Page 41 of Chev's Mate

Chev always looks giddy around me.

“Silas will be our chaperone tonight,” he says, gesturing behind him.

The fate stands beside my golf cart, his shoulder leaning against it as he watches Chev and me interact. I wonder what he thinks when he sees us. Does Chev talk about me to them? I’m not sure how I feel about that thought. I don’t enjoy being a topic of discussion, but I can’t lie and say the idea of Chev bragging about me to his friends doesn’t make my blood warm.

Unless he’s saying bad things.

Silas’s gaze is unnerving. Only a fate could look at somebody with such intensity. I turn back toward Chev.

“Silas doesn’t like me much,” he says. “But he’s agreed to teleport us to the lava pits. The best ones are far from here, so we won’t be able to travel by vehicle.”

I don’t love teleporting. It’s how Aziel brought me to Wrath, and it made me nauseous. Plus, I’ve heard horror stories about demons getting trapped in the in-between, and I’m sure the odds of that are increased when they’re bringing others. Chev is large and probably hard to teleport.

Silas is said to be a strong demon, though, and I doubt Chev would let him teleport us if he didn’t think the demon was capable. Charlie jokes that her males are older than dirt, and while I know she’s being sarcastic, a small part of me wonders just how much truth there is to her statement.

How old is Chev?

“I read that nymphs have affinities to nature,” Chev says, drawing my attention.

Can he tell how distracted I am?

“We do,” I confirm.

“What do they feel like?”

I suck on my teeth, unsure how to describe how affinities feel. It’s like asking somebody how to explain what a color looks like. It just is.

“It’s hard to explain,” I admit. “I can connect with nature and feel the life force that emanates from it.”

Chev hums. “Do you have one toward lava?”

I’ve never been asked about my affinities before, and my cheeks grow warm as Chev voices his questions. His interest is flattering, and I wish I had better answers. I don’t know much about myself, and there are significant gaps of information I never learned.

The nymph lands were almost entirely destroyed when the Seekers came and kidnapped the fertile women, and what used to be my home is now a wasteland. Most nymph males chose totake their lives after their mates and children were stolen, and the few who remained are no longer friendly. They’re shells of their former selves.

Both my parents are dead.

Would Chev take me home if I asked? It’s no longer safe, as the area is full of bandits and men in hiding, but I’d love to see it one more time. There’s a chance my childhood home is still standing.

“I’m not sure,” I admit. “I’ve never been around lava before.”

I’ve been meaning to go, but I haven’t found the time. I’ve always wanted to visit the lava pits within Wrath. It’s home to some of the largest ones, and I’ve heard they’re beautiful.

Chev absolutely beams. “Wonderful!”

He’s cute when you get past the fact that he’s a wall of muscle who transforms into a literal bear.

Silas steps onto the porch, and Chev immediately clings to his arm. I hesitate, eyeing the demon, before carefully grabbing his other arm. His stoic expression softens.

“Are you ready?” he asks.

“Yes.”

The world around me vanishes, and my stomach tightens as it materializes again. The stifling air is the first thing I notice, and I swallow past the lump in my throat as I release Silas and plant my hands on my knees.

I most definitely have an affinity for lava. The air feels incredible, its energy vastly different from anything I’ve ever encountered. I’m sure I look like a child in the way I stare wide-eyed at the fields.

Massive pools of magma spread out in every direction for as far as the eye can see. It’s incredible.

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