Eaton lowered his head and balled his fists, as the pain upon hearing what Jedrek said surged to the surface. He lost his mate because of what Janus had done.
There was one moment of Janus craziness that he accidentally sacrificed Liz to prolong Diana's life and since that accident, Eaton's loyalty was no longer with him. He couldn't serve the mad king who had killed his mate.
When the anger started to bubble up in his throat, Eaton felt Jedrek squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "When Serefina left, I went feral. Therefore, if I lost my destined mate now, there is no need to say that I will go beyond that."
It was easy to order Maximus to kill Lilac when she was just a baby and Jedrek had not yet met her, but now, as much as he hated to admit it, the mate bond had gotten stronger over time. It was impossible for him to feel nothing if he lost Lilac.
There was a moment of silent as Eeaton readjusted his feeling before he continued his line of questions. "But, why the mating ceremony? You can introduce her in another way. You seem rush this thing." Eaton glanced at Jedrek. "What happened?"
Right, Jedrek should have another way to introduce Lilac to his people, but he insisted the mating ceremony was the right event for that.
"Like what the girl said; war is drawing near. The two gates of Tartarus have opened. It was only a matter of time before those people started to rebel to inquire about their missing family," Jedrek replied to him, but he didn't really give the specific answer about the question that Eaton really wanted to know.
"And you want to mess with eastern region by killing Maximus?" Eaton added.
"I will take care all of that at once," Jedrek spoke rigidly, his eyes still stared at the far distance place and filled with… longing.
"We can deal with Maximus later." Eaton was still trying to change Jedrek's decision. However, that was not an easy thing to do.
"No, I will not have my enemies live under my roof again." Jedrek had had enough and he would not start it again by keeping Maximus, even as his prisoner. If the eastern region couldn't accept this, they must know who their king was!
Eaton sighed deeply. He relented. However, he still had other questions that remained unanswered. "But, it doesn't answer my question. Why you have to rush the mating ceremony?"
Jedrek didn't answer that question, instead he resigned himself. "Goodnight, Eaton." And then walked away toward his chamber.
Right, Jedrek rushed it. He had to do it.
Of the many selfish things that had been decided lately, this was the most selfish thing he had to do for himself.
Jedrek was well aware about the fact that he would meet with Serefina soon and in spite of the fact that his feeling for Lilac had gotten stronger, he still needed a solid reason to stay with her. He was not sure how he would feel when he met with Serefina after so many heartache nights that he had been through.
It didn't seem like the witch would come back to continue their relationship. Jedrek didn't want it too. He had been trying to forget her for centuries and only he, who knew what kind of effort that he had done to keep going since she left him, and all of that would be trifle away if he forgave her so easily.
Jedrek wouldn't do that.
However, in contrary, he didn't know how sure he was.
Therefore, he needed this. The mating ceremony would solidify the mate bond between him and Lilac. After that, he didn't need unnecessary distraction when he put his focus solely on the upcoming war.
This was a mess…
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When the sun down, all the bones of the children from the cave had been buried near the waterfall, with beautiful scenery and flower petals covered their final resting place.
It was their tradition. When the hunter would have fire when they died, the children would have the ground for them.
During that time, Raine would stay inside the cave, to figure out the strange feeling that she felt, yet she couldn't find anything.
She got overly anxious throughout the process, but that was it.
"Do you find something?" Serefina folded her arms in front of her chest, narrowing her eyes at Raine.
Raine shook her head. She felt dejected when Serefina sighed regretfully. The witch was disappointed in her and Raine was disappointed in herself. She didn't need for her to show it. It only added to her depression.
Even the scenery from this place, where the picturesque waterfall, which pounding the rocks and the rich hues of red blended with orange at the horizon, wasn't able to appease Raine's uneasiness.
"I will go with Hope to see the priestess," Hope mumbled and walked away.
When Raine had walked away, Serefina turned around and glared at Calleb behind her. "Don't you dare to comfort her now, there is something that she needs to do it alone!" She warned the Gamma, who was about to look after Raine.
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"So, the mating ceremony, huh?" Lilac finally found Jedrek in the throne room, sitting in his throne while staring at her, yet she couldn't read what kind of emotion that swirled in those cold eyes. "I will never have thought the thing between us will escalate so fast."
Lilac walked across the quiet room with only the soft sound from her feet on the stone floor that could be heard, toward the King on his the throne.
"First, you want to kill me and now you want me to be your queen." Lilac stopped right in front of Jedrek, staring straight into his dark blue eyes.
Jedrek kept his eyes on her, even though she was being sarcastic, she still looked fascinating.
"What the reason you want to do this? I don't see the mating ceremony has anything to do with the war."