Shadows and Secrets

Chapter 15

I flew up to the House of Wind, where my shadows had informed me she was. I landed and darted down the stairs to our floor. I knocked on her door and she answered. "Hello, Bel." I greet her.
"Az!" She cries and wraps her arms around me and embraces me. "I haven't seen you in a month."
"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stay out that long. Would you like to take a walk. We have a lot of catching up to do."
"I would love that" she responds leaving her room. I had forgotten how beautiful she was. She had her hair down and was wearing a pale blue dress. The sun had just set as we began to walk through the city.

We spent the next half an hour talking. She told me how she graduated from training as she had proved she was excellent at combat. She had definitely improved under the instruction of Nesta. We made it to the outskirts of the city, where we sat down on a hill top and looked out over the city of starlight. "What have you spent the last month doing Az?" She asks me.
"Just thinking Bel" I respond. "I need to talk to you." My heart quickened. I knew I would never be ready for this moment. I knew she loved me, but I was still afraid to tell her. That's why I brought her out. I wanted to tell her under the stars. I didn't want her to feel trapped inside the walls of the House of Wind.
"What is it Azriel? I'm always here if you need to talk." So responds.

"Do you promise to wait until I have finished before saying anything?" I ask. She nods. "I'm going to tell you about the girl who first broke my heart and the girl who brought it back to life. During the war with Hybern, I met Elain. I fell in love with her the second I saw her. When she was turned into a fae, we found out Lucien was her mate. She kept on refusing the mating bond, and I believed I had a chance with her. But in the years after the war with Hybern, she fell in love with Lucien, then she accepted the mating bond. This made my heart shatter. I later discovered that she had also once loved me. During her wedding, I vowed to myself that I would never fall in love again. I was scared that my heart would be broken again. Then I met this amazing female, who also happens to be my mate. I think that she is the most beautiful fae I have ever met and I have gotten to know her really well. She made me break my vow of never falling in love again and mended my shattered heart. I haven't told her how I feel yet, I have spent the last month figuring out my feelings for her and debating how I would tell her. But I am ready to tell her now."
"That's amazing Az. You have to tell her." She looks happy for me, but slightly hurt, she doesn't know what is about to happen.
I know what I have to say now. I look into her golden eyes and say, "Lysabel, you are my mate. I'm in love with you and I hope you can return my feelings."
She looks at me shocked. I feel the air fill with joy and happiness. "Oh, Az! I can't believe this. I love you too!" She cries. She then wraps her arms around my neck and brushes her soft lips to mine. I kiss her back. She pulls back and says, "I need to get some food. Can touch take me back to the house. I'm going to bake a cake and accept the bond. I want to be your mate Az!"

I lift her up as if she is weightless and fly us back to the House of Wind. As soon as we land, I place her on the floor and she grabs my hand and leads us down to the kitchen. She begins to bake the promised cake as soon as we make it to the kitchen. While the cake is cooking, we don't talk much, just sit hugging each other, happy to have found our mate. Once the cake has finished baking, she cuts a slice and hands the plate to me. "Eat up, Az." She commands, and I do.

Once I had finished the slice, it felt as if I had found my missing half. My world had flipped and it was as if my world now entirely revolves around her. My mate. My mate had accepted the bond. My mate was happy. Once I finish eating I lift her up and carry her up to my room. I can barely remember the next two weeks.