Page 204 of Cerulean Truth
He smiled, adding, "Maybe. But if people trust each other enough, it can actually create a wonderful and beautiful relationship."
I cocked my head aside. "Why are we discussing this exactly?"
Julian took a deep breath, his expression contemplative. "James and I talked about it but he seemed…less than enthused about the idea.”
I snorted, thinking about me having access to all of James’ secrets. “I’m not surprised.”
“However,” Julian continued, “If you were to considermefor the position, the True Bond would allow me to delve into the heart of your issues.”
He paused. “You would share with me not only your conscious thoughts but also your subconscious perceptions, even the subliminal ones that might be eluding you. It's akin to opening the pages of your mind like a book. Given my training, we could navigate through the intricacies and uncover the root cause in less than a month."
I swallowed hard, grappling with the weight of the proposition. "You want to open up my mind?"
He chuckled, attempting to alleviate the gravity of the situation. "It’s not as clinical as it sounds. The True Bond comes with its own set of boundaries. It operates on proximity; if we were on different continents, the bond wouldn’t work. I happen to be an ideal candidate as well, given my age—I can effortlessly shield my thoughts from anyone. You wouldn’t have to endure my mundane musings; I can assure you of that."
"So you’d have access to mine, but I won’t have access to yours? Seems a little unfair," I tried to make a joke, but honestly, a hint of unease was creeping up. Sure, I trusted the guy but I wasn't feeling very eager to share every thought and feeling with someone I hadn’t seen in fifteen years.
"It’s not really unfair; most people who bond do so in marriage, wanting to share everything with each other. For us, it’d be only to figure out your struggles with translation."
"So… is this a proposal? Or the least romantic version of it?" I asked, thoroughly confused.
He laughed and remarked, "I suppose you could call it that."
Smiling reassuringly, he continued, "Look, it's an out-of-the-box idea, and there's no rule that says you can't have multiple True Bonds if you decide on another in the future. There are documented cases where magi had several True Bonds."
My eyes widened in horror as he laughed once more. "Okay, so maybe it's not entirely like a marriage. I mean, you don't have to engage in a romantic relationship with the people you form a bond with. It's but a general promise to stay connected forever. You could also make that commitment with a sibling or a best friend," he concluded.
Seriously, this is not happening! Is he insane?
"Think about it," he suggested, "and let me know." He began to leave, but I wasn't finished.
"Wait!" I yelled louder than I intended. He turned back, shooting me a questioning glance.
I cleared my throat. "So, you would form this bond with me... just for the sake of figuring out what's wrong with me? I would have total access to your entire being, your every thought? To solve a problem? And you're okay with that?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if I really wanted to know the answer.
The look in his eyes changed. He now regarded me as if uncertain about what he had to or wanted to say. Straightening his back, he responded rather detachedly, "I've been around a long time, Emma. If this helps you out, I would do it in a heartbeat. And, as I mentioned, due to my age, I could decide to block you out entirely if you'd be okay with that. Again, we would only use it to figure out your struggles with magic."
I sighed; the prospect of ending my struggles with translation did sound like music to my ears. But that was nowhere near enough to make me consider…
Julian came back closer, saying, "I like you, Emma. You're special to me. Plus, we can't ignore the fact that you've beenattacked three times since your arrival at Cyclos. Clearly, these Radicals have plans for you, and ensuring your safety has never been more important. If we were to form the bond, I could find out what's blocking you."
"NO!" I heard a roaring voice from behind me.
I turned around quickly, just in time to see a furious James storming in, heading straight for Julian. "You," he breathed heavily, "are not touching her! Not her body, not her soul, not her mind." Without warning, his fist collided with Julian's face.
"Stop!" I shrieked, lunging myself between them. James raised his hand to punch him again, and I pushed him hard to keep him away from Julian.
"He's only trying to help me!" I yelled, attempting to halt his attack.
Which worked. James froze, his expression tense. "Help you?Help you? He woulddefileyou!"
He was breathing extremely hard, and his eyes bore into me like the darkest night.
"No, he wouldn't," I vehemently yelled back, desperately trying to convey that Julian's proposal was merely a suggestion.
"It's a ridiculous idea!" James snarled, clearly frustrated with the entire notion. Julian, now back on his feet, eyed us both.
"It seems," he started coldly, his gaze shifting between us, "Emma might have a different take on that."
