“How did you even get out of here?”
I shrug, remembering my efforts yesterday only to come back today.
“I climbed one of the trees, got onto the wall, and then slid down the other side onto the ground.”
Her eyes widen in surprise. “You must be joking,? Oh my word, that wall is high. How did you climb that tree with your wrist in a plaster?” she asks as she steps inside, taking my arm in her hands. She picks it up to pull my sweatshirt back, to reveal my plastered wrist.
“It wasn’t easy, let me tell you, and I felt a lot of pain.”
She shakes her head at my words. “I don’t know how you did it. The prospects are supposed to be patrolling the wall at night. Tor gave them a lashing for letting you slip away.”
I gasp at her statement. I didn’t mean for anyone to get into trouble. I didn’t even think about that when I was making my escape. “Oh no, it’s not their fault,” I say, worried about what might have happened to them.
Anastasia lowers my arm, looking at me she shakes her head. “You still don’t realize, do you?” she asks. “As Elementals’ women, we are the most precious thing they have. If any of us get hurt, it goes against everything they believe. You see, women are meant to be treasured and to be loved.” She raises her hand to my cheek, rubbing at it, which tells me that I must have dirt in my hair and face from crawling under the Gazebo. “You are now mated to Dag. As his woman, you are his other half. If you die, he dies. If you get hurt, he will consider that a let-down to you.” At my surprised look she nods and continues, “Dag should have told you all these things. You see, they live a very long, long life, but if anything happens to their mate, they have two choices: one is dying with her, and the other one is inevitable… the darkness in their soul takes over and they become Keres.”
“What’s Keres?” I think I have heard the term before, but I have never had it explained to me.
Anastasia smiles as she inclines her head towards the bathroom. “Come on. Do you want a nice relaxing bath? I will tell you all about the Keres.” My curiosity has gotten the better of me. I make my way into the bathroom. Anastasia already has prepared the bath. I don’t know why Dag didn’t tell me that his life was now attached to mine. It’s crazy. Whoever would want to attach their life to a woman that is being hunted by a gang?
Anastasia gasps, shaking her head when she sees my bruised and scuffed body.
Sliding into the bath, I wince as the water touches my body, burning where I have small abrasions, but then the water starts to soothe. Laying my head back, I sigh in pleasure. “Thank you,” I say, looking at Anastasia. “Now take a seat and tell me all about Keres before I die of curiosity.”
Anastasia laughs as she closes the lid to the toilet and takes a seat. “Okay, let me try to update you on everything you need to know. Keres are Elementals that have turned dark or evil. You see, if Elementals don’t find their mate, the darkness within their soul fights to be let out, making them evil and mean.” I can’t believe Dag is evil. I mean, I know that he will kill if he needs to, and he isn’t a pushover, but the way he has treated me, I would never say that he is evil.
“How old is really old?” I guess they have a really long-life span, maybe up to their hundred and twenties. Imagine living that long!
“Well, I know that Draco, the Elementals’ mother chapter president, is over eight hundred years.”
“What?” This can’t be true, is it?
At my gasp of surprise, Anastasia laughs.
“I promise you. I mean, most of the guys here are over two hundred to three hundred years, and the best part is that they look just as delicious the older they get. Wait until you see Draco, he’s sex on legs.”
I laugh. I’ve never had this type of relationship with anyone before. I like being able to joke about things with others.
I hear footsteps approaching, telling me that Freya is about to join us. “Freya is coming,” I murmur a minute before she knocks on the bedroom door.
“Come in,” Anastasia calls out
A minute later, Freya is walking into the bathroom.
“You are okay,” she says in relief as she looks at me, then shakes her head. “You gave me such a fright! When Dane told me that you were gone, I nearly had a mini heart attack.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”
“It’s okay… oh! Look at your poor body; it’s all bruised.”
Looking at my arms, I sigh when I see the marks.
“Don’t worry, we will get you as right as rain in no time.”
I laugh at her expression. I think, now that I’m back, that we are going to be great friends. All I need to do is apologize to Dag, as I didn’t know the depth of his commitment to me.
If they are willing to give me a chance after everything, then I’m going to stop running away and face this new life with arms wide open.