Page 32 of Legends and Longing

As I tried to figure out what he was thinking and feeling, Zorin sent what felt like a smile through the bond. “Good boy for sharing your thoughts with us.”

I was his good boy?

Zorin reached closer, stopping just before touching me and waiting…

Oh.

Trying not to look as off-balance as I felt, I raised one finger.

The smile in my mind got brighter and his hand moved to slowly pet my head alongside Raxius. The fact that they’d found something it felt like they could cooperate on made me want to smile and turned my thoughts slightly naughty.

I wasn’t sure if I was hiding those well enough, but Zorin stayed pleased as he continued to stroke my head. “We are very proud of you for adapting well to a new situation.”

Oh that…that was nice.

“I am proud of you both for adapting well.” Raxius finally spoke, sending another wave of pleasure through me with his low, confident tone. “New forms of communication are difficult to adjust to.”

This…this was so much better than just sitting together and having dinner…and as I just soaked up their touch and the stronger emotions I could feel, Klynn spoke up again. “The people around the gate on the Earth side have a saying that they use when they are stressed or worried about finding their mates. They verbally remind themselves that mates are always compatible.”

Klynn almost made me smile because that was a phrase the people on the other side of the gate used a lot. If he saw how funny I thought that was, he didn’t show it, probably because he was focused on my mates. “For many years they were not finding their mates in great numbers but they still passed on the knowledge that mates were always meant for each other.”

Like my family.

“Our people here may need the reminder that even if their mates are from the other side of the gate, that truth still holds true. Our mates are the other half of us.” Something about Klynn’s pause made it feel like there was more he wanted to say.

Luckily for me, Raxius picked up the ball and didn’t make me figure out how to make words. “There is wisdom in that but sometimes the bond hovers just out of reach. New situations are not always easy.”

Was he thinking about it being difficult in general or was it something particular that was frustrating him? We’d spent the past couple of days talking about work and life on both sides of the portal, but we hadn’t actually managed to talk about intimate things.

We’d all even gone to bed alone in our own apartments, which felt normal to me but seemed to make my mates antsy.

“But they’re worth it in the end.” As Klynn spoke, Agent Murphy gave him a very mate kind of look. “You just need to find ways of communicating what you’re thinking, the good parts and your worries.”

“Communication comes in many forms.” Zorin kept petting my head, but it felt like he was done mentally sorting through things. “Nonverbal signals are an interesting way.”

Nonverbal signals…I could give them that.

“Three…three fingers will mean stop or red…but…but I’m green now.” Hopefully I’d stay that way.

“Thank you for providing us with that information.” Raxius kept running his hand over me, barely caressing me. “It is important that we know how you are feeling.”

A quick glance at Agent Murphy and Klynn made me think they both wanted to roll their eyes at how obvious that was.

“We do not want to upset you.” Zorin’s tone was still even but his emotions felt like he was worrying again.

“Mates…mates are always compatible.” Repeating the words made me feel slightly silly but also felt good in an odd way.

Klynn nodded, not looking at me like he thought I was ridiculous. “Whether it is the magic that made us or the ancestors looking into each heart and finding the perfect match, the outcome is the same. Mates are always right for one another. Sometimes it just takes us a while to remember that.”

He and Agent Murphy both understood it was taking me, and maybe my mates too, a while to remember that, but I just hoped it wouldn’t be a lesson we needed to learn over and over.

Chapter 10

Zorin

“It’s been a long time since anyone in my family found their mates.” Our Earth mate felt calmer but I was shocked. “They’ve had happy marriages or found people to have a family with but not mates.”

The only English word that felt right to explain my feelings was horrifying.