My fingers tapped on my forehead. “And you didn’t bother to tell me?”
“I wanted it to be a natural acceptance. For you to awaken on your own, no matter how long it took, instead of forcing the issue.” He stared at me pointedly. “You weren’t ready for it, either, with what that bastard did with my face.”
“And how might the awakening have happened naturally?”
“Extreme emotion.” His head cocked. “It almost happened in here that day I spied on you, didn’t it?” His gaze was watchful. “I felt the stirring inside you. It pulled at me.”
“If you’re talking about,” I rubbed at my chest again, the feeling odd, “the fury and the tiger bit, that would a yes.” My own gaze was watchful. “When did you…awaken? Because you’ve done the tiger thing before.”
His lips twitched. “The night we were in the kitchen.”
I thought that through, realizing he was saying it had happened for him when he was turned on. “Then awakening and,” I fluttered a hand, “the connecting, or whatever that just was, are two separate occurrences?”
“They can be, but it’s only ever triggered by the One to the Chosen, or vice versa. Once the second individual awakens, the connection between the two is instantaneous. I imagine the reason why there wasn’t sound erupting from you when you did awaken is because of the comatose state you were in.”
I nodded once, agreeing with this since I had felt it. “While I was trapped inside my own body, you said I’m your other half. Exactly what does that mean? And what is the Chosen?”
“Other half, means exactly that. We fit. Perfectly. Your strengths and weakness offset my strengths and weaknesses. And mine offset yours. Body and mind and heart and soul, we are one when we are together.” His head tilted at the others in the room. “As for what being the Chosen means, I cannot explain it with others listening.”
Spirit secrets.
I moved on for now. “We’re bound. I can feel that. How closely related to mates is that to what we are?”
“We run parallel. Not on the same line, but very similar. The simple point being, you are mine, and I am yours by the magic gifted to us, just like mates, but,” his smile was small, “as where spirit Elementals are always concerned, it is a choice in the end.”
I blinked slowly. “We don’t have to accept this binding?”
He shook his head. “The binding is irreversible. You are the Chosen by birth, just as I am the One by birth. Our fates are always meant to be as one. We will forever be bound because we belong together, but whether we are…is our choice.”
I was pretty sure I heard King Collins quiet exhalation as he squeezed my shoulder, but I kept my expression blank, exalted I had a damn choice in this matter, the still effective arousal making sense, but I still needed more information. “If you had the Primal Diamond for so long, then why didn’t you try to use it periodically to find the Chosen…me?” If I mattered that damn much, then why hadn’t he tried to find me sooner?
He actually chuckled quietly, the tone a quiet timbre. “I actually did and failed many times, even knowing the Chosen is not revealed until,” his head teetered in thought, “well, the Chosen is revealed through Tristan.” White brows lifted a bit. “And not soon after he apparently did this, my Primal Diamond was stolen.”
“My diamond,” I mumbled, now understanding the magic that is Tristan, the One’s Lance, not unlike a Vizoac, had found me…just as he had revealed the One many years ago. I cleared my throat. “So Tristan’s mine, just as much as he’s yours?”
Leric choked on a chuckle, eyeing me with amusement. “Is Isolde also mine?”
“Not the same.” I sniffed down my nose at him, daring him to argue with me, and wisely, he stayed silent, but his silver eyes continued to sparkle with mirth. “Does this mean I get one of those fancy diamond thrones?”
Not able to contain himself, his head fell back, a throaty laugh echoed throughout the room, his shoulders shaking merrily.
“Shut up.” I covered my feet that had come untucked, trying to ignore the fact his laughter was really nice. “I am a woman. And a spirit Elemental. The two go hand-in-hand for diamonds.”
Still chuckling, silver eyes dipped back to mine, and he stated quietly, “Yes, you are definitely those two things.” And…there was enough heat in his gaze and his words to melt the damn diamond throne I was imagining for myself.
My tiny finger waggled out of the blanket. “Enough of that,”
“For now.”
I cleared my throat pointedly. “Anyway…” I blinked, remembering how most of the spirits had eyed me inside the Temple, and my lips curved a bit cruelly. “Actually, I do want that diamond throne, but mixed with black onyx and pink sapphires.”
Again, his lips trembled, and he rested his arms behind him, sitting easily as he drawled lazily, “I can imagine their faces now.”
I snickered, and it sounded damn evil. “The Upper Families will faint dead.”
Deadpanned. “And that would be a terrible shame.”
We both chuckled a bit at that, but when King Collins cleared his throat quietly, a gentle reminder to stay on task, I quickly steered back from the realm of retribution, and asked, “Will being the Chosen take time away from my current, and soon to be, duties?”
