-----------------------------------------------------------

I got into Ashton's car as Jackson and Kevin sorted out some arrangements. To avoid Diana, Jun insisted on driving with Kevin, much to Kristof's chagrin, and he pulled him into his car anyhow.

"Do you think Jun will ever get used to having Diana around?" I asked as I buckled in.

"Eventually. I mean he is going to be seeing her a lot," he chuckled.

"Jun really likes Kristof," I commented as I turned on the AC and wrapped my latest sweater around me. Mmm toasty.

"How many of those are you going to take?" Ashton laughed as he looked over at me. "Are you starting a store or something?"

"Nope," I grinned, popping the p. "They're all for me."

He sighed. "Why do you like them so much?"

"They're comfy... and they smell like you."

"But they're too big for you anyways."

"Size doesn't matter."

"You won't be saying that after I mate with you." He smirked.

My jaw dropped as heat rose to my face. "Ashton you're so..." I struggled to find the word.

"Hot?" he finished.

"You wish," I giggled as I pressed my palms to my warm cheeks.

He grinned mischievously but then looked thoughtful. "Elizabeth, no pressure, but are you ever going to accept me as your soulmate?"

I frowned at the sudden shift in topics, but I suppose it had to come up eventually. It was unfair to keep him guessing like this.

I glanced at him, but his eyes were focused on the road. They held uncertainty.

"I want to..." I paused and he looked over at me.

"You want to?"

"Yeah." I smiled.

I'd been agonizing about it for so long, but actually saying it felt a lot better. It felt real and it felt right. "I will accept you as my soulmate... that doesn't mean we have to get married though, right?"

Ashton grinned. "What do you have against me marrying you? And no, it doesn't. There's no rush."

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I will marry you though," he stated with a small smile.

My face heated up again and I buried my face in the luxurious material of the sweater. They probably cost a fortune. I should be careful with them.

"I want to mark you," he continued hesitantly.

I peeked over at him and then turned to face him in the seat.

"It will make you a lot safer and it has a lot of advantages."

I mulled this over in my head. I never imagined that the day would come when I would agree to accept Ashton or even allow him to mark me, but over the months, we had developed a special connection. He made me laugh and he wiped away my tears in the rare moments that I cried.

Being around him felt so natural, going on dates, lounging in his room, sitting in the meetings. Whenever I got home I found myself wanting to return to his arms. I liked and wanted Ashton so much and I could confidently say that it wasn't just because of the soulmate bond.

He was annoying and cocky, but he was caring and understanding and he had come to like me too.

I twirled the necklace around my fingers.

"Okay."

He did a double take at me. "O-Okay?" he asked in surprise.

I nodded and smiled at him. "Be grateful that I like you," I said in my best Ashton impersonation voice. "You're welcome."

He narrowed his eyes. "I do not sound like that."

"Yes you do, you arrogant jerk."

"For a human, you're pretty brave with the insults."

I grinned and flashed him a peace sign. "YOLO."

"I'll deal with you when we get out of the car." He smirked darkly.

Uh oh. Well since I was in trouble, might as well push it. "Come on, you know I could never like anyone who isn't as arrogant as you are."

His dark smirk got wider and I couldn't help but laugh at that. We continued our banter until we got to the other kingdom.

"Woah," I gasped as we passed the security checkpoints and made our way onto the Cilan Kingdom's royal grounds.

It looked so different from Crysauralia. It wasn't bigger but it was still pretty huge. People strolled along the roads as we drove by. Some of them chatted excitedly while others looked dejected.

"They must be so excited for tomorrow," I commented.

"Yeah, some of them are. This is one of those kingdoms where ranks matter the most. The last five ranks do not exist here. The lowest rank is Tau."

I looked over at him in confusion. "How is that even possible?"

"They aren't allowed in... not even through mating."

I frowned. "That doesn't make any sense."

He shrugged. "That's the way it is here. They pride themselves on nobility. Arranged marriages happen a lot here. Those who don't like it leave to join a different kingdom. Some become rogues."

"That's awful," I murmured. "People should be more unified."

"That isn't always the case."

He pulled up at a resplendent castle with portentous, looming tower spires that seemed to pierce the clouds. "As you know, this is one of the kingdoms we're allied with. They're resources and military strength are weaker than than ours, but they're still pretty strong."

I nodded. They had filled me in on that during one of the meetings.

We were directed to a very large space that looked way too big to be a garage. 'The Kingdom of Crysauralia', was embossed on the large metal doors.

He exited the car and opened my door for me. Kevin and the others pulled up in a line behind us. Numerous guards stood watch at close intervals, all solemn in crisp, crimson uniforms and traditional Bearskins.

Our personal bodyguards pulled up beside our car and got out, eyeing the place for any signs of potential danger. Their most important duty was to protect the heir to the throne and me, his soulmate.

The other guys all had their own bodyguards too, who scanned the place with eyes of eagles.

An older woman walked over to us with a wide smile. She was closely followed by a tall woman, who I assumed was her personal guard. She carried herself with an air of regal importance. I would have known she was a queen, even if I'd never heard of her before.

"My darling Prince Ashton. My, how you have grown since the last time I saw you." She smiled and then looked at me. She flashed him an inquisitive look. "And it seems you have found your soulmate too?"

"It's nice to see you again, Queen Reina," he said and smiled down at me. "Yes, this is my soulmate, Elizabeth."

Queen Reina gently took my hands in hers and gazed at me in fascination. "A human, how charming! Human soulmates are so very rare."

I forced a smile and she waved a dainty goodbye to me and Ashton and went over to speak to Jackson.

"What was that about?" I murmured to Ashton.

"She isn't used to being around humans. Her kingdom doesn't allow mating with them and the royals hardly interact with the common people."

"What's up with all the weird rules?"

He smiled as Kevin caught up to us. "Most kingdoms don't have such rules about mating. They're actually rare. But her kingdom and this one are among them. They still hold a small grudge against humans for what they did to the Origins."

"She knows who you are." I observed.

"Most people here do. They've been informed that I would be here. Whatever happens here, stays here," he added. "My identity won't get out to the public."

We proceeded inside the large hall and dozens of eyes turned to face us. Ashton laced his fingers with mine and gave me a reassuring nod.

----------------------------------------------------------

!