Soulmates Across Borders

Chapter 19

Solí woke up and immediately bolted upright in bed with her heart pounding. Pango stirred, huffed, and opened his eyes. Did you dream of him? he asked.

She nodded and did her best to replay the entire dream in her head, and Pango closed his eyes and focused on her memory of the dream. When her recollection came to an end, he sat up and put his ears back.

So he says he'll help us with the lilacs. Now what?

Now we go to Itaone and see if he followed through on what he promised he would do.

But if he did, then you have to end your betrothal with Tokah.

I know. And I will.

You know your father will not allow you to end your betrothal and be with a beastman.

He might not have a choice. Waiata said that when people find their soulmates, they are absolved of their marriages and betrothals and allowed to be with their soulmate.

But we don't know what the wise women have to say about this situation.

You're right. We need to go back to Panui and speak with Waiata.

We should go there first, Pango suggested.

I disagree. We need to go to Itaone first. Because if Aer'ehk didn't grow me the lilacs then we'll know that I need to shun him for the rest of our lives. We can go to Panui and tell Waiata I've decided to shun my beastman soulmate. I'll marry Tokah and move to Panui with you and start my new life as the bear queen. And it won't matter what the wise women have to say about this.

The thought makes you sad, doesn't it?

It does, Solí admitted. I hate Tokah so much. I don't want to marry him.

You'd rather marry a beastman who brought his men to destroy our village.

Did you see the look on his face when I asked him about that? I could tell he felt guilty.

You didn't ask him if he's ever killed one of our kind with his own hands.

The dream ended before I could. Besides, like I said, I've got blood on my hands too. If he can forgive me for killing a beastman from his very own army, then I can forgive him for killing Värian people.

I cannot understand that line of thinking. Lives lost are still lives lost. Pango whined. You deal with the deaths of your family members every day. You're the last person I'd ever expect to forgive someone who's killed your kind.

Solí's throat closed up. A tear went down her cheek. I'd never forgive the beastmen who killed my mother and brother and baby sister. But Aer'ehk didn't kill them. He was my age when they died. Just a kid, like me. And his father died when he was a kid. And he said it himself, his men die in battles all the time. We both know what loss feels like. We're kindred spirits, Pango.

He snuffed. So you say. I think you are too quick to forgive him for bringing his men to destroy our village.

He said it wasn't his choice, Pango!

Her wolf stared at her.

"I'm going to Itaone. Are you coming or not?"

I'll come. I won't have you meeting up with your soulmate without me there to protect you. You never know what could happen.

She nodded and went to the doorway of the borrowed hut where they had spent the night. By the dusky dark sky, she estimated it to be several spots before the sunrise. The empty village paths gave her hope that they could leave unnoticed. Tokah wouldn't even know they left.

In a frenzy, she made a circle out of the petals. Then she sat in the circle and Pango came to sit with her. She breathed deeply as she swayed. Her mana awakened: a cold swirl deep within herself. It bloomed like a red flower at her first sacred circle at the base of her spine. "Tahur aha kite kouhu," she whispered.

Their bodies dissolved into mist, and she sprang for the door and flowed faster than the wind toward their old destroyed village, while Pango followed close behind her. Solí's mind whirled with thoughts.

Would her soulmate be in Itaone?

Did he really wake in the night to go to her village to grow lilacs for her?

What would her life be like with him? Could they live together? Or would they need to stay with their people and only see each other on special occasions? Would they be able to get married? She didn't know. Oh, how she longed to talk to Waiata and see what the wise women had decided.

She flew through the air to her village, her very soul rippling with the wind. She could sense Pango right behind her as they traveled through the beaver tribe's forest and across the land of Väria, aiming for the quickest way to the river.

Her mind whirled with the possibilities. If Aer'ehk was there, what would she do? She wouldn't be able to talk to him. They couldn't understand each other without the astral dream. Would she hug him to say thank you? She didn't know him at all. She'd only seen him once in her life, and they'd only spoken twice.

But his presence had been so intoxicating to her. She was worried about what would happen if they saw each other again. What would he do when he saw her? He seemed to like her, from what she could gather. He had already told her that he wanted to be with her. The possibilities were endless.

Finally, after only a sun span or so, Solí and Pango reached their old destroyed village and slowed down. Her misty body vibrated with the pure force of traveling all this way.

They approached the village opposite of the sunrise, unsure of what they would find. This was the moment of truth. Either Aer'ehk had grown lilacs for her, or he hadn't. Either she'd be stuck with a marriage to Tokah that she didn't want, or she'd be free to absolve her betrothal and see what the future would hold with Aer'ehk by her side.

She couldn't wait another moment to find out.

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1011 Words ~ 22092 Total