Page 62 of A Siren Song for Christmas

Briar stared at him. “You looked pretty coupley when we came upon you embracing.”

“That was…” Trent sighed. “His mate died years ago.”

“Shit! I’m sorry. That’s horrible.” Briar gazed at Malachi ahead of them.

“He’s still grieving.” Actually, Trent had lots of questions about sirens, mates, and their ability to fall in love again. And Briar liked to read about mates. Perhaps this was an opportunity to find out more. “Can I ask you something about mates?”

“Of course.”

“Can someone fall in love again after losing a mate? Malachi told me early on that he wasn’t able to. But recently, I’ve started to get the feeling that maybe he feels more than friendship for me. Is that even possible?”

Their feet crunched in the snow. After several moments, Briar spoke, “My understanding is that sirens have multiple possible mates, correct?”

Trent nodded. “That’s what Malachi told me.”

Briar adjusted his glasses. “Hmmm.”

“What?”

“The concept of mates is complicated.” Briar’s brows furrowed. “There is a lot of disagreement in general, and it’s difficult sorting myth from reality. And of course, mating varies between races, which makes understanding it even more complicated.”

“Okay.”

“There are some races, like werewolves, who when their mate dies, that is it for them. There is no falling in love again.” Briar’s gaze fell on Wulfric’s broad shoulders. “But that is very rare.”

Archimedes, Briar’s pigeon familiar, flew ahead of them and landed on a tree branch, displacing the snow. The bird began to preen.

“My understanding is that for most races who have multiple possible mates, like pixies, orcs, or sirens, they could find another mate and fall in love with them,” Briar said. “And insome instances, they could even fall in love with someone who isn’t a mate per se.”

Trent stared at Malachi’s lean shoulders. Wulfric said something, and Malachi laughed.

“Hypothetically, it means a siren whose mate has died could fall in love with another mate or someone who isn’t their mate,” Briar continued. “Although, I think that’s looked down upon by sirens. Everything I’ve read about siren culture is that there is a big focus on finding an actual mate.”

Hope sparked in Trent’s chest. “So does that mean Malachi could fall in love again, and he could even fall in love with someone who isn’t a mate, like me?”

Briar hesitated. “Obviously it’s more complicated than that. Grief is an arsehole. A siren could technically be able to fall in love after a mate dies. But the individual might not be able to fall in love because of grief.”

The hoped dimmed inside Trent.

Because Briar was right. This changed nothing.

From the start, Malachi had been clear. He could not love again. It wasn’t a mate thing that stopped him from loving. It was that Malachi was too grief-stricken and still too in love with Forathia to open up his heart again.

Trent stared at the snow lying ahead.

Malachi will never love me.

But his soul rebelled at the thought. Hope fought not to be snuffed out completely. Because maybe Malachi could change. With enough time, his heart could recover, and maybe one day, he could love Trent.

Trent thought of the cosy warmth of Malachi’s room. Of his smiles. His kisses. Of lying in bed, wrapped in Malachi’s arms and tentacles.

And had Malachi called him a friend the past couple of days? Trent tried to remember. Malachi had done so continuouslyearly on. Perhaps Malachi’s feelings had already begun to shift. Could his heart be softening? Could he be developing feelings for Trent beyond friendship?

The hope inside him was convinced Malachi was.

But another part of Trent couldn’t help but feel that maybe he was just fooling himself and seeing things he wanted to see rather than the truth.

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