Page 1070 of One More Kiss

“We are permitted to be lovers, but we cannot marry.” She rubbed her face. “If Father knew we had bonded he’d be most disappointed. It will interfere with my marriage prospects.”

“Right.” I drew out the word. “So you can have sex, but no connection. And you’ve got to marry the person Dad tells you to. I’m so getting you out of here.”

“Don’t mention our bond.” She touched my hand. “Please.”

“Your secret is safe with me.” I smiled. “And I’ll help you find a way around the ‘marry who you’re told to’ thing.” Which would be a whole lot easier once I got her home. “What exactly does it mean to be ‘bonded’?”

“Oh! It is wonderful!” She positively beamed. “The sensations when we make love transcend…”

I held up a hand. “Not the details.” I laughed. “I don’t want to know about your sex life.”

“It’s not just that.” She frowned. “We can sense each other when we’re apart, although bond is stronger when we are physically near.”

“So you knew when we were getting close? Why didn’t you wait for us?”

“Truthfully? I would have, but when Father was already at the pools I decided to go and make myself pretty for Fin.” She gestured the floaty skirts. “This is his favorite outfit.”

I didn’t think Fin would care too much what she was wearing, but I kept quiet. It was sweet that she was making such an effort for him.

“I should have waited. I wish that I had. It was bad timing, and now Father knows about you.”

He did, and it was bad, but I still had questions. “How, exactly, does this bond work? Did you choose it? Or did it just happen?”

She got a dreamy smile on her face and leaned back, closing her eyes. “Do you have stories of fated mates in your realm?”

I didn’t like that she called home ‘your realm’ but I put that aside for a later discussion. “Only in romance books.”

“Our lore tells of bonds of love, destined mates who belong together. When you find your fated mate the Goddess knows, and binds you together.”

“So you have no choice?”

“No, but why would we want to? It is such joy to find and love your chosen one.”

“Then why not tell Dad? Surely he wouldn’t stand in the way of ‘true love’ and the Goddess.”

She opened her eyes, meeting my gaze with her own. Tears shimmered, and she blinked them away. “Love and Duty are two different things. Not even the Goddess can change that. We enjoy our bond for now. The future is not set in stone, and we may yet find our way to be together, to marry. That is my hope.”

Fin arrived then, bearing a huge tray of food and drink, and I knew that the rest of my questions would have to wait.

“Move your sword, Liandra. The cleansing should now be complete.”

I picked up my sword and it’s sheath and took it into the bedroom, examining it. I don’t think it had ever been this clean. It shone. I placed it carefully on the bed and returned to the others.

Fin had laid it all out on the coffee table and handed us plates and napkins. I didn’t recognize anything so just selected a little of each. Alyssia and Fin stacked their own plates. Fin had brought a bottle of something bubbly and Alyssia grabbed glasses from the kitchenette. I wasn’t sure if it was alcoholic or not, but it didn’t matter as I wasn’t driving anywhere.

The food was delicious, and if it was a little odd to be eating this time of night in such a casual manner neither Alyssia or Fin seemed to mind.

“We have grand feasts all the time,” Alyssia explained. “This is a nice change.”

I sighed in pleasure as a green piece of cake-like food hit my taste buds. “This one tastes a little like my chocolate Mug cake.” I paused with a second bite halfway to my mouth. “I’ll make it for you when we get home.”

“That would be wonderful.” Alyssia smiled at me. “It’s so good to be spending this time with you. I thought of you often over the years.”

We filled each other in on our lives growing up. Her palace upbringing was all tutors and etiquette, unicorn ponies and dancing being as important as language and numbers. My schooling was boring by comparison, although Alyssia was fascinated to hear of group activities like sports teams and birthday parties. Fin paid close attention to both of us, chipping in with details that Alyssia forgot to mention like the time she ran away to dance with the small fairies in the deepest forest glade. It was obvious that he adored her. No wonder she’d been able to convince him to come and find me so we could be reunited.

Alyssia solved one mystery for me. Apparently Fae children are considered babies until their sixth birthday, which was why Alyssia hadn’t been taken until then. Our father thought he was doing Mom a favor by letting her have the baby years.

All too soon the sun was peeking above the horizon, morning having snuck up on us.

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