Page 43 of Traveler (Soulbound #1)

Zara

The air hum s with neon hues and the faint bassline of a Billie Eilish remix. I’m sprawled on a throne made of giant heart-shaped beanbags, tossing glitter into a hologram of Vivianne’s scowling face. Ugh, emotional constipation. My least favorite. Poor girls got it bad.

She froze, eyes darting. “Where…?”

“My zone!” I grinned, tossing glitter into a nearby black hole (decorative). The sign above us flickered: “Zara’s Chill Cave? – No Trauma Allowed (Just Kidding, Bring It).”

Vivianne hugged herself, shoulders taut. “Why am I here?”

I floated over, my tea evaporating. “To talk about the elephant in the room . And by elephant, I mean the bonds you're trying to pretend don't exist.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she shoots back. “It was an accident, and I’m fine without all the drama.”

“Accidents are just the universe’s way of nudging us toward something real. You can’t outrun bonds, Viv. They’re not chains—they’re lifelines.” I say sweetly

Vivianne narrows her eyes, her expression hardening only slightly. “Oh, you want me to fall in love? Is that what this is. Well fuck that. I’ve been in love. Twice. I had mates I thought would choose me and I watched one of the men I loved more than anything slit Max’s throat. So no, fuck that.”

“Trevor’s a sentient red flag, Viv. I’d drop-kick him into a black hole if the cosmic council weren’t obsessed with ‘balance.’.”

“After all the pain. All the hurt. You deserve love. Real love. Not the bullshit Trevor tried to pretend was love. Max and I have spoken. His only wish was that I give you mates. That you can be happy. He said he loves you so much. And not to blame yourself. You both were blind.” I murmur, my voice quiet

She hesitates, and I see the flicker of Something in her eyes. “How do I know they will be able to share. Trevor...” Her voice breaks “He wanted me to himself. I can’t go through that again goddess I can’t lose more people I love.”

stepping closer, I take her hand. Holding out my other “Trevor’s greed was a cage. The bonds meant for you would never have an issue with you loving someone who loves you. Also, I’m the goddess of love. I know these things.” A single rose blooms in my palm, petals fracturing into stardust. “And if they try? I’ll scorch their shadows myself.”

Vivianne looks down, the weight of my words sinking in. “It’s just overwhelming.”

“Overwhelming can be fun! Think of it this way: You can forge Your own path with them, hand in hand, in hand, in hand? I lost track of hands, but you get the gist. You don’t have to abandon Yourself or Your aspirations. You can grow with each other—not instead of one another,” I say, my voice soothing.

She meets my gaze, her resolve softening. “I’m just not built for it.”

“Life is too fleeting to ignore the connections that spark joy, Vivianne. It can be messy and chaotic, but those moments of laughter make life vibrant. Believe me when I say not everyone gets the luxury. I have been waiting for my mother to tell me it’s my time to find my mates. To find love. For years. And that’s not a manipulation tactic. It’s okay that you haven’t been interested all I’m saying is give the guys a chance. Give yourself a chance. Not every bond is perfect, sometimes it’s the less than perfect moments that make your LIFE perfect... Besides I’m the best match marker there is and if you let yourself, you could be happy.”

Vivianne takes a deep breath, a hesitant smile beginning to form on her lips. “Fine, I'll think about it…”

“Good enough!” I clapped, summoning a portal edged in memes. “Oh, and Viv? If anyone ever hurts, you again?” Glitter hardened into daggers around my fists. “I’ll turn them into a kabab. Ugliest one ever.” I say, clapping my hands together with delight.

“Aly said you were nuts” she laughs shaking her head.

As I conjure the shimmering portal back to the waking world, I can’t help Smile. conjuring a bucket of rainbow popcorn.

She’ll cave. Mr. Sunshine’s got dimples for days. Poor girl, she’s not going to know what hit her. I giggle at the thought as I move back to my throne. This should be fun. She will thank me latter don't worry. Besides she has nothing to worry about.

Yet.

Cue evil laugh* What? Okay, yes, I just say it. I’m not as good as the others with that and embarrassing myself is not on my to-do list bitches.

The room quieted, the neon hum fading to a whisper. For a second, I let myself pout. Twenty. The number glowed in my head like a countdown timer. Next week, the cosmic calendar flips, and finally—finally—the universe lets me meet them. The souls I’ve been mapping in secret since I first learned what a mate was. Mom says it’s “tradition” to wait but try telling that to a love goddess who’s been third-wheeling her own domain for nineteen years.

I flicked a hologram open—a blurry image of six figures laughing, their features smudged by celestial privacy settings. My chest ached. Patience, Mom always says. Your time’s coming.

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered to the comet-shaped nightlight on my desk. “You aren’t the goddess of love who hasn’t been in love.

I sighed, tossing popcorn at the hologram. “Better be worth the wait, guys.”