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My mate

The Mate Bond, mystical, unbreakable, is fate’s most sacred thread. Forged long before drawing their breath, it binds two souls as one, etched in starlight and carved into the ocean’s depths.

When it awakens, it is an undeniable and overwhelming pull, not just of body, but of spirit.

Heart to heart. Mind to mind. A connection deeper than desire, older than time.

Strings connecting their soul. Those bound feel each other’s emotions, hear the unspoken, and know, without doubt, their fates entwined.

The scrolls speak of signs: a whisper in a dream, a surge of magic, a call no will can resist. The bond shapes destiny, pulling the pair toward each other, even through danger, even through chaos. It is a blessing and a burden.

To resist is to defy the Deities itself. For once awakened, nothing can break the Mate Bond.

* * *

Iryen

The waters felt colder than usual, or maybe it was just my nerves.

The heavy stone walls of the council meeting room seemed to close in on me, making breathing hard.

My grandmother sat on the throne, her posture as commanding as ever.

But today, her gaze felt heavier, more critical, and the pressure of her stare made my stomach twist in knots.

I would have to report my findings and let them assume I had searched his mind, allowing them to believe he was just human. But that isn’t true. I didn’t search his mind, and I can’t confirm that he is human when I know for a fact he’s a hybrid. But I won’t tell them that.

I don’t mind lying to the council. I’ve done it before, strategic half-truths and omissions to protect Aetheria from their narrow view of the world.

But lying to my grandmother? That pains me more than I can bear.

She raised me to be a protector of our people, a leader, and I’ve always tried to live up to her expectations.

But how could I tell her the truth without implicating her and jeopardizing her credibility?

“Iryen,” she began, her voice sharp and unwavering, cutting through the hushed murmurs of the council. “The council would like to hear your thoughts regarding the human.”

I swallowed, trying to keep my face composed, but inside, I was a tangle of emotions, fear, frustration, dread. My eyes flickered to Elora and Sienna, standing silently by my side. I silently thanked them for their loyalty, for keeping the truth about Adrian to themselves.

“He’s not a hybrid.” The lie flowed smoothly, my voice steady, devoid of any hint of the turmoil within.

Thalor’s voice, nasal and dripping with venom, pierced our mind. “How can you be sure?” His words held the same mocking challenge they always did, his eyes gleaming with an insufferable arrogance that made my blood boil. He relished every opportunity to undermine me, always testing my authority.

I hate you. One day, I’ll take your title.

I vowed silently, the thought simmering beneath my calm facade.

“I’m sure,” I snapped, letting my irritation slip just enough to sting him. “Unlike you, I’m capable enough to handle this. I searched his mind. He is human.”

The sarcasm dripped from my voice, and I could see Thalor stiffen, his jaw clenching. Good. Let him fume. Before he could retaliate, Sienna stepped in, her voice cutting through the tension.

“So, what do we do with him?” she asked, shifting the focus away from the brewing hostility.

“I still think we should drown him.” Ithra’s menacing tone followed, low and filled with dark satisfaction.

My insides recoiled at her words. I snapped my gaze toward her, catching that sickening grin on her face, the one that always made my skin crawl.

I also hated her. Ithra took too much joy in cruelty and violence. It was disgusting.

“No, we shouldn’t,” Elora interjected sharply, her voice a fierce contradiction to Ithra’s malice. “It’s forbidden to drown innocent humans. Our laws are clear.”

“Yes, Ithra. As a member of this council, you should know better.” Lady Thalia, with the same calmness Sienna portrayed, spoke in agreement. Like mother, like daughter.

But it was the silence from my grandmother that made my heart race. She hadn’t spoken yet, her silence louder than any of the bickering voices around me. I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my spine as the significance of the decision settled over us all.

When she finally spoke, her voice measured and firm .

“The intruder will remain here for one week,” she declared, her words slow and deliberate, like each carved from stone.

“During that time, he will remain confined to the cave, and you, Iryen, will alter his memories to ensure he cannot expose our world. Once his memories no longer exist, you will release him back to his world with no memory of his time here.”

The words struck me like a wave crashing over my head, making it hard to breathe. Change his memories? Return him to his world? My pulse quickened as the realization hit me like a blow to the chest. That would require that I follow him to the human world.

A cold knot tightened in my stomach, twisting with a sickening blend of dread and disbelief.

“I have to follow him to Nyssaion?” I blurted out, my voice betraying my shock. “Seriously?”

My grandmother’s gaze hardened, and her voice was like steel.

“It is not up for debate. This will be your punishment. I made this decision to protect our people. You will be our eyes and ears there while ensuring that his knowledge of Aetheria does not exist. You can return once he doesn’t show any signs of knowledge about our world. ”

A part of me wanted to scream, argue, or plead for any other way. But the look in her eyes left no room for negotiation. The Queen had decided, and my duty stood before me like an unmovable mountain.

“As you wish, my queen,” I murmured, bowing my head in reluctant submission, though every fiber of my being rebelled against her ruling.

The very idea of confining Adrian for a week, of altering his memories, made my skin prickle. And worse still, something about him annoyed me, something I couldn’t shake.

He was infuriating, arrogant, and far too sure of himself for someone so vulnerable. But there was something else, too. An undeniable magnetism I felt whenever he was near.

Focus, Iryen, the meeting isn’t over yet. I scolded myself, trying to keep my head clear.

But even as I tried to steady myself, I couldn’t ignore the fact that Adrian, human or not, had stirred a spark inside me. A spark I wasn’t ready to acknowledge.

Queen Nerina dismissed the council, her gaze never leaving me as the lords and ladies rose from their seats and filed out of the chamber.

I watched as they left, the room gradually emptying of its tension-filled occupants.

Thalor shot me one last glance, sneering, as always, and Ithra’s smirk lingered like an unpleasant taste in my mouth as she swam away.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, doing my best not to let their condescending attitudes get to me.

But I hated this, every second. Being treated as though I was some na?ve child, as if I hadn’t already faced enough danger and betrayal to earn my place. As if I wasn’t powerful enough.

When the doors finally closed behind the last council member, I exhaled, the suffocating atmosphere lifting slightly. But my relief was short-lived.

I could still feel the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest, the words of the council and my grandmother echoing in my mind.

Adrian will remain for one week… confined… change his memories… the human world.

Nyssaion, as we called, wasn’t a strange place for me. It was the reason I met my parents’ murderer and where I fell in love with him.

The enormity of what they asked of me threatened to suffocate my thoughts.

Adrian.

That man was going to upend everything in ways I hadn’t expected. I couldn’t help but feel like I was being swept into a tide I had no control over .

Sienna stepped forward, her expression void of emotion, but her eyes softening slightly. “Are you alright, my Princess?” she asked, her voice low.

“I’m fine,” I replied, though I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince her or myself.

“And you know to only use my title in front of those vultures,” I said with a faint smile, trying to ease the tension that had wrapped itself around my chest. “Between us, it’s just Iryen.”

Sienna’s eyes softened, and for a moment, the seriousness of everything lifted ever so slightly. “Yes, I know,” she replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Her smile, though brief, grounded me in that moment. Sienna had always been there, reliable, and right now, I needed that more than ever.

I glanced over at Elora, who stood quietly by my side. Her loyalty was equally unwavering, though she was less likely to show it through a gentle smile. Elora was all fierce resolve, a protective force who could sense my unease even when I tried to hide it.

But no matter how much I trusted them both, a part of me couldn’t shake the responsibility on my shoulders. I wasn’t just dealing with a council that questioned me at every move, but tasked with scrutinizing Adrian’s mind.

Adrian. The name sent a strange ripple through my mind. The memory of his shock and disbelief when he saw me, really saw me, was still fresh. His words, rough and laced with confusion, echoed in my head.

What the fuck are you?

That momentary sting of rejection, of seeing him pull away, gnawed at the edges of my heart, ripping from my chest cavity. And now I had to follow him, to keep him safe, from the council’s reach and from himself .

I turned back to Elora and Sienna, both of them waiting for my next move. This wasn’t just about protecting our world. This was about keeping a man alive who probably wanted nothing more than to forget I even existed.

“I hope you’re both ready,” I whispered. “Because this will not be easy.”