Page 86 of Of Wind and Terror

I lower my forehead to his chest and allow the sobs to claim me. My body shakes from the force of them.

Blaze holds me through my breakdown. Stroking my hair. Murmuring sweet words in my ear. Assuring me that I’ll be okay.

When I finally pull away, I don’t feel any better. If anything, I feel worse than when I began.

I shouldn’t have felt so safe and secure in Blaze’s arms. The fact that I did only lends credence to Mitchia’s previous claim.

Anger curls through my veins like flames, and I use the back of my hand to wipe the remaining tears away. Blaze is still speaking to me, his voice soft and husky, but I cut him off in mid-sentence.

“Tell me the truth,” I demand, my hand motions jerky. “No more lies.”

“Okay?” He frowns.

“Are you my mate?” I pause at the distinct sensation of eyes on my back.

The air I breathe turns stale and sticky. I can practically feel their gazes on my body like physical caresses.

I turn over my shoulder to address Aleksander and Treyton as well, both awake and watching me with an astute sort of intensity. “Are you all my mates?”

32

KASSANDRA

For a long moment, no one answers me, and my patience begins to fray like centuries-old rope.

“Don’t you dare lie to me. Tell me the truth. Now!” I clap my hands together as anger rushes through me like magma.

Treyton quietly translates my request to Aleksander, who doesn’t look away from my face. I study each of their reactions carefully, knowing that I’ll get a surprising amount of insight from simply watching.

Treyton appears guilty, his eyes lowered, while Aleksander stares at me in contemplation. Blaze, behind me, has gone perfectly rigid. When I glance at him over my shoulder, I see that his features are set in an impassive mask.

It’s Aleksander who speaks, his words ripping apart the fabric of my reality.

“Yes. We’re your mates.”

The air whooshes out of me. I suddenly feel lightheaded, as if my brain isn’t getting nearly enough oxygen. Dark freckles dance across my vision.

“We were going to tell you…” Blaze rasps out.

His arms are still around me, but where his embrace once felt comforting, it now feels like a prison. I tap at his wrist repeatedly, indicating for him to let go, and he does so with a reluctant sigh.

I scramble away from him and then position myself so my back is against a tree and all three males are in front of me.

Treyton’s pink eyebrows bunch together. “I promise you, Kassandra. We were going to tell you. Maybe not when we first met you, but after we got to know you…”

He agitatedly runs his fingers through his hair, causing the strands to stick straight up.

“I didn’t know that we were all your mates until just recently.” Blaze scowls and folds his arms over his chest. “I didn’t want to believe it. Still don’t.”

Aleksander waves a hand in the air like he’s a school child waiting to get called upon. “I suspected for a while!” He smiles cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to the anger emitting from me in palpable waves. “But I’m the most smart, smartest elf that ever smarted.”

Aleksander’s attempt at levity does very little to lighten the mood. If anything, the metaphorical storm cloud hovering over us all darkens even further, the promise of rain imminent.

“Why don’t I feel this so-called bond?” I demand. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

Maybe they want me to think they’re my mates to use my powers. After all, most females would be more willing to help someone if they think they’re fated to be in love.

Yet…

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