Page 55 of Sky of Thorns

“Aye, and you ken we were coming to find you two.” Nero interjects. “I told ye—“

“That wasn’t the plan!” Kela responds sharply, pointing her dagger at him. “The plan was you would meet me and the unicorn alone and help escort her to the camp.”

“Aye, Kela, and plans change.” Nero grumbles as he crosses his arms across his chest.

“Does he even know?” She lifts an eyebrow at him pointing her dagger back at me.

“Do I know that my best friend for a century has kept his half-shifter life a secret from me?” I quirk a brow in amusement. Kela and Sybil’s eyes widen with shock, clearly not expecting me to know the whole story. I laugh, just to spite them–well Kela, at least. “We’ve moved past that, and have made our amends. Now—please, would you stop pointing that dagger around before someone gets hurt?”

“You hate shifters.” Kela accuses, still pointing that dagger open in the air, and to my dismay, it’s pointing at me. “Your whole family hates shifters and wants nothing but to steal our powers and send us to work in the mines.” When I begin to protest, Sybil steps in, narrowing her eyes at me.

“She is not wrong,” Sybil says, confrontationally. I open my mouth to protest again, but Sybil almost sneers at me. “Don’t deny it,Prince.It’s a mercy that I actually survived this kidnapping let alone what the Queen did to me. What you let her do to me. You have always made itabundantly clearwhat exactly you think of me, and what you think of shifters, no matter how many times I proved you wrong,“ her voice catches and she drops her gaze to the ground. I glance at Nero quickly, and the expression on his face only seems to tell me,Easy there, Aramis, you arse. Be. Careful.

“I–” the words caught in my throat. How do I explain the sordid history, and the way that Sybil has quickly captivated me and haunted my every moment? How do I tell her I was falling for her so fast on that trip from her small village to Shadowvale that I didn’t know it was happening? How do I tell her that I have no excuse for how I behaved but that I will spend whatever is left of this lifetime winning her trust back? I exhale slowly. I don’t need to tell her everything–yet. I steady myself as I make myself focus on Sybil. She’s been in my dreams, upsetting the very foundation I stand on.

She’s my mate.

I exhale once more, and when Sybil finally locks eyes with mine, I tell her just a little of the story. “I did–I mean, I have hated shifters since the night they murdered my mother.” Sybil’s eyes widen, but it encourages me to go on. I clear my throat and begin again. “I know now, that I have let that anger color my judgment of your people–of you–before having the chance to truly know them, and–to know you.”

She stands watching me and it takes everything not to cross the space between us and crush her to me.

“I’m sorry. I know I’ve done you a disservice–as well as all shifters of Shadowvale.” I continue, expecting bile to rise in my throat, only to discover that I feel a keen sense of relief, sharing this aloud–at last. “I cannot expect you to forgive me, but I hope you will allow me to get to know you. I just want a chance to mend this rift that I created. I am sorry, Sybil. For all my mistakes, my fear, my ignorance. I have been a fool. I should have ripped those fucking bars off of that cell and carried you out myself. You are the reason I stand here today with eyes wide open. You never gave up on me so I will not give up on you. There will only ever be you, since the moment I laid eyes on you.”

Sybil casts dubious eyes on me and I wait patiently for her reply. My heart beats wildly as though it will burst from my chest of its own accord. What will I do if she denies my olive branch? If she denies me forgiveness, there is no opportunity to right my wrongdoings.

The silence that hangs between us is my undoing, and I unravel falling to my knees before her, desperate for her to understand everything that’s happened in the weeks that have passed. “Goddess–Sybil,” I plead, thankless in my begging. “Say something.” I take a deep breath, like a man awaiting his death sentence and let my eyes tell everything I am not ready to say out loud.

“Aramis.” My name is a breath on her lips. Sybil pauses, gathering her own thoughts. My name on her lips is a cocktail of lavender and honey. I close my eyes and hang my head, anticipating her rejection and the very undoing of my soul. It is eternity waiting on bated breath before the cool pads of her fingers trail along my throat, followed by a warm tingle of magic. “We cannot choose the life we are born into, but we can rise up to overcome our prejudices. Without bearing great sorrows and burdens, greatness goes unnoticed.”

Opening my eyes, I stare in wonder at her hazel ones peering mere inches into my own. I’ve laid my soul at her feet and she hasn’t stomped it out of existence. I exhale with relief.

I’m sorry.I tell Sybil with my eyes.I’m so sorry I hurt you and put you in this terrible situation.The only consolation I have now is that I can begin the work of fixing all of my mistakes and become the man she deserves.

Kela clears her throat behind us and Sybil shakes her head as if waking from a dream. I watch as she slowly backs away from me, curling a lock of hair around her finger absentmindedly. Exhaling quietly I meet Nero’s glance who lifts his chin up in acknowledgement and praise.

“While this moment of clarity is truly inspiring,” Kela says with mocking patience, “We can’t just sit here all day.” She turns to Nero, flipping her daggers in the air again until she points it once more in my direction.Goddess, she really has to stop it.“He’s your problem. The elders are not going to like this, draken.”

“The elders will just have to deal with it–” Nero interjects with a pointed look in my direction but interrupts himself when Kela’s eyes take on a faraway look. “Kela. Kela!” Kela’s body relaxes, then sways side to side. I have seen that look hundreds of times before.She’s having a vision.

We remain silent during the long minutes that pass before Kela’s eyes open and immediately glance from me to Sybil. Her body trembles before she lifts a hand to her forehead and falls to her knees.

“What is it?” Sybil asks, rushing forward. “What did you see?” She grabs her face between her hands.

Kela’s eyes slowly focus on her and then glance back to Nero and I.

“I saw the queen. There was a male with her, I’ve never been able to see him before.” Her hands tremble as she braces herself on Sybil’s arm. When she is composed, Kela stares accusingly at me. “He told the queen that you were hunting the unicorn, not for her, but for yourself. He told her that you want her power for your own purposes,” she growls.

Fuck! “Kieran.” I growl under my breath. “That no good son of a bitch.”

Does Kieran know about the mating bond?

Kela looks at me disbelievingly and sneers, “Kieran. The queen’sseer. They tell no lies–we tell no lies.”

“Itisa lie!“ My teeth grind together, heat rising up my neck. I turn pleading eyes to Sybil. “It’s not true–I swear. You’ve met that slimy two-faced deceitful ass and know him for what he is. You have to…”

“He must have seen our plans to come find you, but not take you back, then twisted his vision.” Nero interjects, always the diplomat—always the peacemaker. “He’s always trying to find ways to worm into her good graces from the day he set foot in the palace. I’m surprised he’s not warming her bedsheets already.”

I watch emotions play across Sybil’s face. She’s been so quiet and contemplative.

---