“Even if they don’t have magic of their own?”
“Especially if they don’t. Nothing to block or overcome.”
“Got it. So how does this relate to gargoyles bonding?”
“You’ve seen how I’m able to get some of my magic back when you and I… interact?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I heard a story once, a long time ago, where an aging mage mated with a wolf shifter and not only were his youth and powers restored, they were more powerful than they’d ever been.” A sexy smile spreads across his lips. “So, if you and I were to bond, I imagine I’d be able to get all of my magic back, and then some.”
I nod, soaking in his words. Rune wants to bond with me just to get his magic back? That’s a lot to consider.
“Bonding is for life, Rune. If it even works, we’ll be tied to each other for eternity.”
He nods, his expression determined. “It’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
“Okay, but if what I was told is true, the bonding ritual doesn’t work unless I’m actually fated to my chosen mate.”
Rune looks more concerned now as his teeth graze his bottom lip. “How do you even know if you’re fated to someone?”
I shrug. “There are signs.”
He scoots closer. “What I’m hearing is there’s a chance it won’t work if we’re not fated, which, obviously, we’re probably not, but there’s a chance we could be, and it would work. Is that right?”
I shift uneasily. “Yes, that’s right.” I wrap my hand around his wrist. “But what you’re not hearing is the important part. Ifit does work, we’re bonded for eternity. As long as I breathe, you breathe.”
“But that would mean…” He glances ahead for a moment before returning his gaze to me. “If it works, it means we’re fated mates?”
“According to the stories I’ve been told.”
“What’s so bad about that?” The words seem to startle them as he speaks them, but then he hardens his expression stubbornly and waits for me to respond.
It takes me several seconds to wrap my head around the question.
“Um, we hardly know each other,” I finally manage to come up with. “I work for a demon and live in the underworld,” I add. “And as far as I can tell, you don’t exactly adore my company… or anyone’s, for that matter.”
There, that has to be plenty of good reasons for him to realize that it’s a batshit fucking insane idea. Right?
Rune tilts his head, chewing on his bottom lip again before he stands and paces the small room. “I don’t hate your company. You’re better than most people I’ve met, anyway. That’s a step.”
“Oh, well, gee, I stand corrected. We should absolutely tie ourselves to each other for eternity since you don’t completely hate me.”
Rune smiles, walking back to me and scooting onto the cramped cot. “Atlas, this might be my only shot at getting us out of here. Eventually, my captor is going to escalate. I seriously doubt they plan to keep me in this room forever.” He touches my hand. “If something happens to me, you’ll be stuck.”
I nod, understanding the perilous situation we’re in. He’s right, his captor is likely to do something eventually that could compromise his abilities or even his life.
I’d heard the rumors off and on for centuries. The older gargoyles would talk about the days when we thrived, when thenight skies were filled with my kind, spreading our wings and soaring freely. They told of times when we were so plentiful we lived in regional clusters and it was easy to find our fated mates.
But those days are long gone. I’ve gone decades at a time without seeing another gargoyle, much less finding a mate. Choosing one outside of my species isn’t unheard of, but it’s certainly not common.
“I promise I won’t even bother you,” Rune says. “We can totally go our separate ways.”
“That’s the problem, Rune. Once we’re bonded, any extended absence from each other will feel like torture until we’re together again. You’ll feel it too.”
He frowns, nodding slowly. “I understand. It’s risky, but again, I don’t see an option. If it doesn’t work, I’m not sure what I’ll do to get us out of here, but if there’s a chance it could work…” He shrugs. “We should take it.”
I don’t say anything. I can’t. I haven’t actually thought about having a mate since it seemed so unlikely, but if I had, it wouldn’t have been like this. It would have been love and a mutual desire for commitment and spending our lives together. Not a means to an end.
