Page 31 of Faerie Fate
Would I be able to find him on the other side?
“Livvy is locked at the academy with Kendrick Grimaldi,” Bronwen added.
“Give me a moment alone with Tavi.” Julie’s hand was a steady pressure on my neck. Her healing touch was the only thing keeping me from blacking out. “Please.”
“I’m not leaving. Look at her! She needs me.”
“Prince Michael, I’m sorry, but there are some things I’m sure she won’t be able to answer with you here.” Julie sounded apologetic.
But she stood firm against Mike’s insistence, and it felt like a part of me disappeared with him when he ushered the rest of the students out of the room.
I caught a hint of Coral’s muttered cursing and then a stampede of feet as my friends, my family, moved out of the basement.
“Tavi? It’s okay if you can’t move, but I’m going to need you to answer me,” Julie began the moment we were alone. “Tell me about the mate bond.”
Her magic flickered in a soothing push to my insides. Rearranging them back where they belonged and giving me enough relief to swallow.
“I don’t feel him right now,” I managed, twisting slightly to face her. “It’s easier to bear it in Faerie.” Like a weight had somehow been peeled off of my soul, leaving me broken but on my terms.
“How did it feel in the human realm?” she pressed.
I swallowed. “Like we were connected by a tether. A chain. I’m terrified.” I reached for Julie, needing to hold her, my fingers wrapping around her wrist. The vulnerability sucked but I needed to tell her, to admit it. “It felt like he was dragging me down to him. And eventually I’ll be just as evil as he is. If he doesn’t kill me first.”
Julie’s eyes were like sapphires, pools of sorrow and regret.
“Tavi, the mate bond… I’m not as familiar with this as I should be, wolves aren’t my specialty, but I know enough. Kendrick is going to be able to find you anywhere now. As long as he’s in the same realm.”
I knew that, somehow, but I wasn’t sure that being in Faerie would actually protect me. A small measure of calm stole over me.
“Having the barrier closed at the moment is a godsend when it comes to keeping him away from you. Keeping you safe,” Julie continued. “But this also means that defeating Kendrick will be a lot harder than it was before.”
“I’m not going to hesitate, if that’s what you’re worried about.” My eyes slipped closed when Julie snuggled me closer. “I’ll do whatever it takes to kill him.”
“Sweetheart.”
My heart cracked at the regret, the pain, in that word.
“You won’t be able to kill him. Because when two souls are mated that way, when one of them dies…then so does the other.”
Chapter Nine
Julie gave me a moment to adjust to the world-shattering news. No. That wasn’t…
No.
The only way to kill Kendrick would be to kill myself? Or if someone miraculously got to him first…then my life was forfeit as well?
“Do you think he knew that?” I whispered. “When he forced the bond?” My heart cracked.
Julie’s eyes narrowed and her wings gave an agitated flutter behind her back. “Yes, Tavi. I think he knewexactlywhat he was doing. Now, are you able to stand? Are you okay?”
No. Yes. Would I ever be okay again? Would I ever be able to live a normal life outside of this curse or my…mymate?
Julie sent another wave of magic through my neck wound and I gathered it, hoarded it, drew it into me until the chills subsided.
“I think I can stand,” I agreed reluctantly.
If one dies, then so does the other.
