65. Auslin

Chapter 65

Auslin

I t relieved Auslin that his first meeting with King Kehnon had been successful. However, his anxiety increased once they left the castle to visit the Nature's Sanctuary Temple, where the mages worshipped the Nature Power.

"I am confident you will resolve your issues with your friend," Kitsuki consoled his mate. "If it troubles you so deeply, we do not have to go, Auslin."

It was tempting to run away, but Auslin knew he couldn't take the coward's way out, no matter how much he wanted to. "No, I owe Eldin the truth."

As the large wooden temple with sloping roofs came into view, it was too late to change his mind when a mage spotted them. "Auslin, you're back!"

"I'm sorry it's been so long," Auslin apologized as the mage hugged him before ushering them toward the entrance, oblivious to Kitsuki in his excitement.

"Guys, Auslin's back!" The mage's announcement triggered a flurry of activity as they entered the main courtyard. More acolytes rushed over to greet him.

Everyone excitedly chatted, but they scattered when another mage exclaimed Auslin's name and pounced on him in a hug fierce enough to almost knock him over. The mage refused to let go of Auslin as he sobbed in relief. "I've missed you so much!"

Auslin's heart broke anew at the suffering he had unwittingly heaped on his friend. He wrapped his arms around Eldin's trembling form. "I'm sorry I worried you."

Eldin caressed Auslin's dark hair as he looked at him with teary eyes. "You finally came back to me."

"I never meant to be gone so long." Auslin's heart twisted in pain that he had hurt Eldin so badly with his prolonged absence. "A lot has happened."

"Please tell me you left Kio," Eldin begged. "Tell me he went back to Maseo for good."

Auslin braced himself for Eldin's reaction. "I'm not with Kio anymore. Neither is Maseo."

"I'm sorry if the breakup caused you pain, but I can't be sorry you're finally free of his horrible treatment." Eldin lovingly stroked one of Auslin's cheeks. "You've always deserved so much more than Kio could ever give you."

Auslin was about to mention Kitsuki but didn't get the chance.

"Does this mean you've reconsidered my offer?" Eldin asked.

Kitsuki's outrage rippled through their bond, so Auslin put some distance between himself and Eldin. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"But you're free now!" Eldin protested.

"I'm not." Auslin lowered Eldin's hand away from his cheek. "I mated someone else."

Edin staggered back in shock. " Mated ?"

Kitsuki stepped forward to make himself known. "Your concern for my mate's well-being is appreciated," he said, but there was a hard edge of warning in his tone.

"I don't understand." Eldin looked between the two men in utter confusion.

"A lot of things have happened," Auslin gently told his friend. "But I'm happier than I've ever been with my mate." His gut warned him not to use Kitsuki's name. Eldin would lose it if he knew Auslin had mated Kio's half brother.

Eldin cycled through a wide range of emotions at the revelation. He finally gave Auslin a pleading look. "Can I please talk to you alone?"

As much as Auslin wanted to decline, he owed it to Eldin. "Sure," Auslin agreed before apologizing to Kitsuki through their bond.

Kitsuki nodded his head, then watched as Eldin led Auslin away to one of the meditation gardens.

Once they were alone in the beautiful stone garden filled with trees, Eldin didn't hold back from showing his pain. "Why didn't you come back to me when you broke up with Kio?"

"I know it's hard to understand, but this was the decision that was right for me." Auslin could only hope his friend would understand.

Eldin held Auslin's face in his hands. "How could you mate someone else when you know how much I love you?"

"I never meant to hurt your feelings."

"Every day we were apart, all I ever wanted was to be allowed to love you the way you deserve," Eldin stated in anguish.

Unable to stand the pained expression in Eldin's eyes, Auslin looked away. "I'm so sorry."

"Not as sorry as I am." Eldin leaned in for a kiss.

Auslin stepped back to avoid it. "Please don't torture yourself like this."

Eldin bitterly laughed. "I have tortured myself every day for the last two years thinking about that night when you were almost mine, wishing we hadn't stopped when we did."

Auslin tried to be gentle as he rejected his friend. "It can never happen now. I'm mated for life."

His friend's anguish was almost palpable. "How am I supposed to make my heart stop loving you when I fall for you a little more every day?"

"You shouldn't waste your life pining away for a person you can never have," Auslin gently told Eldin.

Some of Eldin's hurt turned into anger. "This can't be over!"

When Eldin tried to kiss Auslin again, he narrowly dodged the attempt. "Please don't do this, Eldin." Auslin's guilt over hurting his friend twisted his stomach into knots.

"But I would do anything for you!"

"If you'll really do anything for my sake, then you have to give up on me." It felt cruel to say, but it was necessary to make Eldin understand they could never be more than friends.

"My heart only knows how to love you." Eldin gathered Auslin into a tight hug. "This can't be over! I refuse to accept that I've lost you forever."

Auslin rubbed his friend's back to offer him some comfort. "You will always be my treasured friend, but that's all we can be now."

"How can I live in a world without the hope you'll one day be mine?" Eldin questioned in agony. "This can't be the last time I'm allowed to hold you in my arms. I can't bear the thought of never being able to kiss your lips and love you openly with all my heart."

"I'm so sorry." Auslin's eyes teared up as the guilt ate away at him. It hurt having to dissuade Eldin from another attempt at kissing him again. "Please stop."

"Even if your mate kills me for it, it'll be worth it for sparing me the pain of having to watch you be happy with someone that isn't me." Eldin forcefully captured Auslin's lips in a passionate kiss, refusing to let him pull away.

Kitsuki suddenly appeared to physically separate the two. He stared down at Eldin with a murderous expression, his hand resting on his sword in silent warning.

Eldin glared at Kitsuki with all his hurt and anger. "Go ahead and kill me. There's nothing you can physically do to me that will hurt more than knowing Auslin is yours forever." With a final anguished look at Auslin, Eldin ran away from the garden.

Kitsuki turned on Auslin. " This is why you were so upset? You knew he was in love with you?"

"I'm so sorry." Auslin lost the battle with his tears, unable to hold them back when he realized how much he had hurt Eldin and upset his mate.

Auslin's distress disarmed Kitsuki's rage. He embraced Auslin, offering his mate silent comfort as he continued crying over the heartache he had caused his friend.

"Let us return to our rooms at the castle," Kitsuki softly suggested. "It is best to get as far away from this place as you can."

Auslin could only whisper broken apologies as he wiped away his tears and followed Kitsuki.