It's a Seeker's Game

Mariah felt the rhythm of his heartbeat against her body as he craned over her, the warmth of his breath drifting over her neck causing an involuntary shiver to run down her spine. She could feel the softness of his muzzle against her fur, the jagged peaks and valleys of his scars brushing against her. His silence was powerful, his proximity even more so. It was a sensation foreign yet comforting like an old memory long forgotten now resurfacing. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her body instinctively leaning into his touch. The familiarity of his scent enveloped her, offering an unexpected comfort that tugged at strings within her heart she didn't know existed. It was magnetic, this pull towards him. She understood then why the moon and the earth danced in a perpetual cycle- it was not an obligation but a gravitational pull, an inexplicable force. And as they existed in that quiet moment, anchored by each other's presence, she realized that he was her moon - a celestial body she found herself irresistibly drawn to.

Mariah turned her head slightly, her nose brushing softly against his jawline. She took in the rugged, musky scent of him up close, it held a certain earthy wildness that matched his hunter-killer spirit. It was a smell comforting in its intimidation: a reminder of his ferocity and strength and... loyalty. Yes, loyalty. A word that echoed in her mind because it encapsulated what she had unconsciously begun to feel for Caedes. He could have turned his back on her, dismissed her complexities as burdensome and not worth his time. But he was here, enveloping her in his warmth, meeting her vulnerability with his own. And she commended him for it.

Mariah held her breath as Caedes broke their embrace, his piercing gaze locked on hers. His bold question rang in the silence between them like a tolling bell. She blinked, taking a moment to collect her thoughts, attempting to piece together a response that would quell the brewing storm in his eyes. "My family...” she began slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. “It is custom that a soulmate joins Elysium- they are being identified as a Mendacium at that point- possessed by one of our ancestral spirits. The idea is to bring them home. There would be a ceremony shortly after to finalize everything.” She paused looking for any information she could read in his expression. “Any one of us only has one soulmate … There is no separating after that. No second chances …" She answered lightly, wondering how deeply her words might cut him. Her heart hammered in her chest as she continued, “I don’t expect any of that. As my friend, you could probably get by with meeting my parents and my sister. I could visit you- you could visit me. And we could get on like that for a long time …” But as far as she could see, those were the only two options for advancement.

"Mariah Mendacium"