Chapter 6

Six

Crow

I stare through the window of her tiny studio home as she paces the room. I’m sure she has a lot going through her mind right now, and I wish I could help ease some of her confusion.

Unfortunately, if I reveal too much, she’ll be in even more danger, and honestly, she’d just have more questions and be further confused.

My skin prickles as I feel the snake slither up the balcony. I watch him slip through the bars and stare at her. Whenever he’s near, I shiver. It’s not his fault, not really. It’s just the nature of his kind. Most living things have a natural fear of him.

He turns his head my way, letting me know he’s aware of my presence, but I was already well aware of that fact.

Of all the creatures, in all the realms, having a Light One stalking you is most unfortunate. She’s blissfully unaware, but I have a feeling he’ll be making himself known soon enough.

After all, even the strongest of us can only resist our pull to be close to Moon for so long, before we break.

Silas

The Elf sits there, watching her like the weirdo he is.

At least I have a reason. I’m keeping her safe. From other Light Ones. From others like me, and the beasts she’ll never know have been sent for her over the years. Not even the Phoenix is aware, because in this universe, and all others, my power and ability are unmatched. Mostly.

She’ll never know about me either unless the shady fucking Elf reveals me.

Which, he might. I’m not sure if he’s aware of the full situation yet, but he will be soon enough. They all will.

Unfortunately for Moon.

I suppose it could be worse. My tongue flicks out, as agitation pushes me until my larger form threatens to break through. Unfortunately for me, I won’t be allowed to kill her Heart Bonded.

My nature is solitude.

So of course, the fates would bond me to a woman with more Heart Bonds than Zeus has mistresses. Bloody fuck-boy, that one.

I watch Moon shiver, her head turning toward the window, as she searches the dark for the cause of her discomfort.

I know it’s me.

That my presence makes her uneasy. She senses danger but has no idea what’s causing her worry.

That’s why I must keep my distance for as long as possible. Once she realizes I’m the cause, she’ll…

Fuck, I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll allow her to trample me in my smaller form.

Better that, than seeing her displeasure when she realizes what I am. Who I am.

Crow

“I see I’ve caught you at a bad time, but I need to speak with you,” I announce, sitting on the edge of the half-breed lost Elven Prince’s bed a few hours after I left him to deal with the wrath of our little Moon.

“What the fu-”

“Before you speak, Arlo, listen,” I cut him off. “I was not the one to demand your presence in the Games. A contract was made in your name, and I cannot break it, or you will die. Moon has no more say than you do in this. Which means you are both in danger. For obvious reasons, I would like to keep her alive. You know she’s your Heart Bonded, and that I am hers as well.” I watch as Arlo stares at me with wide, shocked eyes. Perhaps he wasn’t aware she was mine as well. Oops.

“You?” he asks, and I roll my eyes, pulling up my sleeve to show him the mark I received just after leaving Moon earlier. Aphrodite Moonlight Blossom Hart. A fucking mouthful. Her mother must have a sense of humor or a mean streak. I suspect that because Arlo is of royal blood, all the marks of Moon’s Heart Bonded will be the same as his royal mark. Although, maybe his mark was made to match Moon…

“Yes, me. As well as…” I pause, counting the others I sense. “At least another five, perhaps six, but the sixth one is a bit of an unknown,” I admit. He may be the lost Prince of the Elves, but he’s my best chance of keeping Moon safe. I’m not allowed to compete in the games again, as I have already won.

“Fuck,” he grumbles, and I nod.

“Quite a bit of fucking if I had to guess,” I agree, and Arlo glares at me. Oh, not what he meant. Right. “I apologize… Anyway, as soon as Moon gave me her name freely, I knew she was mine, her blood only confirmed it. Do inform her of the dangers of that in the future.”

“Eight bonded?” he whispers, still stuck on the number.

“Have you not sensed her true form?” I frown, wondering if his mixed blood dampens his Elven abilities. I watch him closely as his eyes go wide. “Oh good, I was starting to think you were useless.”

“Fuck you, Champion,” he hisses, and my eyebrows shoot up.

“What’s with the hostility!” I throw my hands up. “We are literally on the same side. Our blood be damned. You know, as well as I do, that two powerful men being Heart Bonded to one woman is designed by the fates. There is a purpose. She will be our people's salvation.” I nod, firm in my belief that she will be the one to save us all.

“I was abandoned, Crow. I did not run, nor did I have a choice. I was tossed into a fucking river and left for dead. My mother, my true mother, the one who raised me, was a Human.” His face crumples with pain, and my reaction is immediate. I wrap the Orc hybrid in my arms, holding him tightly. Humans do not live long lives. Even if he doesn’t know the full truth, his love for the Human was real.

“Your mother, the Elven Queen who gave birth to you, did not abandon you, Arlo. It was her husband who forced her hand.”

“You mean, the dead queen? She can’t… I’m not…” Arlo’s eyes grow wide, and I sense his panic.

“You don’t know the truth, do you?” I ask, and he pulls back.

“What truth…”

“Oh, dear. We must hurry.” I check the moon's location in the sky and shake my head. “We only have a few hours. Come with me,” I say, but as soon as I stand, Moon storms into the room.

“I knew it! What are you doing in Echo’s room?”

“Arlo,” I correct her, and she glares.

“Why are you here!” she snaps.

“Many reasons.” I nod, loving the anger in her eyes. Yes, fate chose well for me. Very well indeed.

Echo

“Stop that,” I scold the Elf, hating how riled he gets Moon. She likes it way too much.

“You should go back to your room,” Crow tells her, but she plants her hands on her hips, looking between us.

“Going somewhere?” She glares, and I can’t hold in my smile. My firecracker.

“No-”

“Yes-” Crow tries to lie while I confess the truth.

“Where?” she asks.

“Nowhere-”

“No idea-” Once again he deflects, while I confess.

“I’m coming.”

“No-”

“Okay-” This time I smirk. He and I clearly aren’t on entirely the same side.

“Yes, I am. If you try to stop me, I’ll just stab you.” She shrugs like she didn’t just threaten a Champion with violence.

“Fine, but you better get used to a great deal of things very quickly,” Crow says, crossing his arms. His eyes flash to mine, and the subtle head shake lets me know he’s not talking about their Heart Bond. I guess that’s still a secret then. Can’t say I blame him there. I hid mine from her for over a year after meeting her.

“Like?” she asks, crossing her arms now, but walking closer to us.

“Arlo is the lost Elven Prince, who’s an Orc hybrid,” the fucker says, pissing me off.

“None of that was yours to tell,” I scold him, as Moon stares at me with big eyes. She knew I was a half-breed, just not the lost Prince part.

“Perhaps not, but you might have hidden it from her longer. For the purposes of this trip, she needed to know. Come here.” Crow motions for the two of us to come closer. When neither of us moves, he sighs heavily. “Fine, be difficult.”

“Ass!” I shout, as the world goes black.