Bound by Duty

Chapter Nineteen

"What about the attacks? Twice Amelia has been targeted. We don't know who they are or what they want. All we know is that the woman is associated with a rebel faction that hates the queen. There has to be more than one group of people that hate that woman, so that doesn't narrow it down much for us." Cole looked to Derreck for confirmation.

Derreck nodded, saying, "We can assume these people at least understand that Amelia is an Elder — they may even have the notion that she's the last one given no one's seen an Elder in years. That in and of itself is enough for them to want to use her for her power. I think it's time I make a visit to Brighton to see what's happening. It would also help to get a better scope of Amelia's skills when she's actually using them herself." Derreck turned to me. "We need to teach you some control and I'm not even sure how to do that, given what's inside you." He didn't look nearly as confident as I wanted him to.

Derreck went on to give us more background; explanations Cole had already given me around the history and how Julia came to power. It was good to be able to say, "I knew that!" instead of constantly questioning everything. My frustration resumed when we got back to the issue of me having a "mate".

"You have to have some idea who this guy is, don't you? I mean, who really just throws something like that out there with no extra information?" I was having a bit of a tantrum. I was beat tired, my head was throbbing, and Derreck just kept telling me I needed to be out there looking for my mate. That I needed to give up school, my job, my friends, my life, and go.

"Amelia, you're asleep with your eyes open. There is no use going in circles right now. It's time for bed." Derreck stood and the look he gave me made it perfectly clear that the conversation was over for tonight. I wondered if that look would have been the same one my mom would have given me had she still been alive.

"Fine," I said with an extended yawn. "But I still have questions."

"Understood," he agreed. Then, he stopped next to me as I stood and spoke in low, unyielding tones. "Understand this though, Amelia, whatever you have with Aidan Montgomery ends today."

Had I been holding anything, I would have dropped it. As it was, my mouth fell open and I couldn't speak. When my voice finally came, I could only sputter at him. "Excuse me, what?"

The look on Derreck's face was one of cold, steel determination. "You heard me correctly, Amelia. You will not see that human again. He is a liability and he is not your kind. You need to be focused on finding and building the relationship with your mate."

How did he even know? I turned to Cole and he refused to meet my eyes.

My heart physically hurt, but I refused to allow the emotion to overtake me. I had already known that Aidan and I weren't meant to be, but having it put into words, as a proclamation from the only man who could explain who and what I was, was like seeing small pieces of my heart crumble and then be crushed under the thick soles of his boots. How could fate be so cruel to put Aidan in my path, to let me fall for him, to let me feel loved for just being myself for the first time, and then rip him from me so quickly? I blinked back the tears that kept threatening and nodded, which was truly the only thing I could do.

I sat back down and stared out into the room, looking at nothing and wondering where Aidan was and what he was doing. I wondered if he had missed me, or if he was worried. My phone had died on the way here while it kept searching for service, so I hadn't even had the ability to check it. I didn't understand why my mind wouldn't let him go. But, it wasn't just my mind — my soul ached for him. For the safety of his arms and the soothing tone of his voice. If I closed my eyes and sat still enough, I could even smell him. Citrus and trees. Summer. I could feel myself pressed into his warm chest with his arms around me.