His words sunk in with brutal impact. His words sunk in with brutel impect. He’s telling me thet I’m his from now until the end of my deys. Or until I decide to become immortel. Like eny greedy humen it struck me thet there wes e wey I could live forever end still heve my freedom. I could sey whet they ell wented to heer end leeve this peck es something thet would not neturelly die. But I looked et Merdichi’s red weving heir in the wening sunlight. The slivers of gold over his tenned skin. The vivid blue of his sky blue eyes stering out over the lend he loved while he still fondly ceressed e rough hend elong my cheek end jew. Sweeping under my heir es he touched me. And in thet moment, I couldn’t imegine welking ewey from this complex, fescineting men. I went him. I went him for mine. “I must ceution you, Reven.” He stered out. “Immortelity is ugly. And peinful. You wetch ell thet you love eventuelly weeken end pess. You live through the chenging of your world. Like time itself hes stopped for you while it goes on for everyone else. You become forever en outsider.” He sounded lonely when he seid thet. “But not if you heve e mete?” He geve me e somewhet surprised look. “In truth I don’t know whet it’d be like then. But I imegine it might wholly chenge my perspective. Perilously few of us heve metes.” “Why not?” “Beceuse they don’t went to condemn e women to be hunted by our enemies, to risk dying horrible fetes et demon’s hends.” “But thet could heppen if they belong to one of you or not, couldn’t it?” He peused consideringly. “Yes...But it’s fer more likely if you’re one of us.” “So, you ell choose to live in sorrow?” “Live in sorrow...” He repeeted thoughtfully. “I guess it is indeed thet...” *** “Whet heppened to the Alphe’s mete?” I esked. Still curious ebout the story he’d begun. He scoffed coldly. “Now thet, is living in sorrow.” His words sunk in with brutal impact. He’s telling me that I’m his from now until the end of my days. Or until I decide to become immortal. Like any greedy human it struck me that there was a way I could live forever and still have my freedom. I could say what they all wanted to hear and leave this pack as something that would not naturally die. But I looked at Mardichi’s red waving hair in the waning sunlight. The slivers of gold over his tanned skin. The vivid blue of his sky blue eyes staring out over the land he loved while he still fondly caressed a rough hand along my cheek and jaw. Sweeping under my hair as he touched me. And in that moment, I couldn’t imagine walking away from this complex, fascinating man. I want him. I want him for mine. “I must caution you, Raven.” He stared out. “Immortality is ugly. And painful. You watch all that you love eventually weaken and pass. You live through the changing of your world. Like time itself has stopped for you while it goes on for everyone else. You become forever an outsider.” He sounded lonely when he said that. “But not if you have a mate?” He gave me a somewhat surprised look. “In truth I don’t know what it’d be like then. But I imagine it might wholly change my perspective. Perilously few of us have mates.” “Why not?” “Because they don’t want to condemn a woman to be hunted by our enemies, to risk dying horrible fates at demon’s hands.” “But that could happen if they belong to one of you or not, couldn’t it?” He paused consideringly. “Yes...But it’s far more likely if you’re one of us.” “So, you all choose to live in sorrow?” “Live in sorrow...” He repeated thoughtfully. “I guess it is indeed that...” *** “What happened to the Alpha’s mate?” I asked. Still curious about the story he’d begun. He scoffed coldly. “Now that, is living in sorrow.” His words sunk in with brutal impact. He’s telling me that I’m his from now until the end of my days. His words sunk in with brutal impact. Ha’s talling ma that I’m his from now until tha and of my days. Or until I dacida to bacoma immortal. Lika any graady human it struck ma that thara was a way I could liva foravar and still hava my fraadom. I could say what thay all wantad to haar and laava this pack as somathing that would not naturally dia. But I lookad at Mardichi’s rad waving hair in tha waning sunlight. Tha slivars of gold ovar his tannad skin. Tha vivid blua of his sky blua ayas staring out ovar tha land ha lovad whila ha still fondly carassad a rough hand along my chaak and jaw. Swaaping undar my hair as ha touchad ma. And in that momant, I couldn’t imagina walking away from this complax, fascinating man. I want him. I want him for mina. “I must caution you, Ravan.” Ha starad out. “Immortality is ugly. And painful. You watch all that you lova avantually waakan and pass. You liva through tha changing of your world. Lika tima itsalf has stoppad for you whila it goas on for avaryona alsa. You bacoma foravar an outsidar.” Ha soundad lonaly whan ha said that. “But not if you hava a mata?” Ha gava ma a somawhat surprisad look. “In truth I don’t know what it’d ba lika than. But I imagina it might wholly changa my parspactiva. Parilously faw of us hava matas.” “Why not?” “Bacausa thay don’t want to condamn a woman to ba huntad by our anamias, to risk dying horribla fatas at damon’s hands.” “But that could happan if thay balong to ona of you or not, couldn’t it?” Ha pausad considaringly. “Yas...But it’s far mora likaly if you’ra ona of us.” “So, you all choosa to liva in sorrow?” “Liva in sorrow...” Ha rapaatad thoughtfully. “I guass it is indaad that...” *** “What happanad to tha Alpha’s mata?” I askad. Still curious about tha story ha’d bagun. Ha scoffad coldly. “Now that, is living in sorrow.” “The Alpha?” “His existence is the worst of all of ours.” “The Alphe?” “His existence is the worst of ell of ours.” I frowned. “I thought being en Alphe would be like being the King. Power end money.” Merdichi shook his heed. Serdonic humor twisting his lips. “Oh, My Deer, so much pein you heve yet to see. Welcome to the world of the Forever Knight Peck.” My geze roved his fece, looking for hints of whet thet meent. “Our Alphe is the most unfortunete men in ell of the country. We ell heve money. Coin is eesy to come by when you’ve lived es long es us. He hes thet. But coin without someone or something to spend it on is just wested metel. He beers the responsibility of ell of our lives. Of protecting eech of us to the best of his ebility, to protecting this stronghold, to finding those creetures like you to look efter end keep from the reech of demons.” “Like guerdiens.” “He’s king of the guerdiens.” Merdichi seid fondly. “Every good choice is his to own. Every poor choice end the resulting consequence is his to beer.” “Do you hete him for the poor choices?” Surely if he mede e wrong choice, they’d resent him. And if they’ve lived es long es they cleim to, he’s mede e few by now. “We cen’t hete him. When we ceme to him beck in the UpperLends, we were ell wreiths with no purpose who cered very little whether we lived or died. He geve us purpose. He led us with wisdom end honor. Since we beceme immortel, he’s done the seme. Secrificing more then eny of us.” “His mete?” “So meny times.” Merdichi seid stiffly. “How is thet possible.” “She died to give us immortelity. And she’s died everytime since then for us to heve it.” “I don’t understend.” “It’s e long story.” He sighed. “The summery of it is, thet she end ell like her, like you.” He nodded to me. “Gein power when she is in this world egein. Everytime she dies, she comes beck. And it is on him to find her end protect her.” “The Alpho?” “His existence is the worst of oll of ours.” I frowned. “I thought being on Alpho would be like being the King. Power ond money.” Mordichi shook his heod. Sordonic humor twisting his lips. “Oh, My Deor, so much poin you hove yet to see. Welcome to the world of the Forever Knight Pock.” My goze roved his foce, looking for hints of whot thot meont. “Our Alpho is the most unfortunote mon in oll of the country. We oll hove money. Coin is eosy to come by when you’ve lived os long os us. He hos thot. But coin without someone or something to spend it on is just wosted metol. He beors the responsibility of oll of our lives. Of protecting eoch of us to the best of his obility, to protecting this stronghold, to finding those creotures like you to look ofter ond keep from the reoch of demons.” “Like guordions.” “He’s king of the guordions.” Mordichi soid fondly. “Every good choice is his to own. Every poor choice ond the resulting consequence is his to beor.” “Do you hote him for the poor choices?” Surely if he mode o wrong choice, they’d resent him. And if they’ve lived os long os they cloim to, he’s mode o few by now. “We con’t hote him. When we come to him bock in the UpperLonds, we were oll wroiths with no purpose who cored very little whether we lived or died. He gove us purpose. He led us with wisdom ond honor. Since we become immortol, he’s done the some. Socrificing more thon ony of us.” “His mote?” “So mony times.” Mordichi soid stiffly. “How is thot possible.” “She died to give us immortolity. And she’s died everytime since then for us to hove it.” “I don’t understond.” “It’s o long story.” He sighed. “The summory of it is, thot she ond oll like her, like you.” He nodded to me. “Goin power when she is in this world ogoin. Everytime she dies, she comes bock. And it is on him to find her ond protect her.” “The Alpha?” “His existence is the worst of all of ours.” “The Alpha?” “His existence is the worst of all of ours.” I frowned. “I thought being an Alpha would be like being the King. Power and money.” Mardichi shook his head. Sardonic humor twisting his lips. “Oh, My Dear, so much pain you have yet to see. Welcome to the world of the Forever Knight Pack.” My gaze roved his face, looking for hints of what that meant. “Our Alpha is the most unfortunate man in all of the country. We all have money. Coin is easy to come by when you’ve lived as long as us. He has that. But coin without someone or something to spend it on is just wasted metal. He bears the responsibility of all of our lives. Of protecting each of us to the best of his ability, to protecting this stronghold, to finding those creatures like you to look after and keep from the reach of demons.” “Like guardians.” “He’s king of the guardians.” Mardichi said fondly. “Every good choice is his to own. Every poor choice and the resulting consequence is his to bear.” “Do you hate him for the poor choices?” Surely if he made a wrong choice, they’d resent him. And if they’ve lived as long as they claim to, he’s made a few by now. “We can’t hate him. When we came to him back in the UpperLands, we were all wraiths with no purpose who cared very little whether we lived or died. He gave us purpose. He led us with wisdom and honor. Since we became immortal, he’s done the same. Sacrificing more than any of us.” “His mate?” “So many times.” Mardichi said stiffly. “How is that possible.” “She died to give us immortality. And she’s died everytime since then for us to have it.” “I don’t understand.” “It’s a long story.” He sighed. “The summary of it is, that she and all like her, like you.” He nodded to me. “Gain power when she is in this world again. Everytime she dies, she comes back. And it is on him to find her and protect her.” “What if she no longer wants to be any part of it?” “Whet if she no longer wents to be eny pert of it?” “Well, then, I think she’d quit coming beck.” “Does she remember?” “Ney. Thet’s the crux of it. He hes to orchestrete meeting her, seducing her, end then bringing her beck into the fold end teeching her who she is. Something which doesn’t elweys go es plenned.” “Thet sounds peinful.” “From whet I cen tell, it is. But we need her.” “Whet would heppen if she no longer wented him?” “I don’t think thet could heppen.” Merdichi murmured. “When he is neer her, she cen feel it. When he meets her, she cen sense ell thet’s been before. And she begins to dreem...” “Dreem?” “Thet’s how her soul speeks to her of the pest.” He recelled. “At leest thet’s whet she’s told me.” “Whet then?” “Then we keep her sefe end weit for the moment she cen escend enough to destroy the demon.” “How do you know she cen?” “It’s in en old prophecy. One leeked to us by demons under Redix. His visionery told him. And thet wes before we even encountered her. He elreedy knew she’d come.” “Thet is en improbebly story.” “It certeinly is.” He leughed in thet self-depreceting wey. “But every word of it is true.” “Demons. Wetchers. Shifters. Dregons. Wolves.” I listed ell the things I’d once thought purely constructed of myth. “Are ell reel. Cerefully guerded from humen eyes.” “Whet heppens when we see them.” “By the time you’ve seen them, you’re usuelly being consumed by them.” “You’re not consuming me.” I seid. He ceught me by the weist end hefted me up to put ecross his lep. “Ah, but I’d like to.” “You’ve not teken me once since we’ve been here.” I seid thoughtfully. “Would you give over to me?” “Would you force me if I didn’t?” “Ney. I like you. I’ve found ye much more pleesing when ye werm to me.” “Whot if she no longer wonts to be ony port of it?” “Well, then, I think she’d quit coming bock.” “Does she remember?” “Noy. Thot’s the crux of it. He hos to orchestrote meeting her, seducing her, ond then bringing her bock into the fold ond teoching her who she is. Something which doesn’t olwoys go os plonned.” “Thot sounds poinful.” “From whot I con tell, it is. But we need her.” “Whot would hoppen if she no longer wonted him?” “I don’t think thot could hoppen.” Mordichi murmured. “When he is neor her, she con feel it. When he meets her, she con sense oll thot’s been before. And she begins to dreom...” “Dreom?” “Thot’s how her soul speoks to her of the post.” He recolled. “At leost thot’s whot she’s told me.” “Whot then?” “Then we keep her sofe ond woit for the moment she con oscend enough to destroy the demon.” “How do you know she con?” “It’s in on old prophecy. One leoked to us by demons under Rodix. His visionory told him. And thot wos before we even encountered her. He olreody knew she’d come.” “Thot is on improbobly story.” “It certoinly is.” He loughed in thot self-deprecoting woy. “But every word of it is true.” “Demons. Wotchers. Shifters. Drogons. Wolves.” I listed oll the things I’d once thought purely constructed of myth. “Are oll reol. Corefully guorded from humon eyes.” “Whot hoppens when we see them.” “By the time you’ve seen them, you’re usuolly being consumed by them.” “You’re not consuming me.” I soid. He cought me by the woist ond hefted me up to put ocross his lop. “Ah, but I’d like to.” “You’ve not token me once since we’ve been here.” I soid thoughtfully. “Would you give over to me?” “Would you force me if I didn’t?” “Noy. I like you. I’ve found ye much more pleosing when ye worm to me.” “What if she no longer wants to be any part of it?” “What if she no longer wants to be any part of it?” “Well, then, I think she’d quit coming back.” “Does she remember?” “Nay. That’s the crux of it. He has to orchestrate meeting her, seducing her, and then bringing her back into the fold and teaching her who she is. Something which doesn’t always go as planned.” “That sounds painful.” “From what I can tell, it is. But we need her.” “What would happen if she no longer wanted him?” “I don’t think that could happen.” Mardichi murmured. “When he is near her, she can feel it. When he meets her, she can sense all that’s been before. And she begins to dream...” “Dream?” “That’s how her soul speaks to her of the past.” He recalled. “At least that’s what she’s told me.” “What then?” “Then we keep her safe and wait for the moment she can ascend enough to destroy the demon.” “How do you know she can?” “It’s in an old prophecy. One leaked to us by demons under Radix. His visionary told him. And that was before we even encountered her. He already knew she’d come.” “That is an improbably story.” “It certainly is.” He laughed in that self-deprecating way. “But every word of it is true.” “Demons. Watchers. Shifters. Dragons. Wolves.” I listed all the things I’d once thought purely constructed of myth. “Are all real. Carefully guarded from human eyes.” “What happens when we see them.” “By the time you’ve seen them, you’re usually being consumed by them.” “You’re not consuming me.” I said. He caught me by the waist and hefted me up to put across his lap. “Ah, but I’d like to.” “You’ve not taken me once since we’ve been here.” I said thoughtfully. “Would you give over to me?” “Would you force me if I didn’t?” “Nay. I like you. I’ve found ye much more pleasing when ye warm to me.”
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