Dusk

LVI

"Gods and Goddesses are rumored to have their own soulmates. Although many tales tell the trials and tribulations of trying to find their other half amongst other gods and goddesses, some of them even found love amongst humans. Frustration riddled many and anger began to dwell within a select few as they shared the belief that life should be experienced with love. Deserving people should have someone to share secrets with. Someone to have a guaranteed friendship and share their lives with. A person chosen to share insecurities and sexual intimacy with. They changed human lives forever by including their soulmate: a human who is a perfect match for another. One should feel it inside; something unable to be expressed verbally and have an unquestionable understanding of one another. It should be intense, personal and unforgettable. Life without them should seem unimaginable to once they have entered your lives. Both should feel secure and protected by each other.

Mates are designed to physically alter supernatural capabilities and make creatures feel it tenfold compared to humans who may easily disregard this concept. Supernatural creatures' abilities are amplified: emotions included. Supernatural creatures are unable to reject this bond and if they do, their lives are much less joyful as they live the remainder of their extended or immortal lives feeling nothing but loneliness despite all of their desires being fulfilled."

Orion finished reading and looked straight at Everest, her face unreadable by him. Physically she offered nothing but internally she was trying to process whatever he had her read. Utterly confused at the concept she swore was fake. Reading something about love in such an intense, oddly relatable way seemed unbelievable. Especially now, as it was supposedly implemented in her life on such a drastic level. All the things it described for her to feel, she felt with him.

Whenever he was around, she could sense it, as if they had a connection no one else could come between.

Was this the same connection the book described?

How did Orpheus know so quickly?

Everest nervously swallowed as he forcefully tried to understand what she was thinking. He knew he couldn't read her mind even with the mark but he tried. All he felt was confusion and hesitation from her. Silently praying to whatever he did or did not believe in that she would not be frightened.

That she would not abandon him.

He felt every single word and has fought those feelings since his eyes first found her. It made sense to him as she must not have felt it that early since she was not yet supernatural. It also explained why after she died all she wanted was to jump him. At least that is what he justified to himself.

"Orion?" He finally managed to speak as her eyes found solace in his.

"This is what Cornelius showed you? After you asked him about what Orpheus said?"

"One of the things, yes. He has a copy of Plato's Symposium, if you want to read that." In response she just held up a flat hand, the surrounding guards having no idea what was going on as their fixated gazes stayed put but they secretly eavesdropped. One of them turning his head slightly to listen in on their conversation, desperately hoping to get more information on the topic of mates. She turned her head in his direction as it snapped back forward, catching her attention and now Everest's.

Brushing off the feeling she had, she devoted all of her attention back to the text as she reread the fairly short passage.

"This says-"

"We are meant to be."

"By what? What or who wants us to be together so badly that we are this thing that I only thought existed in fairytales?"