Page 98 of The Seeker
Far away.
Heaven and circumstance had just handed him everything he’d ever wanted.
What the hell was he going to do?
Rhys coasted into the bayou,keeping the mound in distant sight. He had no illusions about his navigation abilities. He’d be turned around in minutes if he wasn’t careful.
He kept to the main channel and listened to the birds calling overhead. Alligators slid like silent sentries into the water as he passed, and fish jumped, lazily snacking on the bugs that circled.
“It’s her training,” a voice said behind him.
Rhys spun and nearly knocked the boat over reaching for his knives when he heard Vasu’s voice. He turned, but there was no one behind him, not even in the distance.
“You’d be very foolish to try to hurt me,” Vasu said from overhead.
Rhys spun again to see a young man who looked to be in his late teens perched on a cypress branch overhead. A line of crows alighted behind him. They were the only crows Rhys had seen in the bayou.
“Believe it or not,” the fallen angel said, “I’m trying to help.”
He resisted throwing a knife at the creature. Barely. “What are you doing here?”
Vasu shrugged. “I can’t be on the mound. Not even I want to deal with that earth magic. It’s very old.” He rolled his shoulders. “Makes my skin itch.”
Best not to question the Fallen too much about things like Irina earth magic. “But why are you here? And what were you saying about Meera?”
“I was saying that it’s not her fault she doesn’t see things like you do. You were raised with very common notions about love and family and your role in life. Meera had different lessons.”
“Her parents are mated. They love each other. It’s very obvious.”
“Yes, but that love grew over time. They were arranged. They expected to arrange Meera’s mating as well. For them, duty comes first. Always. It is the rule of the Tomir and of Udaipur. Patiala loves her daughter, but she gave her up when her gift became clear because that was what tradition demanded. Yet she does not love her daughter any less than your mother loves you. That sense of honor is quite beautiful really. Very rare in Irin society these days.”
“I don’t want Meera to take me as a mate from duty.”
“She won’t be able to see past it now. The duty will always come first. If she sees a mating with you as something necessary for the greater good, she will not hesitate.”
Rhys’s heart sank.
Vasu cocked his head. “Why does that distress you?”
“I wanted her to choose me.”
“She will choose you.”
“But not because she wants me for me,” Rhys said. “Why am I even talking to you about this? It’s not like you’d even understand.”
“I understand selfishness very well.” Vasu swung his legs. “I am mostly a very selfish creature. I only have very brief moments of generosity. And most of those are because I get bored unless something distracts me.”
“There is nothing selfish about wanting Meera to choose to be my mate instead of doing so out of obligation.” Rhys started to pole away from Vasu, but the damned angel only disappeared and reappeared on another branch in front of him.
“Of course it’s selfish. The outcome is the same, only your ego feels the wound. You will be mated. She will love you as deeply as you love her. You arereshonafter all—which is the only reason I am trying to help you at all. I don’t care about you. Only Meera.”
“Why?” Rhys propped his arm against a tree. “Why do you care about Meera?”
Vasu frowned. “Because she’s interesting. Anamitra was interesting, but Meera is… more. I like the way her mind works. Her vision amuses me.”
“Selfish.”
“Yes.” Vasu stood and hopped to another branch. “I told you that already.”
