“So what, some creature saw me on the street and decided I’d make a good breeding partner?” My voice rose, and I forced myself to take a calming breath.
“It’s more complex than that. The algorithm still has to confirm compatibility on multiple levels. No match proceeds without mutual resonance.” She leaned forward. “What I can tell you is that your match is a hellhound. High-ranking within his clan.”
“A hellhound,” I repeated flatly. I’d heard stories about them. Massive canine beings with burning eyes and molten cores. Guardians of volcanic realms.
“From the Firelands,” she confirmed. “They’re one of the most loyal species in the registry. Once bonded, a hellhound neverstrays from his mate. They’re protective, devoted, and...” she paused. “Intense.”
“Intense how?”
“They run hot, in every sense of the word. Physically, emotionally.” She smiled slightly. “They’re also excellent providers and fierce defenders. In these uncertain times, that’s no small thing.”
I processed this information, trying to imagine what my life would be like bonded to a creature of fire and shadow. “Why me? What made him request me specifically?”
Counselor Patel’s expression softened. “That’s something you’ll need to ask him directly. But I can tell you this—hellhounds don’t make such requests lightly. They’re deeply instinctual creatures. If he’s chosen you, there’s a powerful reason.”
I wasn’t sure if that was comforting or terrifying.
“What happens now?”
“Now, we begin your acclimation period. Seventy-two hours of preparation before your hellhound arrives through the portal.” She stood, smoothing her impeccable suit. “We’ll start with your orientation brief. You’ll learn everything you need to know about his species, customs, and the bonding process.”
I nodded, numb. Three days to prepare for a life bound to a creature I’d never met, who for some unfathomable reason had specifically chosen me.
“One question,” I said as she led me toward the door. “Does he have a name?”
“Solantus,” she replied. “His name is Solantus.”
The name settled like an ember in my mind. Hot and glowing, impossible to ignore.
I squared my shoulders and followed Counselor Patel into the hall. Whatever came next, I would face it as I’d faced everything since the war—with grim determination and an unwavering will to survive.
two
TAMSIN
Counselor Patel led me through a labyrinth of sterile corridors to a room marked “Orientation Suite 5.” Inside, the clinical whites and blues of the reception area gave way to warm amber lighting and comfortable furnishings. The walls were lined with interactive screens, and a central holographic display sat dormant in the middle of the room.
I settled into one of the plush chairs, my fingers tracing nervous patterns on the armrests. This was where I’d learn what sort of creature I’d be spending the rest of my life with. The thought made my stomach clench.
“Tea?” Counselor Patel gestured to a sleek automated beverage station.
“Something stronger would be better,” I muttered.
She laughed softly. “That comes after the orientation. Trust me, you’ll want a clear head for this information.”
I accepted the steaming cup she offered, more to have something to do with my hands than from any desire to drink it. “So. Hellhounds.”
“Yes.” She tapped a sequence on her tablet, and the holographic display hummed to life. A three-dimensional landscape materialized—jagged mountains, rivers of molten lava, obsidian plains under a crimson sky. “This is the Firelands, Solantus’s home realm.”
The image rotated slowly, revealing the harsh beauty of a world forged in flame. Despite myself, I was captivated by its alien magnificence.
“The Firelands exist in a dimensional pocket adjacent to what was once called the Pacific Ring of Fire,” Counselor Patel explained. “Their realm connects to ours at volcanic hotspots. Before the Accord, hellhounds occasionally crossed over at these junctures, giving rise to myths about guardians of the underworld.”
“And Solantus? What’s his role there?”
“He’s a volcanic guardian—one of their highest castes.” Another tap, and the image shifted to show a towering obsidian fortress built into the side of a mountain. “He protects the main gateway between our worlds, ensuring stability and preventing unauthorized passage.”
I raised an eyebrow. “So he’s basically border patrol?”
