My Immortal

Chapt 22: Bonds Broken and Bonds Forged

Lexa:

Darkness had begun to set in around camp as the smell of cooking meat permeated the air. I had invited the few I had begun to see as family to dinner in my tent, I knew that the events of tomorrow night needed to be explained in full detail, especially to the Skaikru that would be joining with someone. Lincoln sat quietly talking to Octavia and Clarke, as Raven gently pushed on Anya's shoulder as she laughed at a joke. Mako and Kiran were nowhere to be seen at the moment but they would most likely be along soon. The two had a habit of disappearing at the oddest times.

"Lexa."

I heard my name being called from the other side of the room. Pulling myself from my thoughts, I looked to the voice and smiled. Mako stood, with Kiran's arms wrapped around her waist, in the tent opening. Behind her I could see several warriors holding trays of meats and sides.

"Come in, join us."

The two elder warriors made their way over to the rest of the group, as the warriors delivered the food to the table in the center of the tent. They made their way out of the tent.

Once everyone had their plate and was seated at the table, I looked at Lincoln. The man had become a brother to me over the past few weeks. He locked his eyes with mine and nodded. It was time to explain exactly what would happen the following night. We owed it to our partners to tell them how the day would progress.

"Lex?" Clarke asked, seeing the look on my face.

"Lincoln, Anya, Mako and I must explain what will happen tomorrow." I started, taking a breath. "The draw between two soul mates, it's ancient magic that is in us all. Tomorrow is the strongest night for this magic. In the months following Praimfaya, Becca Praimheda found her soul mate among those that survived. When they bonded, Becca had a scar across her face that appeared on her mate's face as well. Every pair that has bonded since has had the same instance happen the same. A scar or a birthmark is shared between the bonded mates."

"And it's not just a mark or scar." Lincoln continued. "Mates are linked, lifeblood to lifeblood. When one dies, so does the other. I've seen a warrior fall in battle only to learn his mate died in the same instant 5 miles away."

I watched the Skaikru's faces as they learned about the bond between mates. Kiran's face was particularly interesting. She seemed to be giddy and upset at the same time. I couldn't tell exactly where the emotions were coming from, but she seemed to revel in the attention that Mako had been pouring on her. It wasn't long before Kiran seemed to want to ask questions.

"OK look, I get that this is legend and stuff... but do you think that this is actually real?" Kiran spoke up, flushing slightly. "Mako we're scientists."

"We are also well over 100 years old as well, Kiran. That isn't possible." Mako answered, tangling her fingers into Kiran's hair. "We survived being vaporized by a nuclear warhead's direct impact."

"Sheer luck." Kiran shook her head. "Ok fine. Science says we should be dead, but shared scars and birthmarks? Simultaneous death?"

"You believed in Santa Claus until you were 15." Mako started laughing at the words coming out of her mouth. "Believe in me, believe what I am telling you, that's all you need to do."

Kiran pressed a kiss to Mako's cheek and smiled. "I'd go through hell and back for you, I have gone through hell and back to get back to you."

I took a breath before looking at the gathered family. I could see the pairs sitting close to each other, the love evident on their face.

"Tomorrow at dusk, I will announce that the bonding has begun. You will feel a draw from deep within yourself. This draw will take you deep into the forest. Your possible bonded will feel a draw to the same place. Once the two have met in the destined place, the elder of the two people will be required to capture the younger. Capture and draw blood through a bite to the pulse point of the neck. The younger will then mirror that with a bite of their own. As savage as it seems, it is the mixing of the blood between the mates that seals the bond itself. Once the blood has been exchanged, the mates will give themselves to each other." I could feel a slight blush on my face as I thought of Clarke and our bond. My eyes fell on Clarke. Her blue eyes danced in the candlelight as a deeper blush colored her cheeks.