A Court of Death and Retribution

chapter 22

Mate, mate, mate. The word echoed through my head over and over again as I lay next to a sleeping Nyx. I can't think or even begin to comprehend what this means.

The concept was only brought up once by my mother after I had grown curious about a couple during our travels. They looked so in love, and I was angry that my mother didn't have that.

"They're probably mates Bell." My mother sighed as she adjusted the pack on her shoulder.

"What are mates?" I asked.

She thought for a moment, then turned to me. "They're two people that the Cauldron and the Mother have chosen to be bonded together. Mates are incredibly rare... and equal in strength and power."

I thought for a moment, shuffling through the litany of questions in my mind. "How do you know if you have a mate?"

Her worn boots shuffled against the cobblestone—a sound that made me cringe, but I didn't show it. "You don't... not until you meet them. For males it's harder to ignore. Usually they're the first ones to understand the mating bond. Females have a harder time seeing it, but I've heard it's an incredible feeling."

I dropped the conversation, sensing my mother's sadness as we continued back to where our temporary camp was.

Rolling over to face Nyx, I felt that bond clear as day now and I wondered when he knew... because according to my mother's explanation, he damn well knew.

This complicates things exponentially. Every fiber of my being is telling me to stay with Nyx, to stay with my mate. But my instincts are telling me that I've spent too much time here.

After learning about how my father is aiding the witches, I know I have to get as far away as I can from here. Maybe I wouldn't stop in Spring this time, maybe the Mortal Lands will be safer.

My father has to be alive. There's no other explanation for the cabin to still have those personal details. It's been on my mind ever since we left that horrid place.

He's alive and hunting me down.

As much as I could probably hold my own against him, I couldn't around those witches.

If they're all coming for me... coming for my bones, I can't stay here and risk the lives of my friends... of Nyx.

Mate, mate, mate.

I groaned softly and turned my naked body around so that my back was facing him. A strong arm swept around my torso as I felt him press up against my back. My blood heated at the feeling, but it gave me more of a reason to leave.

I can't let the witches find this place or find my mate. If they're after me, they'll kill anyone in order to get to me. They proved that at my father's cabin.

But where had he been?

Perhaps he was still pretending to be loyal to the Illyrians and he was off in the camps. By now, I'm sure Rhysand and Feyre have put out a warning to whoever's in charge of those camps. So, maybe he's back at the cabin.

But that wouldn't be a safe hiding place for him and the witches anymore.

So where could I go?

I could go to Helion as much as I loathed the idea. He'd let me take shelter under his bridges. Maybe he could repay me by keeping an eye out for any other Illyrians that ventured into his Court.

But he's untrustworthy.

Tarquin said he liked me, and it was my mother's favorite Court to stay in. Perhaps I'd be safe there? But his Court would be difficult to blend into.