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Golden warmth filters through the windows as I lay intertwined with Kilian's limbs. My hair is splayed out on his strong chest, the sunlight making my brown hair gleam a hay color. His heartbeat is slow and peaceful, but I know he's awake as he sleepily plays with a hair strand of mine.

I sigh softly, filling up my lungs with his masculine scent of trees and mint; too comfortable to break our silence.

Luckily, I don't have to. My stomach growls lowly and I snicker as Kilian grins down lazily at me.

"Is my queen hungry?" He hums as I stare Doe eyed. Queen? I didn't think we'd had a conversation about who'd be sitting beside him on the throne— I didn't even think it. After all, there was so much going on; a prophecy, a war starting, Kilian slaying his father, and me finding mine— it just didn't come across my mind.

"Kilian?" I ask suddenly, sitting up gently.

He hums again, tracing circles on my cream colored thighs. No— not circles, more like dots, lines and circles. Runes of some sort.

"How—" I stop and think to myself, not wanting to phrase anything harshly, or even ruin the moment.

He furrows his eyebrows at me, and sits up onto his elbows for balance.

"Vi, tell me anything you want to. I won't scorn you for it icicle." He reaches a finger out and flicks my nose playfully. I wrinkle my nose, a small smile gracing my lips as I ease myself into relaxation.

"Claire and Atticus are fated mates are they not? The prophecy says such, does it not?" I ask quietly, staring into his eyes with intrigue. He nods slowly, a dimple popping out as the corners of his lips lift slightly.

"Are fated mates rare?" I whisper as I stare at him, his demonic beauty stealing the breath out of me.

"Fated mates are—" he winces slightly. "They're tricky— not rare. The fates are fickle creatures and they like tying lovelines to those they shouldn't. Sometimes a mate bond clicks immediately, but other times? Years can pass... decades, and then you'll feel the tug of it all." He says, chewing his words very carefully. He looks at me thoughtfully, lust invading every sweep of his long eyelashes.

Are we fated mates? I hold my tongue, because if I have to ask— then that means nothing has clicked yet. Yet, I say with such hope. Because if it isn't Kilian, would I truly want a future with anyone else?

Instead, I try a different question route.

"Can fated mate bonds click in for one person before it does for the other?" I question, biting my lip in anticipation.

"You're awfully fascinated in mates all of a sudden." He chuckles as my face turns a bright red. Had I gone about this all wrong? Was he not on the same page as I? Maybe this was just a sexual encounter and nothing more, I'm sure demons had their flings now and again... but I'd thought him and I had more than that. 'But not a mate bond.' I think bitterly to myself.

"Well, yes, that can happen... sometimes. Sometimes we settle down with those who we assume are our mates and then years go by with a family and then we find our true mates. Happened for my father— did you know I have a bastard brother?" He chuckles dryly.

"That's why I don't give the thought of fated mates the time of day." He says finally.

And in it, something twitches in my heart— not quite a break, but a sprain of some sort.

If he doesn't care for mates, that means it hasn't clicked for him either. So what his father, King Kaiden claimed— what he said about us being mates... it was a cold assumption.

"Your father, he'd said—" I'm cut off by Kilian's wince.

"My father was an old fool, I choose not to think much of what he says." He responds faster than light as I flinch.

Disappointment laces my thoughts and slight embarrassment. Why wasn't I the type of girl that is able to have flings without thinking of tomorrow, and if I'd be with the guy forever? What a loser, stand up.

The feeling of rejection is pungent and stings like a whip. Had I really made a fool of myself fighting for a man who didn't want me to hold onto any hope of him being my mate? Demons were brutal indeed.

I cringe and smile slightly at Kilian, hoping he didn't see my inner turmoil.

"I had no idea you had a brother—" I breathe out, the smile hard to keep up. "What's his name?" I ask in faux wonder.

He smiles at me grimly, his cheekbones glinting in the light. It was almost like he had no idea that he'd just crushed my living breathing organ of a heart with one single sentence.

Because I? Well, I was very much into the thought of having a mate— and I'd very well just lain with a demon and spread my legs without having this conversation.

It felt like a betrayal to myself.

If Kilian was the one for me— why did I feel such sorrow?

In the moment of our joining it was euphoric, god it had been intense... but afterwards— something failed to click. I had failed myself, and perhaps my father.

My father!

I had to get up and see how he was— what was wrong with me? I'd spent the entire nights bumping butts with someone while he'd been in the infirmary, healing from a ripped out eyeball and dungeon. I'm a terrible daughter.

I shoot off of the bed before Kilian can open his mouth to say anything else, snatching a thin blanket with me. I don't know why, but the thought of anyone seeing me naked right now— it was horrid. I felt a mix of emotions right now. Rejection, embarrassment, guilt... and most of all? Betrayal.

To whom, I had no clue.

"I'm gonna take a quick bath and see my dad, um— make yourself at home." I gesture to the bed and turn away, but then in a split second I remember he's king and turn back to him.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." I breathe out quickly, and give him a clumsy curtesy which he snorts at.

"Vi— you're hungry, I'm going to get you breakfast—" he starts to rise as I quickly gesture him to lay back down.

"No! It's okay, I'll grab something on my way to see my father— I have to speak to him alone." I grin tightly and make a dash for the bathroom door; but as my hand wraps around the knob, Kilian clears his throat softly.

"Callence." He says stiffly as I hesitate.

"Callence is my brother's name."

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