46. Morelle

46

MORELLE

B eing part of a couple was completely foreign territory. Morelle had no reference points, no examples to follow or emulate. In the temple, relationships had been clinical topics in theoretical discussions, not living, breathing things that required constant navigation, and even those had dealt with tribal dynamics and had little bearing on her situation with Brandon.

How was she supposed to balance her wishes and desires when they didn't align with Brandon's?

How was it possible to merge two lives without losing one's individuality in the process?

Brandon knew how these things worked, or at least he should know, given that he lived in a society where people paired up and were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together, loving and supporting each other.

Morelle relied on him to lead her in the right direction, but the problem was that she wasn't the type who followed anyone's lead, not even his, and that was despite her feelings for him that were growing stronger with each passing day.

It went against every fiber of her being.

She might not be a real princess in title, but she was by birth, and those genes she'd inherited from her mother and her father made her a leader and not a follower.

She could pretend for a little while, but she knew it would only get her in more trouble. She'd tried to stifle those instincts to get along with the head priestess, but it had always ended in a major blow-up between them, with Morelle being punished and spending several nights sleeping on a floor in a windowless room away from Ell-rom.

Brandon wasn't the head priestess, though. He was willing to compromise because he had deep feelings for her and wanted what was best for her.

As she and Brandon said their goodnights and entered her bedroom, Morelle sat on the couch and patted the space beside her. "Come sit with me?"

"Always." He sat down and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I need a manual," she murmured.

"For what?"

"A step-by-step guide on how to be part of a couple." She was only slightly joking. "I need to know the rules and expectations. Where I come from, they didn't teach that. I'm surprised that Ell-rom seems to be doing so well. Jasmine must be a good teacher."

"And I'm not?" Brandon said quietly.

She lifted her head to look at him and smiled to counter his dejected expression. "You are great, but we haven't been together as long as they have, and I'm not as patient as my brother. I want a shortcut."

His chuckle was warm and affectionate. "Is that why you want to go on a Perfect Match adventure? Is that your idea of a shortcut?"

"No." She shook her head. "Well, yes, but it's a different shortcut. I want to see this world, learn about its different peoples, history, politics, and cultures, and I can do that much faster with the Perfect Match machine. It can literally just load all that information into my brain."

She was also curious about the questionnaire and hoped it would help her understand herself better.

Figure out what she wanted.

For some reason, Morelle didn't want to share this particular motive with Brandon. He might say that this wasn't the best way to do it and that she needed to experience real life to learn about herself, but she believed that she would learn a lot from answering guided questions, and if not, no harm would be done. She would use it to feed the Perfect Match machine and have it design a wonderful adventure for her.

There was no downside to filling out the questionnaire other than upsetting Brandon.

"That's exactly the part I don't like," Brandon said. "I want my memories to be real, not implanted by a computer program."

She tilted her head. "Does it matter how you acquire your memories as long as you can distinguish between the real ones and the computer-generated ones? It's just a faster way to learn and experience things."

His smile was a little condescending. "We are immortal, Morelle. What's the point of rushing anything? We should savor real experiences and prolong them as much as we can instead of cramming them into a three-hour session. It makes sense for humans but not for us." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "And the best part about being mated immortals is living forever together and experiencing everything as a couple."

She looked up at him. "Are couples supposed to do everything together? I mean, we are not the same person, and we might enjoy different activities. Do we have to give up the things that the other person doesn't like and only engage in activities that we both enjoy?"

A shadow crossed his face. "Are you tired of my company, Princess? Do you need some space? I could sleep at my house tonight and give you some breathing room."

Morelle felt torn.

The truth was, she wasn't used to sharing every waking moment with another person, even Brandon, who she cared for deeply. But how could she explain that need for space without hurting his feelings?

"I didn't ask these questions to hint that I want to be alone. I don't. I truly need answers."

His shoulders relaxed. "Couples should not do everything together, and no one should give up what they enjoy doing just because their partner doesn't. If you want to go on Perfect Match adventures, go. You don't need me to come with you."

Morelle smiled, happy with the answer he'd given her. "But I would like you to join me, at least from time to time. Is there a chance I could change your mind?"

He groaned. "I'll think about it."

That was progress.

She lifted her head and kissed his cheek. "Thank you. That's much better than a flat-out no."

He looked at her from under lowered lashes. "Are you sure you don't want me to leave? I seem to have annoyed you today, and I don't want to become the annoying guy who doesn't know when to back off."

"I don't want you to leave," she said. "But I would like to take a long, relaxing bath."

One hour of solitude was all she needed. It would recharge her.

He nodded, though something in his eyes suggested he understood she was asking for more than just bath time. "Do you need help filling it up?"

The offer made her laugh. She leaned in to kiss him softly. "Speaking of backing off, my dear. You need to give me some room to breathe."

"I'm sorry." He ran a hand through his hair. "I know I can be overbearing, controlling. I've spent most of my life telling people what to do and expecting immediate compliance. I know it's not the right way to handle a relationship, but old habits are hard to break."

"Don't apologize." She cupped his cheek. "I know that you care about me and that you mean well. When your controlling tendencies bother me, I promise to let you know. We're both learning how to do this, how to be together." She rose to her feet.

He shook his head. "Fated Mates should fit together perfectly. Otherwise, the bond won't snap in place."

The words sent an unexpected chill through her chest and froze her in place.

Fated mates? Was that what everyone meant when they said that their encounter had been fated?

She desperately needed to talk to Jasmine, Margo, and the others to find out if everything had been perfect between them and their mates from the start.

What if she and Brandon weren't fated for each other? What if the connection she felt with Brandon, powerful as it was, didn't go as deep as that?

The thought made her feel ill.

Morelle forced a smile. "We have plenty of time to discover whether we're fated mates or not. As you said, we are immortals, and we are not in a rush, right?" She leaned over him and kissed his forehead. "Are you going to be okay here while I soak in the bathtub?"

He nodded, but his expression was still troubled as she ducked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Leaning against it, Morelle let out a shaky breath.

Fated mates. The phrase echoed in her mind as she started the water running. Did it really mean a perfect fit?

Everyone seemed to expect some magical, instantaneous perfection. What if she and Brandon didn't live up to that standard?

The steam from the filling tub began to fog the mirror, obscuring her reflection. Appropriate, she thought wryly, given how unclear everything felt right now.

Adding some of the bath oils Annani had given her, Morelle breathed in the calming scent and closed her eyes.

Maybe she was overthinking everything.

Maybe fated didn't mean perfect and devoid of challenges.