058: Veils and Whispers

[Orion]

My mate lost the ability to speak. Her body rigid in terror, she gave a small nod to the awaiting attendant before closing the door and turning towards me.

"You need to hide," her eyes swirling gold and blue and green. "You need to hide. Tell the others. My...my brother can't see you. Not yet. Not until I can think of a good reason for you to be here."

"I'm your mate, Kora," I place my hand on her shoulder but she doesn't grow soft, she stays as hard as steel and starts to tremble. "Isn't that a good enough reason for me to be here?"

"How do I explain how I haven't left the castle in the last 5 months and yet found a mate from the Celestial Realm?" She is shaking visibly now, her hands flapping as she paces. "I've been under house arrest and..."

"Wait," I don't understand what she's saying. "Why?"

"I was in a coma when Segundus brought me home and when I woke up I was mad."

"Of course you were angry, Kora, I'd be..."

"No," she cuts me off. "I was not in my right mind.