As I stand here contemplating how easy the oath is, the other species leaders take turns addressing their people, breaking previous oaths and making the new one. The atmosphere of thearena lightens with every new oath. It’s like all the people here can finally breathe, and it’s beautiful.
I knew Gael would change the world. I never had a moment of doubt, and the world he’s made is a wonder.
The Day Gael Returned Home
Gael
Fated Mates
I close my eyes, rubbing the itch behind my lids. It’s been days since I’ve slept, because it’s impossible to lose myself to oblivion with the ache of starvation. I’m exhausted, but I figured out my grandfather’s system, and since I don’t live here, I’ve packed up all the things I need to take with me, assuming that the people vote to keep me as their species leader. The votes are still coming in, and I’m being kept out of the loop until all the votes are counted. Every mare in the world has a vote if they want to cast it, and if they don’t want me, they can nominate someone of their own choosing. I have to get a majority vote, otherwise all the nominees will be presented to the species, and another vote will take place.
I don’t think I’ll be surprised by the results if they elect to keep me or not. Either way, my clan has voted to keep me as the clan leader, which means that I will eventually have to move back here, but that can wait until Sin graduates. He should have submitted his thesis by now. I hope he’s?—
No, I can’t think about him. If I do, the hunger becomes unbearable.
“Go home. You’re starving, Go back to that man you love so much and eat, for god’s sake.”
I startle at the bark in my mother’s voice, and I look up from where I’m leaning against my grandfather’s car. My father is with her along with my grandmother. They all have varying shades of concern etched on their faces.
“I don’t know why you insist on starving when Sin isn’t with you, but you can’t lead our people like this,” my mother continues, and I hold up a hand to stay her irritation.
“If I could eat, I would. I swear,” I promise. “I’ve tried, but my body rejects any energy I try to consume. And it isn’t just Sin, Mother. I can eat Phineas as well.”
“Oh, you didn’t mention that your body was rejecting other people’s energy,” my grandmother interjects, interrupting my mother getting into a huff about my pickiness.
“I’ve never been able to eat anyone’s energy unless it was mixed with Sin’s,” I confess softly. “Not until I met Phineas.”
My grandmother hums, tutting softly. “You know that I’m the archivist for our people. You should have come to me when you realized you were rejecting energy. Did you know that our people used to have fated mates? Not everyone, but about a third of the mare found fated mates among the other species. It kept our bloodlines diverse, you know. When a mare finds their fated mate, they aren't able to consume the energy of any other person. They reject everyone else’s energy.”
I huff a laugh, smiling at this wonderful information. “So it’s not that I’m a picky eater?”
My grandmother shoots a glare at my mother. “No, love. It’s that you found your fated mate when you were five. One of them, anyway.”
“Holy hell, I need to go home. I’m taking Grandpa’s car. Is that ok?” I ask even though as his heir I get all the assets of the clan leader.
“Of course,” she agrees, shooing me away.
My mother makes a frustrated noise and gestures to my father, who kisses her cheek and steps up. “Son, let me drive. You’re too much of a mess to drive yourself.”
It’s an eight hour drive, and the idea of getting back to my men is such a relief, the hunger releases the vice grip on me and sleepiness actually makes me yawn. “Yes, ok. Maybe I’ll be able to sleep on the way.”
My father pats my back, and shoots my mother a significant look. She huffs, crossing her arms and then clicks her tongue. “I suppose I should offer you an apology for trying to get you to give Sin up.”
“I suppose you should,” my grandmother agrees, “especially since I’ve told you about fated mates since you were a child.”
My mother waves a dismissive hand. “I thought you were making that up.” She turns her frown at me. “I’m sorry that I didn’t recognize that Sin was your fated mate, but you were five and obviously that would never have occurred to me.”
I shake my head at her. I know this woman loves me in her own way, but that’s as close to an admission that she could have been wrong as I’m ever going to get. “Thank you, Mother. I’ll be back with my mates after Sin graduates. Please buy me an appropriate house. Phineas is seven feet tall, so take that into account when you’re sending me virtual tours.”
She smiles at that assignment and nods. “You know I’ll find you the best place.” She gives me a brief hug and busses my cheek.
I hand my father the keys and climb into the passenger seat, leaning it back as far as is comfortable. The rumble of the road lulls me to sleep before we even get out of Clan Laurel territory.
Present Day
Phineas
After the rituals with the new oath, an unplanned party breaks out among the species. It includes a lot of intermingling, music and dancing, more drinking than is probably wise, and so much showing off of magical species abilities. My mates and I shuffle around the chaos as Gael talks to everyone he possibly can, Sin is asked a multitude of questions, and I thankfully fade into the background. This is a lot more peopling than I want to do, but I’m here to support my mates, and I’m damn good at it.
