to your surroundings.]
Reyna startles before smirking.
[I was just thinking about how I can’t wait to fuck you tonight, in my Fae form. I can’t wait to feel your cock inside of me. It’s going to be incredible.]
[Gods, Rey.]Khortland adjusts his pants. She laughs in response, arriving at the outskirts of her settlement. He’s never been there physically, but he’s been through the blood-bondenough times to know Reyna’s exact cottage. It’s a single room, hardly bigger than the apartment. She shares it with two other Humans.
[I’ll see you soon.]He strokes down the bond fondly before closing the door to Reyna’s head. She’ll meet him back at the gates in an hour. He will have her things taken back to the Royal Village before they meet Aerin and her entourage at a club for one last tabloid blast before leaving Zeneith.
They’ll make it seem like they’re havingsomuch fun they want to keep the party going in Valtara. They will have to sell it, but Aerin is a supreme actress.
As his Paramyr, it’s something they have in common, all that pretending. There is a reason Paramyrs are so rare, Paramyr-bonds even more so. By nature, mirrored souls are contentious things.
Sometimes when Khortland looks at Aerin, he sees someone enchanting, someone he reveres so highly his world circles around her, like she is his sun. Other times, he looks at Aerin and hates her so deeply it makes his bones hurt, hates the traits he sees of himself reflecting back at him.
Khortland slips into the Royal Village, exchanging words with a few guards to find his father, in his study of course. When Khortland knocks, it takes Vitus Hale a long time to open the door.
Looking at Vitus Hale is like looking into a dark reflection. A nightmare where the thing that stares back is identical to you, yet evil. Of all his sons, Khortland, unfortunately, looks the most like his father. Even if he takes after him the least.
“What have you come to bother me with this time?” Vitus asks, turning away and going to the map in the corner. Khortland shuts the door behind him after stepping inside. Vitus picks up a glass of amber liquid, continuing to stare down at the map.
“I came to request permission to leave with Princess Tolvare tomorrow, to travel to Valtara. She extended an invitation to show me around her City-State and I would like to go,” Khortland tries.
Vitus looks over his shoulder at his son with contempt on his face. “Speak candidly with me boy,” he orders.
Khortland sheds the pretenses and reaches inside of himself for the careless version. The version his father loves to hate. He shrugs in response, moving towards the bar cart.
“What do you want me to say, Father? We are having fun, we want to keep having fun.” Khortland is flippant as he pours himself a glass of the alcohol.
“You mean you want to keep snorting those drugs, stumbling out of clubs in the middle of the night, and fucking your Paramyr,” Vitus says with venom in his voice.
Khortland looks at his father, who’s looking down at the map again.
“Of course I do; she’s a great lay.” Khortland tells the lie carefully before adding “And what use am I here anyways?”
“Absolutely no use at all,” Vitus grumbles.
“Exactly, so I don’t see the problem,” Khortland says, dropping into one of the chairs in front of the roaring hearth.
Vitus finally turns to look at him, disdain in his eyes. “Aerin Tolvare is a dangerous creature. Do not let yourself fall for her wiles, boy,” Vitus warns. Khortland does his best not to grind his teeth at his father’s condescension. “You are a Hale, and we are strong. The strongest of our kind. We command the creatures around us. We control them. And you will find a way to control Aerin Tolvare. You will not become part of her collection; you will not be likethem. You are her Paramyr, her equal, not her trophy. You would do well to keep this in mind. Do you understand me?”
