Page 27 of Mistress of Hours

Despite her slight panic, hearing him talk about it as it was happening sent a zing of pleasure down Evienne’s spine. “Alright, I am following what you are saying about what ishappening…physically. I still need you to explain,in detail, what you mean by Còmhanam,” Evienne said, trying to remain calm.

“A Còmhanam bond is formed when the two parts of the same soul find each other. It was said that Còmhanam would develop a sense of the other’s emotions, and feel them as their own in heightened moments. A fierce protectiveness and loyalty were also said to be hallmarks of a Còmhanam bond. It’s not a full bond until I…mark you.”

“And you think I am your Còmhanam? And I’m sorry, what do you meanmarkme?” Evienne stared at Orion and saw a blend of concern and wonder in his face, but her questions felt quite urgent. She waited, searching his face, before he finally spoke.

“I’ve been drawn to you since the moment I set eyes on you, and the pull has only increased as I’ve learned more about you. Obviously, the attraction was there from the start, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, wanting to know everything about you. I’ve never been so undone by someone. And the knotting is…something that I didn’t even know was really possible. I don’t have my magic, so by all rights itshouldn’tbe possible. Còmhanam bonds go silent when no magic is present. But yes, Evienne, I can’t deny that I find myself believing the impossible. There are signs I cannot explain away, but more than that, my soul whispers to me that I have found my home with you. At this revelation, I feel peace and joy, and I cannot dismiss that.”

Tears stung Evienne’s eyes at Orion’s earnest confession. How could this be real? Not a week ago, she was wondering if she would be always alone, left with the scars of her broken marriage and a penchant for single night flings.

“As for the marking,” Orion began, “it’s a bite—a claiming. From what I understand, a marking means the pair accepts the Còmhanam bond, and all of the feelings and sensations thatgo along with being bonded become more intense. It is much harder to walk away from a Còmhanam once marked.”

Before she had a chance to respond to him, she felt the pressure lessening where they were still joined. He gently slid himself out of her, and she closed her legs, his release coating her inner thighs. Somehow, she already ached to feel him inside her again.

“Orion, I understand that this is very real for you, and I can’t deny that I have felt the pull toward you that you described,” Evienne began. “I just need a bit of time to sort out my feelings about everything you’ve shared with me. It seems we’re dealing with something that’s been unheard of for centuries. Will you give me a bit of time? Between this and the suspicions you shared with me about the Tuanadair magic, you seem intent on turning my world upside down.” She placed her hand against his heart and stared into his sea green eyes.

He smiled softly at her, taking her hand in his where it rested against his chest. “Of course, please take the time you need. We can figure out what this means together, and regardless of what happens, I am grateful to have shared this night with you, Evienne.”

She returned his smile and nodded. “I am, too.”

•

Eviennedrifted into consciousness feeling safe and warm. Her unsettling dreams hadn’t plagued her sleep, and she felt rested. Minutes drifted by as she soaked in the feeling, gradually becoming aware of her body and her surroundings.

She inhaled sharply when she realized her legs were tangled with someone else’s. She hadn’t slept through the night with anyone since she left Dominique. Suddenly, she rememberedwhere she was, and her eyes shot to Orion’s face, peaceful with sleep in the soft light of dawn.

Evienne relaxed, memories of the night before rushing back. Orion had pulled her close, and she had let him. She wasn’t sure what had come over her; she hadn’t let anyone care for her like this for a long time. She felt she could trust Orion, though. It startled her, but she realized she felt she could be vulnerable in front of him too, and he wouldn’t see it as a weakness.

Despite the calm she had awoken with, all of the information that had been thrust upon her the night before rushed back into her mind, and Evienne’s anxiety rose. She began to slowly, carefully extract herself from her bed where Orion peacefully rested. She managed to free herself and dress quietly enough to avoid disturbing him.

She washed and dressed, barely remembering to slip on her bladed ring before rushing out the door. There was one person she needed to speak with about all of this; someone who she trusted, but that would also set her straight if they thought Evienne was in over her head.

Hestia had been one of Evienne’s first tutors when she began her studies as a Sangviere. She appeared to be in her sixties but suspiciously hadn’t aged a day since Evienne first met her fifteen years prior.

Hestia was no-nonsense, possessed a dry sense of humor, and fiercely loyal to anyone she deemed to be a part of her family. Evienne counted herself lucky to be one of Hestia’s adopted children.

Hestia had challenged Evienne not to rely too heavily on her natural talent, pushing her instead to learn how to study diligently to move herself forward. If not for Hestia’s guidance and unwavering emotional support, Evienne would not be the High Sangviere of Ichorna, she was certain of it.

Evienne knew that Hestia would never betray her confidence,so she felt safe sharing the Beitaran’s true motives for being in Ichorna. Beyond that, she knew Hestia would help her make sense of this Còmhanam business. It wasn’t so much that Evienne didn’t believe Orion; it was just that she didn’t see how it could really be possible or, frankly, what to do about it if it was.

As she walked out of the palace into the quiet streets of the city, Evienne searched her heart. How did she feel at the thought of having one fated for her? A person that was supposedly a perfect match for her damaged soul? She found that the idea, while jarring, was not wholly unwelcome. She had never been as comfortable with someone as she felt with Orion; that feeling of freedom had to mean something, right?

The sun was warming the sky to a gentle orange by the time she arrived at the sandstone facade of the townhouse Hestia called home. Since the older woman had retired from teaching at the Academie du Sangviere, she had moved out of her old quarters in the palace complex and now called this fashionable spot home. The street was one of the prettiest in Lucinne; a wide boulevard with ancient trees and a generous pedestrian walkway made it feel more like a park than a street.

Evienne heard the quiet whoosh of the Rail Dellumine as it glided by on its track a few blocks away. She stepped up to Hesitia’s door and lifted the heavy brass knocker. After a few breaths of silence, Evienne heard someone fiddling with the latch.

The door opened a few inches and Hestia’s dark brown eyes peered out. Her brows rose in surprise at the sight of Evienne outside her door so early in the morning, but after a moment, her lips pulled into a smile.

“Oh, it’s you! I was certainly not expecting to see anyone here at this hour.” Hestia opened the door the rest of the way and gestured for Evienne to enter. Evienne stepped across thethreshold and stood before the woman who had been her mentor for the past decade.

She was sure Hestia could read each one of her emotions on her face, but she would make Evienne explain nonetheless. In the absence of any parental influence during Evienne’s adolescence, it had been Hestia that taught her some of life’s most useful skills, such as the value of communicating clearly about one’s feelings.

“I’m sorry for the intrusion, but I didn’t know where else to go.” Evienne took a deep breath and met her mentor’s steady gaze. Hestia extended a warm brown hand, and Evienne readily took it in her own. She was promptly pulled into a hug, something she hadn’t even realized she’d needed. Tears filled Evienne’s eyes, but she took a deep breath and returned Hestia’s hug, attempting to gather her thoughts to explain what had happened.

“Hestia, what do you know of the Tuanadair’s magic?”

“That’s a big question, Dove; can you give me some context?” Hestia asked as she led Evienne to her cozy living room. A fire crackled softly in the hearth, and the dark wood paneling and mismatched textiles of the familiar room drained some of the tension out of Evienne’s shoulders.

“I’m not sure where to start, Hestia. Things seem to have spiraled rather out of my control,” Evienne said quietly as she slipped off her shoes and curled up on one of the sofas.

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