Page 61 of Bright Soul

“If that’s your decision. About your parents…” I bit my lip.

“I’ll tell you anything you wish to know. Much of it is unflattering,” he said.

“They were torchbearers?” I asked.

“Indeed. She did not stain them white like she did my brother, but they were the strongest followers she had. They were not mates, but they shared animaris anyway to please Myuna and earn her favor. It earned them the throne, and theywere quite happy to have yielded an heir and a spare on their first try. They pursued their own interests afterward.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Not anymore. When I was a child, I longed for the love heaped on my brother and wondered why Myuna had overlooked me. But it makes sense now. If Endaeron had died before the Age of Decay, I would’ve taken his place as first prince and been corrupted by her magic in his stead. At one point, I’d have thought it an honor,” he said with a scoff. “But without her blessing, I was never truly his rival when he lived. Now that he is a monster, it doesn’t matter.”

He was braiding the tips of my hair, so when I looked over my shoulder at him, he didn’t move my head back a third time. “Still, you never should’ve been made to feel lesser.”

He flashed a reassuring smile. “It is something I am at peace with, bright soul. Almost done, by the way.”

“Time for one more question?”

“As many as you desire,” he answered in an effortless purr.

“What is animaris?”

“Ah.” There was a wicked gleam in his topaz eyes. “As a rough translation, it is essence or life force, something my kind puts to use that yours does not. Males naturally have more than females due to how we reproduce. I know humans can get pregnant at most any time past puberty, but for my people, it is a conscious choice nurtured by both sides through a pregnancy. Animaris follows the lifecycle of the child. First, it’s an aphrodisiac for the mother.”

He released my braid and slid closer. I propped myself on my knees, turning to rest my arm on the top of the couch to face him directly. “How is it shared?” I asked, feeling a bit of heat rise to my cheeks.

I’d given him a great opening to rest his fangs on my neck. His hot breath fanned over my exposed nape, and I stilled. Wasthis a test? Heat pooled between my legs as he drew his tongue over my skin, lips skimming my pulse point.

“Usually the same place as a mating mark,” he answered. With a groan, he jerked away from me and shook his head.

He spoke with distraction, staring at my neck while I covered it with my fingers. “Anyway, once the child is made, both parents continuously share animaris to encourage growth in the womb. Since hybrids don’t exist for my people, the baby usually takes after the father, as this is the stage where he’s sharing energy while the mother shares nutrients. Once they are born, both parents are tethered to the child equally until they enter adolescence and their own soul and animaris is fully formed.”

I beckoned for him to come sit with me, and he grew rigid, shuttering his otherworldly eyes for a few long moments. “I just remember Braza was an unhappy child because of animaris,” I said.

“Mmm, the lack thereof. She was small for being of the Iorsio tribe. We never had a chance…” He drifted off with a look of pain.

“Phaeron?” I murmured.

“Children can be adopted in such a way that blood ties do not matter,” he continued.

“You can talk about her. I mean, you don’t have to avoid your old mate’s name for my sake,” I said, though my heart was in my throat.

This time, he did come sit down and drew my hands into his. “Cress, talking about past mates is unkind. Anything I tell you will make you wonder if I am comparing you or if I still think of her.”

“It would be cruel to expect you notto ever think about her or the daughter you had.”

That look of pain sharpened. I didn’t know if Phaeron could cry, but by the defined facets I saw within the glowingdepth of his eyes, he was close. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have mentioned…” I stammered.

“Keshora,” he breathed out. “Ravai. And Braza. The family Myuna purposefully destroyed.Myfamily.”

I gave his hands a squeeze in sympathy. “It was a beautiful one,” I said.

He wet his lips, considering me for a few moments. “You would have liked Keshora. She was a kind soul. What you didn’t see from Braza’s memories was how heartbroken she was when her application to adopt Braza was denied. I felt it halfway across a continent, fighting in one of my parents’ constant pointless wars. Keshora loved and desired children more than anything.”

He hesitated, reading my face again. I smiled some in encouragement. “That’s where she was very different from you. But she was well into her hundredth year when we met, while you’re just getting started,” he said.

“Does that feel weird to you?” I asked with a nervous quaver.

He leaned over to touch his forehead to mine. “You have incredible potential, bright soul, and that means you will one day be my equal. I just get the honor of helping you reach that pinnacle. My body recognized you as my True Light immediately,” he answered. I breathed out with relief. It seemed he knew exactly what to say to make my heart feel light. “That is destiny and nothing less. Whatisweird to me is you wearing half of Braza’s power. Having you both in the same body is…” He tisked lightly.

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