My body stiffened as if waiting for a blow. Zypher’s arm shifted so his large hand could rub soothing patterns across my back. “What does that mean for me, though? The story Miles showed me about Starcallers wasn’t exactly great.”
Zypher’s lips pinched into a thin line, and a muscle ticked in his jaw before he relaxed. “I fear that is the case, Dilectus. Tinu nall are said to only rise during times of great need. They’re meant to restore balance to the realms.”
“But things seem fine here,” I protested. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Things have not been right in this realm since the Dreadgrave line betrayed demon kind, Dilectus. Though the situation is much more dire than we believed for you to be a Starcaller.” His free hand reached across his lap and took mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We will uncover the truth together. You are not alone in this, Dilectus. You never were.”
I let his words settle into my mind, mingling with Geordie’s insistence that I claim my “mates.” Everything I’d learned about myself since arriving at the academy seemed to pointtoward having a full Vinculum, as Zypher called it. Except I only knew who two of my mates were—the male beside me offering comfort and support, and the cruel vampire who seemed to derive pleasure from hurting me.
Sensing my overwhelm, Zypher motioned to my textbooks. “How fares our group project in my absence?”
I huffed out a laugh. “Not great. I’ve been working on research on my own for the most part. The only time Vallynn deigns to speak to me, even about the project, is during class when we’re split off into our groups. I’ll be glad when we’re done, so I don’t have to deal with that stuck-up fae.”
Amusement twinkled in Zypher’s eyes, the corner of his mouth tilting up in a smirk. “Why don’t we take a break? I seem to recall I still owe you a date. It is nearing dinner time, and it seems as though you could use a distraction.”
Before I could argue, he was tugging me to my feet and leading me out of the dorm. I followed, confused but curious, as he led me toward Daemonium House. He gestured for me to wait once we reached the door to his dorm, slipping inside and returning shortly after with a picnic basket in hand. His free hand slipped into mine, the warmth spreading from my palm to my entire body and led me back out into the fading daylight. We wound our way across campus under the streaks of pink and gold sky until we reached a secluded garden behind one of the ancient stone halls.
Zypher released my hand and pulled a thick blanket from the basket, spreading it across a patch of grass with care. Something like fireflies blinked to life in the growing dusk, adding a faint enchantment to the air as he produced an assortment of food. Soft rolls, sliced fruits—both familiar and unfamiliar to me—and savory meats were placed around the blanket along with a bottle of something that seemed to shimmer like liquid starlight.
“Our date is a picnic?” I asked, a giggle threatening to burst free despite the weight of our earlier conversation.
Zypher’s eyes widened. “Is this not a proper courting ritualin the human realm?”
I rushed to where he knelt on the blanket, arranging the dishes, and placed my palms on his cheeks. “No, this is perfect. I was just surprised. Nobody has ever put this much thought into a date with me before… not that I really date much in the human realm or anything. I mean, I’m not inexperienced, I just—”
“You’re rambling, Dilectus,” he chuckled, shifting one of my hands to place a chaste kiss on my palm.
“Sorry,” I grimaced before turning my attention to the picnic. “This is amazing, really.”
Zypher pulled my other hand away from his face before tugging me down to sit beside him. “Then I am pleased. Shall we eat?”
I nodded, shifting to get more comfortable while Zypher filled a plate he’d pulled out of the basket with a little of everything. He handed it to me before producing a goblet and pouring a generous amount of liquid. I sniffed it cautiously before taking a small sip. Sweet warmth slid down my throat, leaving a faint tingle on my tongue, almost like it truly was starlight bottled for mortals to taste.
“Careful,” Zypher warned, his smirk returning. “That has been known to make humans a little… light-headed.”
I threw my head back with a laugh before narrowing my eyes at him playfully. “Are you trying to get me drunk?”
He leaned closer, his gaze dropping to my lips for a brief moment before flicking back up. “I would never need to do such a thing, Dilectus.”
Heat crept up my chest and into my face, my stomach somersaulting. He was teasing me, the same way he had that first day when I’d asked about his horns. Only this time, I was certain I wanted him. I wanted the bond between us and everything it meant. Zypher pulled away with a soft chuckle, turning his attention to filling his own plate and goblet.
I ate slowly, savoring both the familiar and unusual flavors, but it wasn’t the food that kept stealing my attention. Everytime Zypher moved—whether to pour another glass, brush the crumbs from his fingers, or shift closer—the space between us seemed to thrum with life. His presence was overwhelming, not just because of how much larger he was than me, but in the way goosebumps pricked along my skin when he looked at me.
“You’ve gone quiet, Dilectus,” he observed after a stretch of silence, tilting his head in a way that made him look both curious and dangerous. “Are you not enjoying the food?”
“No, I love it,” the words came out in a rush, my cheeks flushing pink. “I was just… thinking.”
“Of?” he prompted, his voice a low purr as he leaned toward me.
Heat burned my already flushed cheeks, but I forced myself to hold his gaze. My tongue flitted out to wet my lips. “Us, the bond.” I forced myself to answer honestly.
The corner of his mouth curved, and he reached out, brushing his knuckles across my jaw. The feather-light touch sent a jolt through me. “Would you care to share those thoughts with me?”
My breath caught, but I nodded. “I was thinking that I want it. The bond. I know I fought against it, but I was wrong. I want this, I want you,” the words tumbled out of me, raw and unpolished.
Zypher stilled, his hand lingering against my cheek as his eyes darkened. For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. His chest rose and fell sharply, and the conflict radiating from him seemed to saturate the air around us. He’d been so certain from the beginning that his sudden hesitation caused me to pull back.
“Do… do you not want that anymore?” I asked, casting my eyes to the ground and picking at the food on my plate. “I can’t say I blame you if what you found out from your family is true. I’m not sure I’d want to tie myself to someone with so many complications either.”
