But that might not be enough for them not to involve him.
* * * *
TAMSIN HAD NO IDEAwhy the others were saying that this was a normal magical signature.He could feel the Vila, but there was more to it.Their magical signature wasn’t the same as it would be if the Vila had been there themselves.He’d seen many of those kinds of magical signatures, and they were different.
Why was he the only one to see that?
“We only know of one Vila working with Parrish, right?”Gary asked.
“As far as we know, yes,” Tamsin confirmed.“His mate is a Vila.”
“And we’re assuming they’re bonded?”
“I really don’t think that Parrish would keep her around if they weren’t bonded.”He was probably using their bond to control her.It was horrifying, but definitely something Parrish would do.
Gary and Anita exchanged a glance.Tamsin wanted to ask them what was going on, but he knew they’d tell him when they were ready.He just didn’t like that he had to wait for them to be.
“Parrish and his mate are probably bonded,” Anita said.“And you bonded with your mate, who is also a Kudlak.”
Tamsin told himself not to go on the defensive right away.So far, Anita hadn’t said anything that wasn’t true.“I am,” he confirmed.He wasn’t ashamed of that.He knew that some people wondered why he’d gone through with it, and he didn’t care.They could wonder all they wanted.He was bonded with his mate because he wanted to be.That was all anyone needed to know.
“And from what Dermot told us, you agreed to bond with him to find out what happens when Vila bond with Kudlaks,” Gary added.
“That’s not what happened,” Tamsin said.“I would have bonded with Nic even without this.I don’t need an excuse to bond with him.”
Gary raised his hands.“That’s not what I was saying.I’m sure you wanted to bond with your mate, and that this is just a bonus.We do need to find out what happens when Vila bond with Kudlaks, and I think that maybe this is part of it.You’re clearly able to feel things that none of us can.To us, this is a normal magical signature.If I had to guess, I’d say that the Vila was here themselves.”
Tamsin shook his head.“But they weren’t.Their magical signature isn’t the same as it would be if they had been.”
“So maybe you can feel something different.Maybe you can feel this Vila magic through her bond with a Kudlak.”
Tamsin took a moment to think about that.Was it possible?He supposed it was.They had almost zero information about Vila and Kudlak relationships and bonds.He felt that something was off about this magical signature, but apparently, he was the only one, just like he was the only one here bonded to a Kudlak.
He turned to look at Nic, who was hovering slightly behind him, looking around.There wasn’t much to see, just trees and more trees, and the way he stood alone made Tamsin’s heart hurt.He understood why people were wary of Nic and why they kept their distance, but it hurt him to see Nic so isolated.Even though they were bonded, they couldn’t be each other’s entire lives.It wouldn’t be fair to either of them.Besides, Nic deserved more.He deserved a full life, to have friends and people who cared about him and who wouldn’t treat him like a monster.
He might have worked with Parrish, but he wasn’t him.He’d been forced into it, just like Parrish’s mate was being forced into whatever she was doing.It wasn’t fair to hold it against them.Tamsin couldn’t force anyone to accept his mate, but he could ask his friends to try.He didn’t know what they’d say, but it was worth a try.“I know none of you trust him,” he said, leaning closer to Gary.He didn’t want Nic to hear.“And I don’t blame you for that.I would like it if you gave him a chance, though.”
Este frowned.“He’s a Kudlak.”
“He’s also my mate.”
“I’m sorry about that, but it doesn’t change what he is.It also doesn’t change what he did.”Este’s expression told Tamsin she meant what she said.
“He’s your mate,” Gary said.“As far as I’m concerned, that’s enough for me to give him a chance.You wouldn’t have agreed to bond with him if you didn’t believe he’s a good person.”
“He agreed to bond with his mate because it could help us,” Este said.
“That’s not why I did it,” Tamsin told her.“No one would have forced me to bond with him if I didn’t want to.Rowan and Clay were clear about that.I bonded with Nic because I wanted to.I don’t care what he is.”
“Do you care about what he did?”
“He saved the village.He warned us that Parrish was coming.He was ready to sacrifice himself to save Devon and his mate.Isn’t that enough for you?”
“Parrish wouldn’t have attacked us if it weren’t for him.”
Tamsin snorted.“Of course he would have.What kind of information do you think Nic got from Devon?It’s not like Devon is a Vila or knows details about the security of the village.He might have been the easiest person to befriend for Nic, but I doubt Nic got much from him.You just don’t want to give Nic a chance because he’s a Kudlak.At least be honest about that.”
“Kudlaks don’t belong with us.They don’t belong in the village,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
