Chapter 25

When we got Valin's drink he spent 2 minutes testing to be sure it was correct and refused to speak to the barista, even when told to have a nice day. Everyone in the store was giving us annoyed looks. I just want to go home. Once we were outside, Valin's composure dropped and he started blushing.

"Now that I think about it, that cashier was really cute... I can't believe I even spoke to her." He sounded proud of himself, but he shouldn't be. I can see why RJ refused to come with him. "I think I'll just get it delivered next time." He said while sipping on his drink,

"If you could do that, why did you make us go through all this trouble?!" When I raised my voice Valin's eyes teared up and he said,

"I'm sorry... It costs a lot more to get it delivered and... I wanted to spend time with my friend..." He was staring straight at me. Valin's features were more childlike than Zai's, big round eyes, plus we were almost the same height, I instantly felt bad for yelling at him. Zai punched Valin's arm and he yelped, almost dropping his drink.

"I need you to revise that apology, and mean it this time." Zai's voice was cold and Valin relaxed, his tears dried up and he gave me a more serious expression,

"I'm really sorry Snowe for uh... troubling you and embarrassing you when I didn't need to." He realized he embarrassed me?!

"You noticed I was embarrassed," I asked, in order to understand better. Valin nodded and said,

"Yeah... I just didn't care. But I care now! I really really care, now!" I want to punch him too. We got home and Valin placed his cup on the coffee table and curled up on the living room sofa to sleep... He drinks all that caffeine and then just passes out?!

"Snowe," Zai called.

"Yes?!" I asked jumpily. He kissed my forehead and said.

"You should sleep... I have some stuff to take care of, so go to our room for now." Our room...

"Okay, I will." I agreed, and then he turned and walked out the same door we had just come in through. Raijian walked into the room at that moment and glared at Valin...

"Hey," I greeted. He waved half-heartedly.

"I've been wanting to talk to you... and apologize... you told me staying here would be uncomfortable because you knew how your brothers were... and I misjudged your intentions and accused you of... being jealous. I was wrong."

"Stop that." Rai chastened. Then he looked at me and looked away sadly. "Let's talk... in the dining room." He led the way, Zai said he trusted Rai and I know he wouldn't have left me alone if I needed to worry, so I followed as told. "First of all, I hate apologies," Rai admitted as I sat down. He can't lie so he must mean it. My first instinct was to say sorry again so I bit my lip. "When I first saw you... I read your thoughts, and when I learned your story, I thought you'd be annoying to have around." I sulked "But, I like how you rarely lie, and when you do, it's because you're overly considerate. Still... I kept feeling like you'd disappear one day since you just came out of nowhere anyway, and I wasn't willing to put in any effort to protect you so I told you to leave... I had no idea Zai had gotten so attached, already." I played with my wedding ring under the table but stayed quiet so he would keep talking. "I can never tell what he's thinking... so I thought his attraction to you would go away soon enough, and you could leave. I didn't want to get attached to someone who could just slip into another timeline on accident... anyway my point is, don't apologize to me, ever. If you think you did something wrong, make it up to me and do better."

"I'll do better," I stated enthusiastically. RJ sighed as if he disliked my answer.

"I'm surprised he'd put himself at risk like that for you... that mark on your finger... do you know what it means?"

"It's a marriage mark or something right?" I pulled off my ring and looked at the mark on my finger, it had changed colors and was now reflective and silver.

"On Afaria... that mark has different implications than marriage. It means that he's tethered his soul to yours, it also means that your enemies are his enemies. I'm sure anyone seeing it would react to you differently than just some ring. My father has over 2000 wives and none of them have that mark on them, do you know why?" I shook my head no and he smiled finally and petted my head. "To him, they are replaceable, but to Zai, you are not. That mark can not be removed and can only be given to one person in his whole life. I knew he'd never let you go as soon as I saw that." I looked at my ring finger, he can't ever give this to someone else? Divorce is rare on Infaniya but not impossible, even my father moved on eventually.

"What would happen if Zai fell in love with someone else?" I asked,

"Oh... he would die. Being apart from you for longer than a year is a death sentence because you are a part of him now. Well more accurately, you own a part of him that he can't live without." I gasped and stood to my feet. "This is what the tether signifies." I felt like the room was spinning, "You'll live though... he didn't take anything from you in this arrangement. Aren't you lucky?" Rai stated bitterly. He then got up and left the table, to kick Valin off the couch and tell him to go to his own room. After thinking alone for a while I headed to Zai's room myself and sat in his desk chair, thinking... then I remembered the question Zai asked me, before Cera's attack. "When you're with Rai... what is the most prevalent thing on your mind?" When I first saw Zai, our eyes met. I felt like we were staring into each other's eyes for a long time but thinking back, it couldn't have been more than a second. Even though I felt indebted to RJ I felt more comfortable with Zai and would go along with whatever he asked. And when I was alone with RJ there was only one thing on my mind. Of course, any man with pride would give up on being me. I fell asleep in the chair before Zai came back, but woke up in bed next to him in the morning. I wonder where he went all night... usually I would hold back but today I kissed him, which woke him up instantly.

"Stop... you have to work today." He stated as a warning. I laughed and said,

"Alright... I'll behave... Zai... what is marriage to you?" I inquired. His eyebrows rose,

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... is it like marriage is on Infaniya?" I clarified. He frowned and said,

"I doubt the stuck-up assholes on your planet would recognize what we have as legitimate. So no." He then sat up and began getting dressed. "I will drive you to the studio but, I can't stay today." He added.

"Wait! Why?" I sat up,

"Weren't you just saying I didn't need to come? I realized I have some things I need to do anyway... Enjoy your time without me." I never cleared up the misunderstanding! I felt worried as I asked,

"Are you upset with me?"

"No, silly." Zai chuckled lightly and said, "I took some extra measures so... there's nothing to worry about. Plus there's not much they can do to you, as long as you remember to communicate. I'm not upset with you at all."

"Then answer me... what are your intentions... with me? I mean... why put yourself at risk?" He hummed then said,

"Oh, you've been talking to Rai... Get dressed then we'll talk in the car." I reluctantly left the room to look through the dressers in my own space... I didn't like it. The temperature is the same but I feel so cold and anxious here in my old room. Like I'm afraid of having to move back in here alone.

As promised, Zai started talking as soon as we were inside the vehicle. "I feel like this is a heavy subject to talk about first thing in the morning."

"I'm sorry."

"As you should be." He replied with a laugh, then he moved his hand from the wheel and glanced at me before lovingly stroking my cheek. "I had stopped feeling before I met you, sometimes I would have good times with Rai but ... it was different because... Well, that doesn't matter. I just don't want to be with anyone else, I want to protect you and work with you and... I would hate seeing you end up with anyone other than me so much... that, that would kill me anyway, so why not take the risk and bind with you the first chance I got... there's no risk in it for me if I'd die regardless."

"I don't want anyone else! You didn't need to be so reckless." I stated defensively. Zai scoffed.

"You used to flirt with Rai all the time." I was shocked by his accusation.

"When?!"

"You told Rai you appreciated the fish he caught." He stated mockingly. That was so long ago... he was actually listening when I said that?!

"That wasn't even flirting!" I argued, that's when we pulled up at the studio, before I got out of the car I added, "And I can answer you now, whenever I was alone with RJ, I was thinking about you, wondering where you were and missing you. You're not the only crazy one, I'm crazy about you too!" Zai stared at me blankly and I suddenly felt embarrassed so I yelled bye and rushed out of the car. I didn't need to say all that, huh...