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Chapter 53

EMERIEL

Emeriel awoke in Aekeira's chambers, his sister hovering over him.

"She's awake, Amie!" Aekeira's voice echoed throughout the room. "Please go and fetch Madam Livia."

The ruffle of movements followed.

Emeriel's head throbbed with a headache, and his mouth tasted bitter from the herbs likely forced down his throat.

He attempted to sit up but winced as his body protested. "What happened?" he groaned.

"You had another mini-heat yesterday and somehow ventured to the forbidden chambers on your own," Aekeira's voice trembled with a mix of dread and disbelief. "When Amie told me, I could hardly believe it. By the gods, Em! Going into the forbidden chambers willingly and alone!?"

Memories flooded back to Emeriel. Aekeira was right-what had possessed him?

"I don't know, Keira," he admitted.

"But... but... I simply don't understand." Aekeira started to pace, visibly agitated. "There are plenty of Urekai males around. The guards would have gladly locked you up in a room and tended to your needs until the heat subsided. You could have easily gone to any of them. So why did you choose that beast? Why?"

"I really don't know. My body made the decision for me," Emerie confessed, resigned.

Aekeira stopped abruptly. "What?"

Emeriel exhaled loudly. It was one thing to acknowledge the truth within himself, and another to voice it aloud.

He hesitated.

strain, and guilt flashed in her eyes. T'm sorry, I shouldn't be questioning you after the night you've had." She moved

I've been trampled by a carriage. Every part of my body

said you needed to be awake to take a particular herb-what was it called again? Oh, snakevines. She mentioned it would be more effective in alleviating the pain." "Okay." Emeriel surrendered to his

you. And there you were, lying in the hallway." A note of awe and wonder entered Aekeira's voice. The beast brought you out, Em. It laid you out in the hallway." Emeriel did not

beast didn't harm you. It didn't make any deliberate attempt to inflict pain upon you. I simply don't understand what

gazed off into the distance, falling silent for

Keira," he finally whispered aloud. "As soon as the heat started, all I could think about was him, In 16:53 Sat, Dec 28

Chapter 53.

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claim him as mine. And when the heat intensifies, it becomes overwhelming, making it hard to think clearly,

maintain control."

wait to be with him. To feel him inside me. All I could think about

up in Emeriel's eyes. "I think I belong to that beast, Keira. I

filled with vehement denial. No way. Do not let such a dreadful

so cruel.

Emeriel's

tears continued to flow. "I don't want to think like that either. Ever. I don't want to be bonded to one of those heartless Urekai. The idea of being destined for one fills me with dread. I want no part of this." He swallowed hard and looked away. "But it would be foolish to ignore it just because I want it to go away. I can't dismiss it simply because I wish it wasn't true. It

with determination. "There must be another explanation. Perhaps your body

"Not yet, Emeriel interrupted.

shut, confusion evident on

still intact." Emeriel knew how ridiculous that sounded. How crazy. He had thought so too, when he found

the beast has mounted you twice, Aekeira added,

matter what a Urekai male does to sate a syren or Urekai female during their/ heat, the body

before heat. The beast has mounted me twice now, and both times I was in heat. And I've never had anyone else."

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