Page 5 of Claiming the King of Quakes

He couldn’t feel me.

And I was too far above him for him to find me that way. The flames held me above the ground.

Safe, they reminded me.Safe, and strong.

I couldn’t really remember myself, but I felt like I might have always wanted to be strong.

When he reached the end of his net and realized I wasn’t on the ground, he stepped deeper into the flames and changed tactics.

“Margo,” he said, raising his voice louder.

The smooth silk of it roughened as he raised it.

Margo?

That word…

It was familiar.

“Margo,” he said again, stronger and rougher.

Margo.

Margo.

Margo.

Some part of me ached.

Was that me?

“Margo, if you let these flames consume you, we will burn together,” he yelled, raising his voice higher.

Margo.

Margo.

Margo.

“You may not be mine, Margo, but you are my mate. And whether you like it or not, that’s forever.”

He continued speaking, but all I heard was two words.

Margo.

Mate.

Margo.

Mate.

Margo….

Mate…

I was Margo.

And I was his mate.