Because that night with Elana was only the tip of the iceberg on Aflora’s past.
How I knew that, I couldn’t say. I just did. Courtesy of the source, most likely. It would tell her in time, perhaps when she found a mate of her own. I would be there for her, as a big brother, but I sensed it wouldn’t be me she needed when that time came. Or our element would have given us both the truth long ago.
Sighing, I snuggled my mate to my chest and held her tight.
Vines, blooms, and an array of foliage and soil caked in all around us, having formed a cocoon during the healing. I sensed concern emanating from the mate-circle. It was strange to feel them so clearly now that I’d been fully bonded to Claire. Testing out the connection, I sent out a wave of reassurance that we were okay.
An echo of relief returned, but they were watching over us until we were ready to unearth ourselves from our bonding cocoon.
“That’s new,” Claire mused, nuzzling my neck.
“What is?”
“The five of you being able to communicate,” she replied. “Or whatever that was.”
“You couldn’t do that before?”
“Oh, I could. I can speak to all of you mentally. But the circle has never been able to communicate collectively, at least not as clearly as that.”
“Interesting.” I drew in a deep breath, for the first time feeling whole. Not just because of Claire and my element, but because of them all.
How wrong I’d been about Cyrus and Exos. I could sense it now, their powerful energy a hive of strength for our mating circle.
Titus was the fire that inflamed all our passions, heightened our emotions, and resembled the glue between us all. Even though I doubted he’d ever admit it.
And Vox represented the practical branch, his intelligence and cunning providing us all with the voice of reason and control. Our personal Air Fae philosopher. I would enjoy having this close access to his mind.
A fun task for another day.
Because now, I just wanted to be with my Claire. To revel in our pairing and the element surrou
nding us.
“Part of me wishes Elana wasn’t dead,” Claire admitted. “Just so that I could kill her all over again.”
I chuckled and stroked my mate’s hair, untangling the small blooms that had grown within the strands. “She’s gone, thanks to you. And now I know what really happened that day.” My chest was still heavy with the memory, but it felt good to know, to actually remember.
Claire stroked my cheek as she gazed up at me. “Elana was trying to make her way through the royal lines. What do you think she was aiming to accomplish?” She frowned. “Other than spreading death and disease.”
“She wanted the source,” I said, caressing my mate’s shoulder. It was the only explanation. “And she didn’t just want one element; she wanted them all. I suspect she desired ultimate control over our kind, which would require the power of all five elements.”
Claire flinched. “I guess that’s why I was so attractive to her as a protégé.”
I nodded. “Indeed.”
Claire let out a long sigh as she nuzzled into me and closed her eyes. “Does it still hurt? What the source did to protect you.”
I rubbed at my chest. “For the first time since I can remember, the pain is dulled. It’s still there.” There would always be scars. “But it’s not cutting into me anymore. It feels like I can finally heal now.” Mostly because I had my access to the source again, the shield it had created no longer a barrier between me and my power.
“What was it like—seeing what happened to me?” I wondered out loud. “I could feel your presence but didn’t see you.”
“Because I was you,” she said quietly. “I lived through the memory as if I were a seven-year-old Sol.”
“There’s a scary thought,” I mused. “Not a good place for you to be, Claire.”
She giggled and shook her head. “I doubt it’ll be a common occurrence, unless there are more memories locked up in that head of yours?”
“Hopefully not,” I replied. Of course, I wouldn’t know for sure, but at this point, I doubted any of the others mattered. “But I suspect there are several hidden in Aflora’s mind.”