Chapter Fifteen
Nadia entered the gate cave to find Geeta and Jon lounging on pillows at the gate’s base. The couple sat up at the sisters’ appearance.
Geeta let Jon help her to her feet. “Are you going to visit the lake?”
Nadia nodded, but before she could take more than a step in that direction, Arriana pulled her to a stop. “You found the gate after you met Lord Cyrene, right?” She studied the gate. “I don’t think it’s talking about the heartbond ceremony. It said it needs the one bonded to the key, as if it needs an already bonded pair for some type of joining.”
Nadia crossed her arms over her chest, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “I know what you’re thinking. Don’t. Gregor Cyrene is an a’mi-hating Thunoan.”
“Hear me out, Mistress Sunshine,” Arriana said dryly.
“You can talk while we walk.” Nadia moved out of the cave and into the tunnel which led to the underground lake, her sister following doggedly at her heels.
“What if you’re the key to opening this gate, and the joining is you and your heartbonded connecting to the gate the way King Delmar is linked to Diomere’s gate?” Arriana grabbed Nadia’s arm with a gasp. “I see it now. You’re the first star in Lareina’s vision, and Lord Cyrene is your heartbonded. Heartbonded cannot live without their other half. If he dies, then so do you.”
Nadia shook her head. “Do you hear yourself? If I’m the first star, are the other four you, Lareina, Kardia, and Zephyra? Should I also believe that all the other gates still exist as well?” She scowled and walked faster. “I am not the first star. Gregor will not die. Our world is not dependent on him and me to keep this darkness which we aren’t even sure exists from consuming us all.”
“You didn’t deny that Lord Cyrene is your heartbonded.” Arri grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop and face her.
“Gregor Cyrene is not my heartbonded,” she said, avoiding her sister’s sharp gaze. And her voice was so weak that even she couldn’t believe herself.
A part of her had known who he was to her from the moment they’d met and her a’mi surged toward him. She sighed.
“We’ve been sharing dreams for days.” She whirled around and stomped down the tunnel, stopping only when the tunnels split. She faced her sister, Geeta, and Jon. “How can I trust any man with my secrets and my heart? How can I show him my A’mi side, ask him to accept the heartbond, without taking the time to let him get to know me?” she asked them, brows raised. “He’ll turn and run as fast as possible in the opposite direction. And I wouldn’t blame him.”
Arriana wrapped her arms around her elder sister. “You don’t know he’ll react like that. Will you let your past keep you from your future? Is your fear such that you’d willingly let your heartbonded slip through your fingers? Is Geeta not worth taking that chance? The big sister I remember wasn’t a coward.”
Nadia stiffened and pulled from her sister’s embrace. “Don’t throw Geeta’s plight in my face, Arri. That’s cruel, even for you.”
Her sister dropped her gaze. “Sorry.”
“Do you think it’s as easy as a simple decision? The heartbond happens only when both people willingly bare their souls. Then, as if that’s not bad enough, both have to accept the other, flaws and all. I saw how hard it was for Jon to allow Geeta to see what he was forced to do to survive in Berezan. Until he was able to forgive himself, he couldn’t accept that Geeta could forgive him. His initial rejection of the heartbond nearly destroyed them both.” She squeezed the bridge of her nose. “And Jon wasn’t raised to fear and hate the A’mi. How much harder will it be for Gregor? Never mind my own trust issues and secrets. What if Gregor does the same?” Shoulders slumped, she turned away from them. “You think I’m quick to throw this chance away, but you’re wrong. I want it more than anything else in my life.”
Silence pressed in on them, the faint sound of the hidden lake’s waterfall barely discernible.
Arriana laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I was thinking like a Sa’i. I ignored the fact that the heartbond is rare even among the A’mi.”
Nadia glanced over her shoulder and forced a smile. “Come, I have something to show you.” She pointed toward the stairs cut into the stone. “Jon only recently discovered that those stairs lead up to Dieuroi Mavros’ palace, which I plan to use to reach our nephew. This way, however, leads to the real treasure. A way out of Thuno altogether.”