Beyond the Fairy Gate

Chapter 24

Damien

Walking away from the captain and down onto the main deck, Damien stopped and looked around. All around him, his closest friends were all energetically talking to Gabriel's scouts. His mind wandered, if his mate had grown up around him, then his scouts would already have friends. As it stood, they only had each other in this moment, and it made him happy to see that his scouts were able to find other people like them.

His eyes found Nyline standing next to Delta and Gabriel. She was still having an animated conversation with Delta, and he could only assume who ever Delta's mate was. Since the whole, Nyline can respond inner conversations, he assumed since that she was now surrounded by them, it would only increase.

He sighed as he continued to watch her. How was she able to do it? Get transported to a different world, have her uncle die, her entire life flipped on its end, and be functioning at that level? He just didn't understand. She was so strong as an individual that he couldn't fathom it.

"Are you alright?" Jake's voice asked from his right and he looked down at his favorite scout, with his soft blue eyes and medium brown hair.

"I don't think so," Damien muttered before he glanced around the ship. "I'm going below deck for a little longer."

"Do you mind if I join you?" Damien shook his head as he headed for the door that would take him to the lower landing and into a room. He had so much going on in his mind and he just needed some time to process everything.

Jake closed the door behind them as Damien sank down onto the bed and looked at the floor.

"What are you going to do if she chooses him?" Jake's voice was so small, and Damien looked at him to see that he was fidgeting.

"If? I'm pretty sure that she already has."

"Does that mean your giving up?" Damien shrugged his shoulders. "Talk to me." Jake spoke softly as he walked over and sat on the floor in front of him. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"What am I supposed to do?" Damien felt the emotions rise in his throat and he pressed his hands against his face to try and stop the tears that were threatening to spill over. "We've spent so much time looking for this one girl, and its all been for nothing. We've waisted countless months searching the world for her and..." He slid down off the bed so that he was on the same level as Jake, his back up against the wood of the bed frame. Jake's blue eyes held sadness in them as he reached over and placed a hand on his leg.

"It hasn't been a waste; it was an adventure." Jake smiled softly, "You got your love of flying from our trips, you learned so much about the aether world, you've spoken to countless other people in tons other kingdoms, slept under the stars. We've enjoyed our time with you. It was never a drag to go on those trips, we all went together and had fun." Damien shook his head.

"What if... What if, my real mate doesn't want me? What if they found another unmated person, and made a life together? I don't want to ruin another person's life just for my sake." Damien's shoulders shook as his breathing became uneven.

"You have to have a mate to rule." Jake said firmly and Damien shook his head again.

"Its not worth it. Not again."

"Would you really give up your right to rule?"

"What if they hate me for never finding them?" His voice hitched as he ran his hands over his face once more.

"Damien," Jake reached over and took his wrists, "Listen to me. The person who is mated to you is lucky to have you. Don't take Nyline's reaction to you to deeply to heart. You know why she rejected you so fiercely, it wasn't because of you, but because of Johnathan." Damien's shoulders sagged. "I'm certain, that the person that is mated to you will accept you without hesitation. They'd have to because you deserve it." Damien turned his watery gaze up to Jakes.