Page 83 of Heart of the High King
Rafe was so uncomfortable that Aleksander released his hold. “For now.”
“What do you mean? I’m dying.”
“You aren’t going to die.”
“Is this like the denial stage of grief?”
Aleksander chuckled. “No. You and I are going to be together forever. That’s what Fate intended.”
“Have you lost your fucking mind?”
Trying not to get distracted by the scowl, Aleksander shook his head. “We have secrets at D’Vaire. As High King, I know I can trust you to keep them, right?”
“I would never tell anyone your secrets.”
“Sorcery D’Vaire was started because Idris found a scroll about a potion called Immortalis. It took a lot of work and even a sliver of the souls of each person, which is why it can’t be mass-produced, but they managed to make it. I’m immortal Rafe, and you will be too.”
Rafe’s long lashes slowly covered his shocked orbs, then lifted again at the same snail’s pace. “You’re immortal?”
“I am. And when you and I were talking all those months ago, I think we both know we were headed toward completing our matebond. We’re going to get back to that place full of trust, understanding, and caring.”
“I know for you, it’s what…eleven months ago? But, for me, it’s a lifetime ago, and I’m not the same. You can see that. I mean, look at me.”
“Why didn’t you call me? You filled out the application, and I don’t even know when you were hurt because you never texted me or anything again.”
“I wanted to. I nearly did. I had every intention of it until I found out the druids couldn’t fix me. This is my destiny, Sander. A short couple of weeks or months in a fucked-up shell that’s broken in too many ways to count.”
“Allow me to tell you about Sorcery D’Vaire’s newest project. It’s High King Rafe D’Vairedraconis.”
“High King-mate.”
Aleksander glowered. “Do you think I would make you anything but my equal?”
“I’m not going to fight about it, because it doesn’t matter. When I get rebirthed and we meet again, I’ll let the new Rafe explain to you why that’s not the right title for me. I mean, I’m assuming you want to keep our souls connected. Did you want to? I guess I can understand if you don’t want to wait around and prefer to have a demon separate our soul connection.”
“Hey,” Aleksander said and waited for Rafe to meet his gaze again. “We don’t need to even go there. I’m telling you, Sorcery D’Vaire is making plans. They want to help you, and I’m not going to let you die.”
Rafe startled Aleksander yet again when he nearly ran over his wolf in his haste to get out of the room. “I can’t do this,” he murmured. “I just can’t.”
With so much torment in his voice, Aleksander never considered stopping him. Unable to imagine what he’d endured to have so many scars, Aleksander had no idea what happened to Rafe. So, he wasn’t upset at his disappearing act nor was he mad at Rafe for anything else. His heart was broken for what Rafe had suffered, but he wasn’t going to allow him to leave his life again. The last thing he wanted to do was wait around until Fate reunited them, so he’d give Rafe the chance to think about things. But Rafe was about to find out that when Sorcery D’Vaire and its president put their minds to something, they didn’t let it go, and they sure as hell didn’t fail.
Pushing aside his feelings until he could talk to Rafe again, Aleksander slid open the pocket door that separated his office from Worth’s.
“Wow, I fully expected you both to have your ears pressed to the wood,” Aleksander told the two dukes who were sprawled on sofas.
“We have some dignity,” Worth retorted, getting to his feet.
“Plus, we couldn’t hear shit,” Brogan added. The pair followed Aleksander into his own space just as Mac strolled in with Roger planted on his shoulder.
“So, what’s going on?” Mac asked as they all got comfortable. It might be the weekend, but Aleksander rarely stopped working on one thing or another for D’Vaire, so he went back to his computer. Catching his friends up on what little he’d learned from Rafe, he vowed he’d spend some time with his mate later, even if it meant chasing him outside when he took his wolf out.
“Now all I have is more questions,” Worth lamented.
“Tell me about it,” Aleksander muttered.
“I wish we could help with his case. I wouldn’t mind crushing whoever hurt him,” Mac stated, his dark eyes hardened with fury.
“You’d have to get in line,” Brogan remarked with just as much anger on his face.
