Page 48 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
Meeting Maseo had gone better than Kizoshi had expected. All the pieces were falling into place.
She found Auslin on the veranda of his chambers, a book open in his lap as he basked in the afternoon sunlight. The garden below was in full bloom, bursting with colors that reflected in the small pond at its center. Hibiki lay curled at his feet, his purple flames rippling with each breath.
Auslin startled when she sat next to him. “What a pleasant surprise!”
“The best revelations arrive unannounced.” She glanced at the book he had been reading. “Healing techniques for battlefield injuries? Planning ahead, I see.”
“I’m happy to see you as a friend,” Auslin said, his voice softening. “But I can’t help worrying about what it means when the War Power herself arrives at our doorstep while Nasume is making evil plans.”
Kizoshi studied him, noting the shadows under his eyes and the tension in his shoulders. “Speaking of Nasume, I encountered Maseo on my way to see you.”
The change in Auslin was subtle but unmistakable. “What did you think of him?”
“That he is far too kind to be the son of such a cruel beast. How do you feel about him?”
Auslin set his book aside and looked down at the pond, as if the answer to some inner question might hide in the ripples. “It’s complicated.”
“Most things worth unraveling usually are.”
His brow furrowed. “I don’t understand my reaction to him.”
“Is it that you do not understand, or do you not want to understand?” The distinction mattered.
Rather than answering, Auslin pivoted. “I’m worried about his safety. I know it doesn’t make sense, given our history, but I want to protect him.”
Kizoshi’s gaze softened. “Your heart has a remarkable capacity for love. One of the many gifts your healing powers bestowed upon you is being able to reach those who have closed themselves off from believing they deserve affection.”
Auslin frowned, struggling to articulate his concerns. “I keep having strange thoughts about him and Kitsuki together, and I don’t know what to make of them.”
“Perhaps you need to accept it rather than explain it.”
Auslin gave her a suspicious look. “You know something.”
A smile played on her lips. “I know many things.”
“About Maseo specifically. About these confusing feelings I’m having.”
“Hearts recognize what minds often cannot comprehend.” She studied his face. “Tell me, when you envision Maseo’s happiness, what do you see?”
Auslin was silent for a long moment. “Him being safe. Loved. Not having to fight for scraps of affection.” He paused, color rising in his cheeks. “Sometimes I picture him with us, which makes no sense because that’s not how mating bonds work.”
“Are you so certain of the rules that govern the heart?”
“The trinity bond is a legend in fairy tales,” Auslin said, but his voice lacked conviction. “I find it hard to believe when I’m not a full Power and neither Maseo nor myself are fully human. It wouldn’t work for us.”
“Legends often carry more truth than history books.” Kizoshi’s expression grew thoughtful. “What troubles you more? The possibility that such a bond could exist or that you might want it to?”
Auslin’s hands clenched in his lap. “I love Kitsuki. That hasn’t changed. But when I think about Maseo leaving Valzerna alone to find his own path elsewhere, I feel like I can’t breathe.” He shook his head. “It feels wrong.”
“And what does your mate think of these feelings?”
“We’re both too afraid to discuss it.”
“Perhaps you should trust what you both feel rather than what you think you should.”
Auslin looked away. “It doesn’t matter if Maseo doesn’t feel the same way.”
“Do you believe he does not?”
