Page 77 of Soulmateless
I look away from her, trying to get rid of the feelings. She doesn't need to concern herself with such things. “We need a bigger piece of evidence if they're going to believe us. They've all grown up brainwashed. Why would they just believe their prince on a whim?”
She lowers her head, before staring at my feet. “You're tapping your foot.”
I force it down, my face warming up. “And?”
“You're hiding something.” She narrows her eyes. “Say it.”
“I'm not hiding anything.”
She leans in a little closer. “You’re lying. Say it.” She nearly growls at it.
“Why do you want to know so bad?”
“So you are hiding something.” She crosses her arms. “I want to know because I not only care about you, but it will help me better understand our situation. So tell me.”
I hesitate to say anything, but I let out a defeated exhale. She's right. It would help her to know, and it's not like I can hide it now. I already slipped up. “It’s nothing really… but…” I lower my voice to a mutter. “I don't have a soulmate…”
For a moment she gapes at me. “But… you're the grandson of Amara...”
Here comes the assumptions. “Yeah. Still no soulmate.”
“That's…” She looks away and turns back to me with a gasp. “Was that what you were hiding when I wanted to repay you?”
I chuckle. “Well it's not like you could've done anything.”
“So you really want a soulmate?”
“Well… I did, but I'm getting over it.”
“Wait, so what does this have to do with people listening?” Clara squints. “It's notthatimportant, is it?”
The burn of embarrassment in my stomach grows. I don't expect her to understand.“For the grandson of love itself, it is. Grandmother let it slip one day in an interview and insisted it was for the best for me…”
For a moment, I want to sink away and change subjects, figuring she’d think Grandmother was right. But then I look into her eyes. They twinkle with genuine curiosity, free of any judgement.
The awkwardness seems to fade, and it feels like she’s drawing the words out of my mouth.“But no one listened to the positives. There were conspiracies and rumors going around about how I was too dreamscreecher obsessed to have a soulmate I could really love. Claiming I'd betray my family just to fuck dreamscreechers. I'm sure it's not bad to fall in love witha dreamscreecher if you know their human form… but still… I don't want to be known as the horny narcissistic dictator that hates his own grandmother.”
Clara perks a brow and tilts her head slightly. I continue, “I want to help dreamscreechers, not be their minion and a fetishist. But I don't think wanting to help means I don't deserve a soulmate. ”
Clara remains silent, slowly nodding before leaning in a little closer, laying her head on my shoulder. Warmth races to my cheeks again. This is… unexpected…
And yet… it only feels right.
“The rumors are a load of shit.” She murmurs in a way to make those harsh words sound sweet. “I know you're loyal to your kingdom but there's nothing wrong with pointing out the truth. You would only be doing them a favor.”
“Yeah, but they think… How could the grandson of love not get a soulmate himself?” Almost as if naturally, I lean my head closer to Clara's. Her touch somehow makes it feel like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
It's a gesture of understanding.
“You can find love in other ways,” Clara mutters. “I'm sure some woman out there is waiting for you. You'll find her one day.”
It feels like Estrella's stars beating on me as I lean away from her and look into her eyes. Beautiful amber eyes.
Her eyes widen, her cheeks lightly colored in pink. “Did I say too much?”
“No…” I whisper. “Though I've accepted that I won't find anyone, I appreciate your encouragement.”
She gives a brief, almost saddened smile. “Your apology meant a lot. It's crazy to think no one had listened all of this time… about dreamscreechers and about me, then finally youcame through and relieved me.” She glances down, her eyes shining over. “So… thank you for listening.”
