Page 25 of Heartsong
Soft fur whispered against his claws, and Frey turned away from the window and his foul mood to pet the cat in the way he wished. Careful with his claws, he scratched Captain from head to rump and back again, earning a rumbling purr that filled the dark main room of the dwelling.
“I’m not completely alone, I suppose.” He’d had the phantom sense of a weight on his shoulders throughout the day in his stone form and supposed he’d served as a feline perch for a time. He didn’t mind.
Frey spent a long while petting the cat and drawing what comfort he could. He was no closer to any solution as the moon faded behind the gathering fog.
Anna’s presence and touch had woken him—of that he was sure. That she was his mate meant their bond must have something to do with breaking the curse. But how?
Frey feared the answer rested in a completed mate bond.
The goddesses only nudged. The knowing brought guardians together, but it was the couple themselves who had to forge a bond that would last. Not all matings were a success. Every clan had a handful of ill-suited pairings. For as many reasons as there were guardians, not every mating was perfect.
His elder sister Seren had entered into such a turbulent matehood not long before her death with their mother in battle. Perhaps, in time, she and her mate would have come to love each other. Perhaps all Seren would have gained from such a pairing were offspring. Perhaps if she’d been happy in her matehood, she wouldn’t have been in the battle that took her life.
Frey had vowed his own mating wouldn’t fail.Hewouldn’t fail.
You’re wrong.
Anna’s words haunted him, no matter how he railed against them.
He would find a way. Somehow, he would complete the bond with his Anna.
He just had to figure out how.
Scratching the cat one last time, Frey sought the front door of the dwelling. His heart thudded heavily in his chest, but his claws itched to do something. He didn’t have his dwelling and all the things he’d gathered for his future mate; he didn’t have the day with his heartsong nor the chance to prove his prowess to her.
The least he could do was assure himself that her dwelling was safe. And if it wasn’t, he’d make it so.
Silently, he figured out the locking mechanism on the door and, with the cat watching on curiously, he opened the door.
A dark, silent hall greeted him with a long, narrow rug running over polished hardwood floors. A blank wall stood opposite Anna’s door, and to the right was the end of a hallway, a small window set into the wall. Adorned with a window box of wilting plants, the window looked down at the next building over.
To the left, the narrow hallway marched along to a nondescript set of stairs. Another door along Anna’s wall and two more set diagonally on the opposite wall were closed, gold symbols hanging above little holes covered in glass.
Stepping into the hallway, Frey drew a deep breath, taking in the smells. There were multiple humans behind each of the other doors, though their scents were muffled by time and the walls. No one had emerged from their dwellings in a while, likely asleep as his Anna was now.
Slowly, Frey edged outside, aiming to leave the front door ajar. Before he could close it enough, though, Captain slipped outside to join him.
Flashing his fangs in a groan, Frey gestured helplessly for the cat to return. Instead, Captain chirruped happily and went about sniffing down the hallway.
Grumbling, Frey crept along behind him, managing to find every creaky floorboard. He winced with each squeak and creak, and Captain hustled away each time he drew closer.
They’d made it nearly to the stairs before Frey lunged, scooping up the wayward feline. He pointed his claw in Captain’s face. “Bad cat,” he grumbled. Captain just licked his finger and purred.
Heart hammering now, Frey hastily retreated back to the apartment. Both of them safely inside, he reset the lock on the door.
Hands on his hips, he frowned down at Captain. For his part, the cat sat there grooming his nether bits.
With a huff, Frey resolved that that had been enough reconnaissance for one night. He’d endeavor to learn what he could about her nearest neighbors to deduce what level of threat they posed.
In the meantime, he began a thorough investigation of her dwelling, opening every drawer and cabinet, to see what he could see and learn what he could learn.
His heart lurched when his mate rose before the sun. He didn’t have long, but he drank in the sight of her emerging from her bedchamber.
Clothed in a long, fluffy garment tied at her waist, she hid her hands in deep pockets as she gazed upon him from across the room. For a long moment, she remained in her doorway, silent and unsure.
“Good morning,fynghân.”
Anna cleared her throat. “Good morning.” She took a few hesitant steps further into the room, stopping as Captain wove between her feet with a serenade of happy chirps. “Good morning, Cappy,” she said with much more enthusiasm.
