Thorn nodded. “Of course.”
“So, Frayla was right. She is your mate.”
“Who’s Frayla?”
“Our cousin,” Birch said. “She’s been a Wren fan for a while now.”
“I actually did hear about her.” I wrung my hands together.
A loud cackle boomed from behind a tree. “Have you now?” A petite ice fae came out from behind one of the trees with a smirk plastered on her lips. She had the same blue eyes as Thorn, but short blue hair like a pixie. “I came to collect your brother.”
“Thank the Fates,” Thorn muttered.
“Hey!” Birch pouted.
Frayla walked up to me and grabbed one of my hands. “I’m Frayla, and I’m your cousin now, too.”
I smiled at the warmth she gave off. “Hi, Frayla. I’m Wren.”
“Oh, I know.” She winked. “I’m so happy the matebond snapped in place for you guys. You know, he was losing hope.”
I turned toward Thorn. “You hoped it would?”
He smirked, pulling me away from Frayla and into his arms. “Of course I did.”
”Is she coming to the festival next month?” she asked.
“What festival?”
“It’s a festival of Winter. The Ice Kingdom celebrates winter’s end in Kalista. I didn’t want the festival to take place this year, though.” Thorn scowled at his brother.
He shrugged. “There’s no need to cancel our celebration just because Kalista is at war.”
“We’re at war too, brother,” Thorn growled.
Birch avoided his gaze with a frown. “Don’t you think I know that? But… last year went fine.”
“You know the reason we have to have it.” Frayla frowned. “The Earth and Wind Kingdoms will be there.”
“And the Fire Kingdom will be pissed. I’m surprised they didn’t show last year,” Thorn muttered.
“You’ll be a wonderful king,” Frayla told him before flicking her eyes toward the crystal in my hand. “Oh, you’re taking one of the crystals?” Frayla lifted a perfectly blue brow, and we nodded.
“Yeah, it’s for her other mate.” Thorn relaxed at the subject change. “He’s obsessed with gemstones.”
“Alister really is obsessed with them.” My heart warmed at the thought of his reaction once we gave him the crystal.
“Other mate?” Birch asked.
“I’m a fox shifter, so I actually have more than one mate.” Pride flooded me at the thought of my mates. Not long ago, I had been ashamed of that fact, but there was no way I could feel shame for bonding with the other parts of my soul.
“How many do you have?”
My face heated. “I’ve bonded with five of them, but I have seven.”
He blinked. “So you all just share her or do you, like, get with each other too?”
My lips parted in shock as Thorn shot more ice spikes at his brother.
