Page 72 of Luna Rising
“Did you think it would be all sex and snuggling?”
I shrugged. “I mean, I hoped our life would be all sex and snuggling.”
“Well, we do have a lot of sex, and I always cuddle afterwards.”
“Do you two wait to have these conversations until I’m around?” Birch asked.
Neither Ewan nor I answered him, though we exchanged a knowing smile. Secretly, I thought Birch enjoyed listening to our banter. Not because he cared one way or another about our sex life. It was more that I thought he liked the ease and familiarity. That made two of us. I still wasn’t comfortable around most of the Taurus pack, and the feelings were definitely mutual, so it was nice to have Ewan’s closest friends on my side.
Eight fae were waiting for us in the living room when we arrived, and the mood was decidedly tense. In addition to Winter and her family, Essie had brought four Gemini elders, one of whom had the same green eyes and high cheekbones as the other three Sable women. Given her approximately age—somewhere between Essie and Collen—I assumed that she was Winter’s grandmother.
“How are you, dear?” Essie wrapped me in her thin arms, squeezing with surprising strength.
“Adjusting. Slowly,” I admitted.
She patted my back, and I sort of wanted to cry. When my family hadn’t been there for me, Essie had. She’d taken me in and protected me at great risk to herself and the Gemini fae. I would never forget her kindness and generosity.
“I am truly sorry about Merrick. He was a great man. Stubborn to fault.” She smiled sadly. “I hate that it took his death for the Gemini fae and the Gemini wolves to finally reunite. I spoke with your mother briefly. She’s a strong woman, Zara. You can learn a lot from her.” Essie squeezed my hands, and I returned the gesture.
She turned to Ewan and Birch and greeted each of them with a nod. “Please, sit. We have much to discuss. There are rumors that Mat has returned from the Cursed Realm.”
I sucked in a breath that I didn’t need. With the Zodiac Councils up our asses, I hadn’t given much thought to Mat in days, but the news of his return didn’t sit well with me.
Essie introduced her small cohort of Gemini fae. Colleen visibly tenses and pursed her lips when her grandmother gestured to the woman who could only be her mother. Until that moment, I hadn’t wondered about the missing link in the Sable matriarchy. Between Colleen’s clear discomfort and Winter’s open curiosity, it seemed there was bad blood dating back decades.
“He was spotted in Traitor’s Hell,” Essie said, her gaze fixing on me.
I swallowed over the sudden lump in my throat. “He intends to free Demi.”
Honestly, I didn’t know why this scared me so much. I had very few memories of her. None that included her with fangs. And yet, for some reason, the prospect of Mat and Demi reuniting terrified me. Like somewhere in the depths of my mind, I knew that nothing good would come of it.
“Yes. I believe so.” Essie sighed warily. “The prison has a number of magical fortifications. It isn’t as easy as breaking into a cell. Still, it is concerning.” Her gaze shifted to Walter, and she gestured, as if giving him the floor.
He stood behind Collen’s chair, his hand resting on her shoulder. “Part of the Prophecy of Eternals mentions the four true soulmates. For centuries, Mat has operated under the impression that he and Demi were the second pair.” His dark eyes went to Winter.
Through our bond, I felt her discomfort but didn’t understand the source at first.
“Back when the fae still lived in the Valley of the Elements, they put a lot of stock in prophecies and omens. Astrological events held significant meaning. Matthieu was the Prince of the Valley, born in a year of four blood moons, which led the fae to believe he would be one half of a true pair.” His gaze flicked to a spot behind Winter, and I squinted like I might be able to see Archer standing there.
Can Walter see him? I wondered. Essie definitely could, since she shared Winter’s gift.
“Royal fae, especially back then, believed their bloodline was anointed by Gaia. That they were special. So, naturally, they though Matthieu was Gaia-marked.” Walter shrugged. “The king didn’t account for his illegitimate son, born the same year to a common fae from one of the villages. When it came time for Matthieu to take a wife, he toured the villages in search of his true soulmate and rightfully identified Nicasia as Gaia-marked.”
Judging by the lack of surprise I felt from Winter, she already knew this story. Then, she cleared her throat and confirmed my theory.
“I met Ambrose when the royal contingent came to my village. He was Mat’s bodyguard. I fell in love with him the first time we spoke. When Mat chose me as his bride, I told my parents no, but they didn’t care. It was an honor. I would be Queen of the Valley one day.” She let out a shaky breath. “The bonding ceremony failed. King Aeon was furious. The royal seer swore that I was Gaia-marked, and that my soulmate was of royal blood. It didn’t take long for them to realize my other half was Ambrose.”
I felt like I understood Mat a little better in that moment. Sure, the guy was an asshole, but he’d basically been left at the altar for his half-brother. That must have stung.
“True soulmates are rare, and the bond supposedly gives us great power. The humans had just discovered us and our magic. King Aeon followed the seer’s advice and legitimized Ambrose, naming him as his heir and setting Mat aside.” Red tinged Winter’s cheeks, and she kept looking over her shoulder at her ghostly mate.
My mouth dropped open and for the time ever, I actually felt bad for Mat. Not only had he lost his fiancé, but he’d also lost his crown. It was no wonder he’d declared himself the Eternal King.
“Because the prophecy speaks of four soulmates, two pairs, Mat got it in his head that he was Gaia-marked, I just wasn’t his mate.” Winter met my wide-eyed stare. “When he met Demi, he thought it was fate. She was the lone wolf, sort of like him. I don’t what she was like as a mortal, but once she became eternal, she was viscous and vengeful, and so was he. They were perfectly suited for one another, and the bonding ceremony did work. So, in Mat’s head, they were the other pair. He didn’t know about you and Stavros until he found your descendants.”
It was a lot to take in, and there was a lot I didn’t understand.
“How does Demi reincarnate?” I asked, confused since she and Mat could have children together.