Arm in arm, we left the sanctuary of the clearing, and teleported back to our real life.
Instead of arriving back at the castle, he had transported us to the base of Valdris. “Feeling up for a walk?”
I was still incredibly sore but I wasn’t about to pass up spending more time alone with him. Anything that would keep us in the bubble of happiness we’d found in the past day, anything that kept the weight of the prophecy and the Veil off my shoulders for just a little while longer. Griff kept my hand in his, and it just felt comfortable and normal. Like we were just a couple out for a walk. For a moment, I could pretend—that it was just him and me, and we had our whole lives together.
Emotions swirled in me, some from me and some I assumed were from him. The bond had twisted us together in many different ways.
“Yes,” he said quietly. “I’m feeling your emotions too.”
“Should we do something about that?”
“You could probably shield me out if you didn’t want me to feel something. But I don’t mind. I like everything that allows me to know you. Besides, you’ll get better at sorting through them. I can block mine off if you’d like.”
I shook my head, concentrating on separating them, quickly realizing our emotions had distinct signatures. Mine swirled like a kaleidoscope of shifting colors while his flowed like a steady river, constant and sure. Once I recognized the difference, separating them became as natural as distinguishing my heartbeat from his. I let out a sigh and felt him echo it, some of the tension leaving his face.
“Before this”—I waved a hand as if that could encompass everything that had happened between us—“every time you touched me, I felt something like lightning under my skin. From that very first day. Did you have that too?”
He squeezed my hand. “I did. I think it was our souls recognizing each other and rejoicing to findits other half.”
I liked that thought. “It seems like it’s lessening now. Or isn’t as startling, at least. More like just a constant fizzle when I’m near you.”
“I feel it too. If I had to guess, it’s because we accepted this. There’s deep magic in doing so. No one entirely understands it.”
We were quiet for several minutes, just enjoying being next to each other, hand in hand, before I spoke again. “Why didn’t you act on it earlier?” I ventured to ask.
“A misguided sense of chivalry?” He was quiet for a long moment, his thumb tracing circles on my hand. “From the moment I saw you, I was lost. One look at you standing in the doorway and every rational thought I’d ever had disappeared.” His voice dropped lower. “I wanted you desperately, all the while knowing I had to keep you safe. You were under my protection, mine to guard, not fuck into oblivion until you forgot even your own name.”
I felt heat rise in my cheeks at his raw honesty.
“I’ve never been a fan of the idea of being forced to be with someone. Fated. Destined. I wanted you to choose me for me, not because some cosmic force had decided we belonged together.”
“Blessed Erde, Griff, I’ve wanted you for months! I thought you didn’t want me!”
His eyes darkened. “Not want you?” He backed me against the nearest wall, his body caging me in. “For all my desires about having a choice in the matter, one look at you and I was gone. I drove myself insane formonthstrying to keep my distance. And failing miserably at it. And then you yelled at me about doing so.”
I remembered that day well. “You should have said something sooner. Acted on it.” I wanted to put the blame fully on his shoulders, but then the look on his face when I’d called usfriendsflashed through my memory. But he had echoed that sentiment to Finn.
“I should have,” he admitted. “If you knew how many times I thought about it… I had a dream where I almost admitted it to you. Back when we were in Maraleth. I came to your room and you were wearing Finn’s shirt.”
I froze in his arms, staring at him. “You told me to take it off.”
His eyes widened, searching my face. “And wear mine instead,” he said slowly.
“You kissed my shoulder first,” I whispered, touching the spot.
“And up your neck,” he breathed, staring at me in amazement.
“It wasn’t a dream…” I said wonderingly.
“I’ve heard whispers of this—mates meeting in the space between waking and sleeping. But I never believed…” He cupped my face gently. “It was everything I wanted. And then you were ripped from my arms and I woke up frantic. I teleported to you without thinking, and found you in the middle of a nightmare. I almost told you then, but I was so relieved to have you in my arms, safe and sound, that I didn’t want to ruin anything. There were so many times I almost told you. But something always got in the way.” He touched his forehead to mine. “Same question.”
“I wanted to,” I admitted, lacing my arms around his neck. “There were some times I wanted to so badly. But I managed to convince myself that if it was what I thought, if we were mates, you would have acted on it. And so I was just a duty to you, just another one of your responsibilities.” I laughed lightly. “I guess we were both waiting for the other.”
“To my eternal shame.” His lips met mine.
I pressed myself against him, craving more of him, craving all of him. This feeling was insanity. I couldn’t get enough. And he seemed to feel exactly the same, as he deepened the kiss, his hands digging into my hips and holding me tightly, so tightly. Eventually, we pulled apart, and he tucked me back into his side as we continued our walk up the mountain.
Talk turned to other, lighter things. Every so often, one of us would pull the other into an alley or courtyard and steal kisses. We were laughing as we approached the end of the path, the large gates open ahead of us. I still hadn’t brought up the one thing we needed to talk about.
