Slowly, finally, his gaze meets mine. There’s something there—something uncertain, tightly wound, like he’s treading carefully on unfamiliar ground. “I….” He hesitates. “It is… different for each species.”
“I know that.” I cross my arms, watching him closely. “That’s why I asked.”
His jaw tightens, and then—just for a second—his lips twitch. Not quite a smirk, not quite a frown. Just a flicker of something… teasing?
Kael? Teasing?
“Curious, are you?”
Oh, he has jokes now?
“Yeah,” I say, leaning in slightly. “What, is it some big secret? You make a sacred blood pact? Dance naked under three moons? Maybe wrestle a two-headed bear?”
He exhales through his nose—a short, amused sound. “If only,” he murmurs.
“Come on, then.” I arch my brow in challenge, holding back my grin, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing that I’m enjoying this way too much. “What’s the deal?”
Kael glances away, then back again, like he’s debating whether or not to tell me. Then, finally, he says, “There is a… recognition. A pull. It is immediate, though not always welcome.”
I frown. “Not welcome?”
His fingers flex at his sides. “It is rare for the Glowranth.” His voice is quiet. “I have only known of one in generations. The prince. And as you know, he is unbonded.”
There’s something in the way he says it. A weight. A tension so sharp, I could cut myself on it. And I swear—just for a heartbeat—I feel something ripple through the air between us.
Something warm. Tangible.
But then?—
“Why do you ask?” Kael’s voice is smooth, neutral. Too neutral.
I blink.
Damn. I did just ask that out of nowhere, huh? For some reason, I feel a little defensive now, which is ridiculous.
“No reason,” I say, forcing a shrug. “I just… I’ve never met a mated Glowranth before, which I suppose makes sense since there haven’t been any for generations.” Which is weird, right?
Kael tilts his head, considering me in that unreadable way of his. “Would you like to?”
The way he says it makes my stomach flip, though I have no idea why. “Well, sure,” I say, trying to sound casual. “Research purposes.” But also, what the hell am I talking about? For one, I’ve seen the prince and am even on the way to see the dickhead now. Plus, he’s not a Glowranth I want to get to know.
And really?Research purposes?
Kael makes another one of those low, amused sounds. As if sensing that I’ve got way too comfortable with this whole thing… with him—which, spoiler alert: I haven’t since I’m full of shit—he straightens his posture, clears his throat, and promptly turns into a brick wall of avoidance again.
Damn it.
Before I can push further, we reach the east quarters. Dawson and Varek are already inside.
Kael exhales, steps ahead, and schools his face back into that unreadable mask of his. And just like that, whatever moment we were having is gone.
And I suspect, if Kael and Aelith have their way, I’ll be meeting a fully bonded Glowranth as soon as Dawson’s clued in and says yes.
CHAPTER
FOUR
I don’t knowwhy I’m surprised that I end up with Kael while Aelith manages to steal Dawson away. Not that they’ve gone far—just a few metres across the communal space—but the prince’s pointed look and his quietly uttered words in Glowranthian made it clear:Kael, give us space.
