Alejo

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I watched as Morana stepped through the door and hoped that whatever she found on the other side it would bring her some peace of mind.

I was secretly glad she had asked to go in alone. That gave me some time with just the Librarian and gave me the opportunity to ask questions I wanted answers to, but that I didn't necessarily want Morana around for when I asked.

"Alejo," the shadow, which was the Librarian, asked in that voice that echoed. "What question do you want answered?"

"Is it possible to hide a mate bond?" I partly knew it was wishful thinking that made me ask, because even if that was the case, why would anyone want to hide mine and Morana's mate bond? But the idea had come to me as Rick had asked her about the poster. It really was odd that she had been able to open it from that first time. What about her had made her worthy enough? The only thing I could think of was that she somehow was my mate.

"Hide a mate bond?" the voices echoed. "I think you need to be more specific."

"Is it possible for two witches to have looked into each other's eyes but still be unaware they are mates?" I reworded the question and though the Librarian was still just shadows, I somehow became sure my question pleased them.

The shadows shifted and covered the door before spreading out to take up all the space behind the counter. "The answer is through the door."

I walked over and entered. The room was vastly different from when I had been in there with Morana. There was only one book which lay on a small table next to a couch.

I went over and settled myself down to read.

The book was all about the mate bond. The different things that had been figured out about it, though the book made it clear the mate bond was the most complex part of magic and just because one thing was true in one instance, it didn't mean it was in another.

But what all seemed to agree on was that the mate bond could be considered a sentient type of life. That was how the rejections worked, or more specifically, how the unrejections worked. If two mates had rejected each other, but for some reason regretted that rejection, the mate bond in itself could feel that and make a decision to basically come back to life. For all texts also seemed to agree upon that rejections were the same as killing the mate bond's life.

With that, there were also texts that claimed there was a possibility for others to kill the mate bond between two people. That stuck with me. Could that be what was going on with me and Morana? Had someone killed our mate bond?

But why?

That was a question that left me completely at a loss. Why would someone want to kill mine and Morana's mate bond? Sure, my family and the coven had never given a damn about me except for to use me. But I couldn't see them wanting to kill our mate bond and besides, they had been so genuinely surprised by Morana's appearance in my life. If they had been the ones to do something, they would have known about her.

And there couldn't be anyone in Morana's life who would have done it, right? She hadn't even known about magic and stuff until we met, so no, that was impossible.

Most likely, it was all just wishful thinking of me. I so desperately wanted her to be mine that I twisted things into knots, trying to make it true.

I sighed and closed the book before leaving the room.

"You're just infuriating and perverse and an asshole!" I heard Morana scream as I stepped outside.

Her head snapped to me and her eyes burned with anger. No. Not anger. She seemed riled up in anger, but the only feeling I could read from her was fear.

I hurried over and took hold of her hands to hopefully center her a bit. To my surprise, she seemed to recoil somewhat at my touch at first before accepting it.

"What happened?" I asked her and then looked over at the Librarian.

It really was strange how shadows could be so expressive, because I definitely could read sadness from them.

"That idiot won't give me a straight answer!" she snapped and looked over at the Librarian as well. But her eyes quickly darted back to me. Then the Librarian. And finally, our hands that were intertwined. Her lower lip quivered.

"What do you want to know? Maybe I could help?" I suggested.

"No!" she almost screamed. Then, in a calmer voice, she added, "It's nothing."

"What did you find out about the voices?" I asked next, but she shook her head.

"Nothing. There was nothing."

It was obvious she lied. It was obvious that whatever she had found out had affected her deeply. But by now I knew her well enough to know she wouldn't tell me until she was ready to. No matter how much I pressed for answers.

"Do you need to find out anything more?" I asked next, and she continued to shake her head.

"No. Let's just get the fuck out of here. He's giving me the creeps," she said and turned around to walk off, pulling her hand out of mine as she went.

"There might be more information that can be useful for you. You only need to ask the right question," the Librarian said, but Morana didn't even turn around. She did, however, raise her right hand and gave the Librarian the finger.

I lingered as she stormed out and turned to the shadows.

"What happened?" I asked them, without much hope for an answer.

"Objective truths are all I can give," they answered, just as unhelpfully as I had imagined. But it had been pointless of me to ask the question anyway.