Page 159 of The Kingdom of Eternal Ice
“Hey,” Tynan huffs.
I turn to look at him, noticing his eyes are slightly red, but now he frowns at me. I walk to him, squeezing his arm. “I will make sure you get your mate,” I say.
“Thanks,” he says quietly. “I… I’m so sorry for asking this from you, for asking for emotional support when you, well…”
“Oh Tynan, shut up,” I say. “I will be with you and help you, like you have always helped me. You are my friend. There is no way I won’t support you.”
Tynan looks relieved. “Thank you.”
Before we can talk further, a mind link from Endellion comes through, telling us that Azadeh woke up and is summoning us to Aylin's cottage. Azadeh is going to tell us everything she found out while battling the curse. Ende says she knows how to stop the woman in white and the witch. We just need Aylin to track the bear creature, Artio, that fought against us… and for Tynan to reach out to Shayan.
Ty and I hurry to the meeting point. I can feel his nervousness rising more and more.
“Ty,” I say quietly. “I don’t know much about Shayan, but I know what Azadeh told me. She said he is an incredibly intelligent man and one of the most honest people she knows. A man like him for sure knows that he is your mate, and if he hadn’t wanted you, he would have told you straight away.”
“But, why didn’t he say anything back then?” Tynan replies.
“Because sometimes we want to take things slow, sometimes love is a gamble, and we are insecure.” I pause. “Have faith in your bond.”
Before Tynan can answer, Eibhlin comes running towards us. “Here you are! Come, everyone is already there. I bet this is some crazy stuff.”
Tynan and I exchange a glance and then hurry after her. When we reach the cottage, everyone is already waiting. Azadeh immediately runs towards me and hugs me. I return her hug, relieved to see her alive and well, and… My gaze falls on her neck, and I smile.
“Endellion,” Flinn says seriously, more seriously than I have ever heard him. “What is going on? Since tonight, I feel a mate bond to someone, not just the hint of it. It never existed before that strongly, but now it’s there. Clear. Someone is waiting for me.”
“For me too,” Caelan says. “I felt a hint of it a while ago, but now it’s clearly there.”
“But, how is that possible?” our father asks, completely stunned.
“It’s because Azadeh and I are mates,” Endellion says.
At his words, everyone is quiet.
“What?” Aylin finally asks.
“We chose each other, and created a bond between us,” Endellion says. “But, Azadeh can explain it better. She was the one who met the goddess.”
Aza doesn’t wait any longer and proceeds with telling us about how she met Favian, and then the goddess. How Arianrhod explained her gift to her, and how her love for this country and us enabled her to heal it; and that her powers grow.
When she finishes, she looks at us. “I know how to reach out to Cailleach,” she says. “But I need to meet her alone. I will just need Elio.”
“Elio?” Flinn asks. “What for?”
She smiles. “To fly.”
“Azadeh and I share a bond now and I have marked her.” Ende says. “We think our mind link will work even over a long distance. Once Aza has reached Cailleach and freed her, she will link me.”
“You will let her fly off on her own?” Caelan asks.
Endellion looks torn but nods eventually. “She is the only one who is able to stop this nightmare. And I have my own battle to fight. I trust her judgment.”
“We do need to know where Artio is, though,” Azadeh tells Aylin.
Aylin nods. “Sine and I have tracked him down. He is roaming around no-man's land, close to the town the general and Royan were inspecting. I will give you and Elio the exact coordinates.”
“And we need you, Tynan,” Endellion says, looking at Ty now.
“I know. This is it,” Tynan says earnestly. “I’m ready.”
