GAHRYE

It almost made him laugh how eager Kalle smelled at the idea of seeing him lift the trunk. Anima females enjoyed demonstrations of strength as well, but she seemed especially excited. He made a mental note to lift things around her more often.

Kalle realized, though, that her car would not fit the trunk—the name she gave to the large case the book had been held within. And Gahrye needed to get back to Elia.

They went back and forth about the best way forward, but Kalle wanted to dive into the histories, so they decided to choose one stack of books each and take those back to the Big House, then they would borrow a truck and return the following day for the rest.

While they spoke about how to carry the trunk into the house without Shaw seeing them, Kalle kept stroking his upper arms. It made his breath come faster and he had to restrain himself. These weren't the kind of books to be swept to the floor in the heat of passion. Besides, they would be home soon. He would have all night with her…

Clearing his throat at the mental images that flooded his brain, he made himself busy choosing which books he would take to look at the for the rest of the day.

In the end, he landed on the pile of books he'd made that discussed Anima society. He hoped there would be information there about the Guardians, or perhaps the Protectors. He slipped the two small journals of medicine onto the pile for Elia to review, and one small, but thick book that had the scent of age even more than the others. He wasn't sure why it drew him, but he hadn't been lying when he told Kalle he believed following their instincts was the best way forward.

He scented the winds, but found nothing new—except a sharp tang around the idea of that male, Dillon. He would bear watching—and warning again. He was pathetic and weak, but unaccustomed to being thwarted. He would try for Kalle again.

Gahrye would make sure he understood.

"What were you just thinking?

" Kalle asked him quietly.

He turned. He hadn't realized he had a hand at her waist.

"What?

" he asked, startled.

"What were you just thinking? You grunted and tightened your grip on me.

"

Gahrye frowned.

"Only that we must keep everything precious protected,

" he muttered and turned back to the books.

He could feel Kalle's eyes on him, but he didn't meet them. He didn't want her to see how much the idea of that other male bothered him. He knew she was devoted to him. He didn't understand why. But he loved that every time he looked for her in a room, she was usually already looking at him. That she measured him for a reaction every time something happened, before she responded to it.

There was something between them now, some golden thread that connected them at their cores, and she was learning to tug on it, to use it to feel him. And he with her. The string connected at his innermost core—but it also, somehow, impossibly, filled a hole there. As if she had taken residence in his soul.

He loved it.

And every time he thought about returning to Anima without her, it froze him from the inside out.

He shook his head and hurried to collect the books and slide them into the bag Kalle had brought in case they had books to bring him.

And did they have books.

He had to admit, even aside from what he hoped this prophecy meant for Kalle—and thus, for him—his heart sped up at the idea of the answers that might be within these works.

While they restacked the leftover books back into the trunk and ensured that the lock was snapped closed, he prayed to the Creator that they would finally find something solid to hold onto. Something that would help Elia, help him, help Kalle. Something that could take them all back to Anima safely…

But he knew the prayer was selfish. The truth was, his love for Elia lay in the shadow of his love for Kalle. He knew his dear friend would tell him that was as it should be—that she loved Reth more than she loved him. And he knew that was correct.

But he couldn't help fearing that the Creator would see it differently. Might see his divided loyalties and determine that he was unworthy of both.

His hands shook as he led Kalle out of the basement room and waited for her to close and lock it with the keys her grandmother had given her.

He swallowed hard as they walked the hall, then ascended the stairs.

He couldn't do anything about his feelings for his mate, except be willing to make the right decision even when it was hard.

He just hoped the Creator understood that.

"What is it?

" Kalle asked him as they returned to the main level of the library, her voice low so humans would be unable to hear it unless they were as close to her as Gahrye.

"Nothing to be concerned about,

" he said quietly.

"I am only weighing all the tasks, all the responsibilities, all the people… it feels like we are about to take a big step forward. But I don't mind telling you I'm afraid of taking it in the wrong direction.

"

"Me too,

" she whispered. Then they made it back to the service desk where her grandmother stood, frowning at Dillon, and Gahrye was forced to eye the male from behind Kalle so she wouldn't see him dominating the asswipe.

Dillon stared at him from behind those strange black frames, and Gahrye let himself feel his strength and his certainty of Kalle.

This male was weak—no matter how strong he might look to the humans. Gahrye snorted the air from his nose, though none of them noticed.

He had a vision for a moment of challenging the male to go downstairs with him and see if he could lift the trunk! But that was juvenile. The type of demonstrations Anima made when they first hit adolescence.

Kalle didn't need to see them compete. She had given her heart to Gahrye.

The asswipe could just suck it.

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