Page 65 of The Iron Flower

“All right, Gareth.” I sit back and let out a long sigh. “Come by tomorrow night.”

Gareth nods and sits back as well, a troubled look passing over his expression. “Ren,” he says, pausing, “have you found a fastmate yet?”

Where is this coming from?

“Lukas Grey still wants to fast to me,” I tell him and catch his gray-blue eyes tightening with a glimmer of disapproval. I shake my head. “But...I can’t.”

“I imagine your aunt’s not too thrilled about that decision.”

“She doesn’t exactly know yet,” I admit.

Gareth considers this. “They’re going to make us fast by the end of the fifth month. They’re not kidding. Theywillmake us.”

“What about you? Do you have someone?”

Gareth coughs out a bitter laugh. “Who would have me in Gardneria? With my hair?” He hesitates, his expression suddenly bleak. “If the Mage Council has to get involved in my fasting, it will bring down an inquiry into the purity of my bloodline.”

“But, Gareth,” I protest, “you’reGardnerian.”

The line of his mouth tightens. “That’s what my parents say, but...” He sends me a loaded glance. “My bloodlines aren’t pure, Ren. I’m sure of it.”

Concern ripples through me. “So, fasting could be an actual danger for you.”

“Only if it comes down to a forced fasting,” he says. “If it does, I’ll have to get out of the Western Realm.”

My eyes widen at this. “Where would you go?”

“Noi lands.”

I let out a hard breath, my gut clenching in protest at the thought of another person I love trying to get to what seems like the other side of Erthia. “Trystan is trying to find a way to get to Noi lands, as well,” I tell him, my voice catching with emotion.

Gareth’s eyes widen slightly in surprise, followed swiftly by understanding.

“If I can’t get out in time,” he says, “and if you don’t find a partner...” He pauses, looking nervous, then seems to find his resolve again. “We should fast, Ren.” His momentarily determined expression falters as my mouth drops open. “As friends,” he hastily amends.

I stare at him for a long moment, utterly shocked. “Gareth, we can’t fast just...asfriends,” I finally sputter. “You know as well as I do that the next thing the Mage Council will be mandating is the sealing ceremony for everyone of a certain age.”

And the consummation of the sealing union is expected that same night, prompting the fastlines to flow down a couple’s wrists as proof of that consummation.

I drop my forehead into my hands, a blush heating my face. “Could you really be with me in that way?”

I’m not the only one who’s thrown by this conversation. A red flush forms high on Gareth’s cheeks as he looks away, deeply flustered. “I... We’ve known each other for so long. It’s strange to consider...” He takes a deep breath, then meets my eyes, his expression full of sincerity. “Ren, it would be an honor to be fasted to you.”

I’m touched by his words. We’re all being thrown into one impossible situation after another, but would it be so bad to be fasted to one of my closest friends?

Yvan’s face fills my mind, and I struggle to push the beautiful image away, as well as the sharp ache that always accompanies thoughts of him.

You can’t have Yvan,I remind myself. But I can’t fast to Lukas, and I can’t escape the Council’s mandate if I stay in the Western Realm.

Gareth is right—we need to help each other.

“If it comes down to it,” I say, decided, “I’ll fast to you. But let’s try to get you to Noi lands instead.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE SELKIE

The next night, Gareth comes to the North Tower.

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