Moonbound Mates

Chapter Thirty-One

Kael stared down at the reports spread across his desk.

Three separate border incidents.

Four injured guards.

One death.

His jaw tightened.

The names blurred together after a while. Patrol routes. Witness statements. Supply records. Rogue sightings.

None of it felt random.

Someone was testing them.

Someone was probing Silver Moon's defenses.

The problem was proving it.

Kael rubbed a hand across his face and forced himself to continue reading.

A knock sounded at the door.

His heart immediately kicked against his ribs.

Rowan.

The thought came before he could stop it.

Before he could think.

Before he could remember that she wanted nothing to do with him.

"Come in."

The door opened.

And disappointment hit him so quickly it almost stole his breath.

Evelyn stepped inside.

The feeling vanished just as quickly.

Or at least he buried it.

Kael forced a smile.

"Evelyn."

She smiled back.

Warm. Familiar. Easy.

The way she always had.

Kael hated himself for feeling disappointed to see her.

Moon Goddess.

What was wrong with him?

Never.

Not once.

Not in all the years he'd known her.

Not in all the years he'd loved her.

Had he looked at Evelyn and wished she were someone else.

The realization sat heavily in his chest.

Evelyn stepped farther into the room.

"I didn't know you were back."

Kael leaned back in his chair.

"I'm sorry."

The apology came automatically.

"Jace practically ambushed me the second I got out of the car."

A faint smile touched her lips.

"That sounds like Jace."

"There was a problem along the borders."

Her smile faded.

"I heard."

Kael nodded.

"I was going to find you afterward."

Evelyn shook her head.

"I understand."

And she did.

That was the problem.

Evelyn always understood.

Silence settled between them.

Not uncomfortable.

Just thoughtful.

Eventually, she glanced toward the reports covering his desk.

"How was your trip?"

The answer escaped before he could stop it.

"It didn't go well."

Evelyn looked surprised.

Not because of the answer.

Because of how quickly it came.

Kael noticed immediately.

Too late.

He exhaled slowly.

"Rowan is requesting a meeting with the Council."

The room went still.

Evelyn's expression shifted.

Concern.

Confusion.

A little sadness.

"To end the trial?"

Kael nodded once.

The words felt heavier every time he said them.

"She told me she's done."

Silence followed.

Long.

Neither seemed eager to fill it.

Finally, Evelyn spoke.

"What do you want?"

The question landed harder than any accusation could have.

Kael looked away.

Toward the reports.

Toward the window.

Anywhere but her.

"I never thought the trial was a good idea."

The answer sounded weak even to him.

Evasive.

Incomplete.

Evelyn noticed.

Of course she did.

She'd always noticed.

For a long moment, she simply watched him.

Then she looked down at her hands.

Thoughtful.

Quiet.

The silence stretched.

Kael found himself unable to break it.

Eventually, Evelyn lifted her gaze again.

"I think we need to talk."

Kael frowned slightly.

"About what?"

A sad smile appeared.

Small.

Resigned.

"I think you know."

The words settled heavily between them.

Neither looked away.

Neither pretended not to understand.

The last few weeks.

The bond.

The trial.

Rowan.

Everything.

Evelyn folded her hands together.

"When the border situation is under control..."

She paused.

Choosing her words carefully.

"I think we need to sit down and discuss where our relationship stands."

The room felt very quiet.

Kael stared at her.

At the woman he'd planned an entire future around.

The woman he'd promised forever.

The woman who somehow always deserved more honesty than he managed to give her.

Slowly, he nodded.

"You're right."

A flicker of pain crossed her face.

Gone almost immediately.

Replaced by that same calm composure she wore so well.

"Okay."

Neither smiled.

Neither seemed sure what came next.

Outside the study window, the afternoon sun continued its slow descent toward the horizon.

Inside, two people sat across from each other.

Both finally acknowledging the question neither of them could avoid anymore.

And for the first time since Rowan Wilder walked into their lives—

Neither of them was certain what the answer would be.

Rowan was sitting on the edge of her bed when the knock came.

Soft.

Careful.

Not a servant.

Not Jace.

Not Kael.

"Come in."

The door opened a moment later.

Lyra stepped inside.

For once, she wasn't smiling.

She wasn't teasing.

She wasn't carrying snacks.

Gods.

That alone should have been concerning.

For a moment, neither woman spoke.

Then Rowan sighed.

"I'm sorry."

Lyra blinked.

"What?"

Rowan looked away.

Toward the window.

Toward the wall.

Anywhere except directly at her.

"For earlier."

The words felt awkward.

Uncomfortable.

Necessary.

"I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Silence.

Then—

"Oh."

The single word sounded surprisingly soft.

Rowan rubbed the back of her neck.

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"No."

Lyra closed the door behind her.

"I didn't."

A pause.

"But something definitely happened."

There it was.

Of course there it was.

Lyra crossed the room and sat down in the chair near the window.

For once, she didn't push.

Didn't demand answers.

Didn't immediately start interrogating her.

She just waited.

Patiently.

Which somehow made it worse.

Rowan stared down at her hands.

Thinking.

Trying to figure out how much she wanted to say.

How much she could say.

Eventually, she sighed.

"The trip started out great."

Lyra didn't interrupt.

Didn't react.

Just listened.

Rowan swallowed.

"We got to Fernhaven."

A small smile tugged briefly at her mouth.

Gone almost immediately.

"It was beautiful."

She thought about the bakery.

The bookstore.

The lake.

The little inn.

The books she'd bought.

The dinners.

The conversations.

Gods.

Everything had felt so easy.

"So many things happened."

A faint laugh escaped her.

Humorless.

"We talked."

A pause.

"We had fun."

Another.

"It was nice."

The admission hurt.

Because it was true.

For a few moments, neither spoke.

Then Rowan looked down at her hands.

"For the first time since I found him..."

Her voice softened.

"I wasn't thinking about how much I missed home."

Lyra's expression shifted.

Just slightly.

Understanding.

And maybe a little sadness.

Rowan laughed quietly.

"Which should have been my first warning."

Still, Lyra remained silent.

Giving her space.

Letting her continue.

Eventually, Rowan sighed.

"Then Kael accidentally ordered enough wine to supply a small army."

One of Lyra's eyebrows immediately climbed.

"There she is."

The corner of Rowan's mouth twitched.

Barely.

"It was supposed to be one bottle."

"Of course it was."

"It turned into six."

Lyra snorted.

"That sounds more believable."

For a moment, the tension eased.

Just a little.

Then it returned.

Rowan looked away.

Toward the window.

"Anyway."

The word felt heavier than it should have.

"We drank some."

Lyra waited.

"I don't really drink."

That got her attention.

"At all?"

"Not really."

A pause.

"Honestly, it was basically my first time."

Lyra stared.

"Rowan."

"I know."

"You got drunk?"

"I know."

Lyra looked genuinely fascinated.

Which felt deeply unfair.

Rowan groaned.

"Please don't."

"I'm trying."

"No, you're not."

"I'm really not."

Despite everything, Rowan almost smiled.

Almost.

Then the memory returned.

The wine.

The conversation.

The way he'd looked at her.

The things he'd said.

The smile vanished immediately.

Her chest tightened.

Lyra noticed.

Of course she did.

Slowly, the humor faded from her expression.

"What happened?"

The question came quietly.

Carefully.

Rowan swallowed.

Hard.

For a moment, she couldn't seem to find the words.

Then—

"He said all the right things."

The confession barely rose above a whisper.

Lyra didn't move.

Didn't interrupt.

Rowan stared at the floor.

"He was talking about the bond."

A pause.

"The Moon Goddess."

Another.

"Fate."

Her throat tightened.

Gods.

Everything hurt.

"I kissed him."

The room went silent.

Completely.

Rowan laughed once.

A short, miserable sound.

"I didn't even realize I was going to do it."

Her voice cracked.

"I was just..."

A pause.

"He said something."

Another.

"And then suddenly I was doing it."

The memory flashed through her mind.

Painfully clear.

She wished it wouldn't.

For several long moments, neither woman spoke.

Then Lyra asked quietly—

"Did he push you away?"

Rowan froze.

The question hit too close.

Much too close.

Her eyes burned immediately.

She looked away.

"Rowan."

A pause.

"What happened?"

Silence.

Long.

Heavy.

Painful.

Finally, Rowan shook her head.

"No."

The answer came quietly.

Broken.

"I really don't want to talk about this anymore."

Lyra watched her.

Waiting.

But Rowan was done.

Completely done.

The memories hurt too much.

The words hurt too much.

Everything hurt too much.

"Things were said."

Her voice barely held together.

"And I don't think we can come back from this."

The room fell silent.

For a long moment, Lyra simply stared at her.

Studying her.

Really studying her.

The exhaustion.

The heartbreak.

The way she looked like she'd been holding herself together through sheer stubbornness alone.

Then—

Without warning—

Lyra stood.

Crossed the room.

And wrapped her arms around her.

Rowan froze.

Completely.

For one startled second, she didn't know what to do.

Lyra never hugged people.

Well.

That wasn't true.

She hugged people constantly.

But usually while threatening them.

This was different.

No jokes.

No teasing.

No sarcasm.

Just—

Comfort.

Simple.

Honest.

Real.

Something inside Rowan cracked.

Not completely.

Just enough.

Slowly, she lifted her arms.

And hugged her back.

Neither of them spoke.

They didn't need to.

For the first time since leaving Fernhaven—

For the first time since waking up in that clearing—

Rowan let herself stop pretending she was okay.

And Lyra simply held on.