Page 103 of Elemental Fae Academy: Book Three

It hurt to repeat, to relive the memory, but Claire needed to know. I had to tell her everything I could. To help her understand why her element terrified me.

I cleared my throat, pushing the emotion down into my chest, where it festered and burned. “She… she told me she was thankful,” I managed to say, my voice hoarse. “She was thankful it was finally her time to die. Because she knew it wouldn’t hurt anymore. And she’d be with my mother again. Her only regret was leaving me.”

To live a lonely existence while always wondering why it all happened.

What I did to deserve such a cruel fate.

“Sometimes I think I received the worst punishment of all,” I whispered. “Because I survived. Because I had to bury them both in the earth. And live on. Without them.” My history was the reason Aflora meant so much to me. She was there through it all, living the agony at my side.

She was possibly the only one who understood.

Until Claire.

“Oh, Sol,” my mate said now, her arms encircling my neck and pulling me up onto the bed to join her. She didn’t cry or cast pity my way, two things I was grateful for. Instead, she curled into me and gave me her strength, her spirit caressing mine in a kiss of life.

We lay like that for what might have been hours.

Me lost to the memories of my past.

Claire soothing my fractured soul.

I relaxed into our embrace, feeling closer to her than ever before, with my hand drifting up and down her bare side. Content, I realized. I’m truly content.

Because she was mine.

And I was hers.

Not officially, though. Not quite.

“I know I’ve not been the best mate,” I started, deciding that might be the understatement of the century. “Trusting Exos and Cyrus will never come easily to me. But deep down, I know they’re not evil. I know they’d never do this to a person out of spite. It’s just the mere idea that they could that unnerves me. And you possess the same ability.”

“I do,” she murmured, her fingers tracing patterns into my shirt as she rested her head against my shoulder. “But the thought of harming another in that way sickens me, Sol. I would never do it. And certainly not to you.”

“I know.” I tightened my hold around her, squeezing her. “I know, Claire.”

“Cyrus and Exos wouldn’t either.”

“I know that, too. But whenever I feel spirit energy in use, it… it makes me ill. Because all I remember is how it was used against me in a way I can’t recall. All I hear are my sister’s dying words. All I see are my mother’s gaunt features and her lips trying to form one final smile.” I closed my eyes against the pain. “I don’t know if it will ever go away.”

“How did you feel when my spirit touched yours?” she asked softly, peeking up at me. “Did that hurt you?”

I shook my head. “No. It felt…” I searched my brain for the right words. “Soothing. Good. Natural.”

She studied me for a long moment, then propped herself up on my chest. “Then maybe that’s what you need to heal. I would never wish to replace your memories, but we could add new ones, positive ones, that you can draw upon whenever you feel spirit in use.”

Her soul kissed mine with her statement, whether on purpose or not, I wasn’t sure. But I felt her presence there, the warmth of her nearness and acceptance, her calming energy surrounding mine. It elicited a shiver from d

eep within, the ease with which she accessed my soul both unnerving and sensual. A conflict of interest that would likely take years to fix. However, her idea held merit.

“I would be willing to try,” I said, my voice much softer than it’d ever been before. “But only with you.” Exos and Cyrus meant well, something I understood on a fundamental level, but the notion of allowing them access to my soul had all my walls flaring.

Still, I could admit that I owed both of them an apology.

Especially Cyrus.

My comments earlier were unfounded and unfair. I knew he had no choice but to mate Claire. Was thankful he’d done it to save her life. And it was very clear to me that she didn’t regret it at all. Even if I didn’t understand her attraction to the royal prick.

Her lips curled, amusement flashing in her eyes. “I can feel your animosity toward Cyrus. He’s not that bad, you know.”

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