Chapter 60
Bastian stood in the sitting room when Nova came out of the shower. It had bothered him to see his blood on her and he insisted she shower first. The blood never should have been on her. He had failed by allowing her to be in those tunnels to begin with.
“Where is everyone?” She looked around.
“Ah, Tor and Trendan went with Mother to figure out how to get you there. Liri, Sedric, and Queen Alona are upstairs discussing some updates to your fake home. Sedric hasn’t decided if he wants to stay at a safe house or here, or go to Alterealm…”
“He has that option?”
Bastian nodded. “He does.”
“Has he said how he ended up living in the tunnel?”
He shook his head. “He has not. I didn’t think you’d mind if he stayed...” He motioned to the ceiling.
“No.” She went over and picked up the tray and started for the kitchen.
Bastian glanced at the necklace Bethany had repaired sitting on the table and then followed her. “I’m sorry I didn’t mention the bit about me becoming king.” He frowned. “Future king, king in waiting?” He shook his head, “I had no idea that finding my other before my siblings made me that, only assumed our monarchy was the same as most, and the eldest won the prize.”
She was leaning against the counter, her hands braced on either side of her, so not closed off, but it was a hairpin trigger situation, and he was trying not to set her off. He didn’t know if it was from the magic Capri had used on him, but he could feel the pull from her soul without being close to her.
“How could you live this long and not know how your own kingdom works?”
He hadn’t thought of it that way. “I may have known way back when, but the mind can only carry so much information.” He shrugged. “We’re saving all of Solrelm however, being the next for the throne.”
She quirked one beautiful eyebrow at him.
“My eldest brother, Elyas.” He dragged his name out. “If he were to rule, we’d all be in suits and strangling ties. All. The. Time. And,” he held up one finger, “smiling would be illegal.”
She smiled.
“Yes, that exactly. What an atrocity it would be to never see that smile again.”
“I doubt he’s as bad as that.”
Bastian scoffed. “Ask Tor, or Trendan.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Even his own mother will agree with me.” Was she relaxing more? He couldn’t be sure, but her posture seemed it. “I’m sorry for my brother being so crass earlier.”
“Crass? Oh, the part about us having sex?”
She was full of surprises. “Yes. I hadn’t thought about it…”
“You didn’t think about sex?”
His mind screamed ‘trap’, but his mouth just kept going. “Uh, yes. I thought about sex, with you,” he clarified, just in case it was some wile female trap. “A lot,” he added. “I just hadn’t considered the consequences that would most likely occur.”
“For us to share our souls?” She grimaced. “Or you, I have no idea how to.”
Bastian frowned. “Truth be told, I’m not exactly sure I do either.” He moved to stand closer to her because he could while she wasn’t wearing the pendant. Their souls immediately bonded, and the humming began through his body. It was the most appealing thing ever. “I believe our souls will more or less take care of that for us.”
She searched his face. “So, we can’t control it?” She bit her lip.
He would have promised her anything at this moment with the way she was looking at him. “I’ll find out. Mother will know.”
She nodded, but her gaze settled on his mouth.
Reaching, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She smelled like a warm spring rainstorm. He inhaled slowly taking it into his body, hoping he could store it there to help him through the period of having to look, not touch while they unraveled the evil mysteries.
“Do you get stabbed often?” She leaned back and looked up at him.
Bastian grinned. “Three times. When you consider how long I’ve been alive, that doesn’t qualify as often.”
“How long have you been alive, Bastian? You never say exactly.” She gave him a wide-eyed look. “I think I have the right to know.”
“Age is irrelevant in my realm.” He frowned. “In a few realms, actually.”
“It’s relevant to me. Give me an event in history.” She smiled at him, daring him with her eyes.
“A game, or are you a history buff?”
She shook her head. “No, I just did a lot of research trying to find out why I was the way I am.” She smirked. “And I have more memories than a regular human.”
“Ah, I’m sure you found no answers in your research. I don’t think there is another soul like yours.”
She smiled up at him. “Don’t be so sure.”
“Oh, she knows something. I love secrets.” He was thrilled she had a playful side to her. “Okay, I’ll tell you how old I am if you give up the tasty morsel you just dropped.”
She inhaled slowly and then exhaled. “Deal, give me an event.” She narrowed her eyes and studied him. “I don’t see you as a Viking.”
Bastian shook his head. “No, that’s Trendan’s time.”
“Really?” She smirked. “I can actually picture that.”
Bastian had never thought about what his brother would have looked like then to blend in. “I’ll have to ask him to give me a good barbarian growl and see.”
She laughed. “You?”
He leaned down closer to her face. “The Crusades,” he whispered. “I was born at the start and old enough to join in and collect the vast many souls by the end.”
She was quiet for an awkward moment. “So nine centuries, give or take?”
He was a little taken aback by her cavalier response. “It will be ten in seventy-six more years.”
She grinned. “I can see your tenth birthday party.” She laughed when he squeezed her.
“We don’t really celebrate birthdays, we have a yearly time of celebration for all, to mark all birthdays.”
“I suppose after three or four hundred, the novelty would wear off.” She gave him a serious look. “Will I be twenty-eight forever?”
He didn’t want to lie to her. “I don’t know. Until we find the one hiding the truth from my realm, I can’t promise you anything, but I meant what I said before—if you want to at some point grow old together, we will.” He held his breath, waiting for her to say something. He could see her thinking about it. What was he to do if she declined any of this?
“You do know all of this is so strange I almost laugh at it. Even considering how strange my life has been up to this point.”
He nodded. “Just picture it, though. We can have a home in more than one realm. Modernize this one and we can visit your Halcyon cottage whenever you want.” He frowned. “Although we are not taking a bus.”
She smirked. “That part I am okay with.”
Her eyes, he blinked and really looked at them. He hadn’t noticed before; he was too caught up trying to read her body language and how mad she was. “What have you done to your eyes?”
She touched beside one. “Oh, I put my contacts in. I suppose I don’t need to now.”
“No. Never again. It blurs the lovely color of your eyes.” Bastian smiled slowly. “You know you are going to be the most popular royal, even more than I with your beautiful eyes of color.”
“Do you think I’ll be accepted?” She searched his face. “Because I’m human.”
“Lovely, Nova.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “When we are able to reveal to all of Solrelm how incredibly lucky I am to have you as my other, they will be so in awe that you are even possible, they won’t care about your DNA.”
Nova bit her lip and then blew out a breath. “I might have a psychotic episode later when all of this sinks in.”
Bastian chuckled. “I try for one weekly to keep things fresh and interesting.” Leaning down, he kissed her mouth softly. “Any other questions?”
“Mmm, only about a million.” She held his look, and he would have stood here forever just to be able to see her look at him that way. “The first one being, is this buzzing feeling going to happen all the time if we’re near each other?”
He tilted his head. “Unknown, but it’s an intriguing thing, isn’t it?” He dared her to deny it.
“It’s a distracting thing.” She grinned. “Can you ask your mother about it?”
Bastian gave her a quick nod. “I can. Anything else?”
“What is this chamber of truth?”
He kissed her again, squeezed her hips, and then released her before he did something he shouldn’t, like pick her up and carry her to the bedroom. He really did need to ask his mother, maybe even his father about their souls blending. “Well, I went in, was judged, and then when I came out, I had the sigil on my shoulder.”
“It just appears, like with the tattoos Alterealm mates have?”
“It does, although I believe Alterealm’s is a little more fun than a mystical chamber.” He smirked at her.
“And if I’m not worthy or whatever?” She looked worried.
Bastian scoffed, “you think after centuries of many magical beings, and likely gods themselves keeping you safe and hidden that you would be unworthy to wear the Solrelm sigil? To be the next queen?” He shook his head. “Not a chance. You’re probably the only one of us that is worthy.” He nodded his head a few more times and then wiggled his eyebrows at her. “Now, what it this tasty morsel you dropped on me? What secret do you have for me?” He grinned.
Nova took a slow deep breath, distracting him as her chest rose and fell. She bit her lip. “I don’t know if I should tell, it was told to me in confidence.”
Bastian leaned forward and grabbed her hips, their faces level. “I am your other, your king, your destiny, you can share anything with me.”
Nova smirked. "You tend to blurt out whatever you’re thinking.”
He opened his mouth, playing at being offended, but couldn’t lie. “It’s very true though.” He frowned. “Tell me a piece of it, I’ll have something to mull over while you’re in the chamber then.”
“I don’t know.” She played with his hair, distracting him as he never had been before. “Okay. I know I’m not the only one with a soul that remembers.”
His eyes widened. “If there’s some secret society of old souls plotting to take over the world, I’m going to be miffed I wasn’t invited.” He pulled her into his arms, leaned down, and kissed her neck. She smelled so good.
“Ready to go?” Liri spoke from the doorway.
Bastian didn’t want to let go of her, but she shoved him gently away and nodded at Liri.
“Yes. I’m nervous, and excited, and I’ll probably throw up later, but let’s do this.”
Liri laughed and held out her hand. “Tor is upstairs waiting.”