“Of course, as long as your family helps me, I will help it,” she explained in an eloquent tone.
“What help are you needing?”
“A place to live here in your kingdom and permission to come and go as I please, provided the rendering of my services,” she explained. “I also wish to make it clear that I won’t be held accountable if the matches don’t work out. I’m only here to deliver the information I am given.”
I nodded, swallowing dryly.
“Your services meaning your ability to see a person’s fated mate,” I clarified.
“As clearly as I can see your face in front of me,” she smiled. “If you’d like me to perform a trial, I can do that easily if you bring me someone who’s already found their fated.”
“A fine offer, but not necessary. Your reputation precedes you.” I was dying to know who she saw when she looked at me. A knock came at the door, and each of my brothers, and three of my cousins, were ushered in. She watched quietly, calmly, standing and offering that same half-bow tilt of her head for every greeting.
“What is your shifter form?” Rhaef, my youngest brother, asked before he even sat down.
She looked taken aback but answered anyways. “My father was a boar shifter. I take after him.”
Seers were always half shifter, like the magic couldn’t completely intertwine in their blood.
They were rarer than my own kind.
I’d never met a boar shifter before, but honestly, she didn’t strike me as one. I held my tongue, though.
“So, who’s my mate?” my cousin, Tierner, interrupted. He plopped into the seat beside me and leaned forward on the table with a look of disbelief.
“Don’t badger her, let her speak.” I cut him off quickly.
He frowned in frustration and shot his eyes at me with impatience.
“Please, sit, let us know how we can help you.” I motioned to her.
“You’ll be the one I help first,” she said, with a bow of her head.
I was roaring with pride inside. I’d find a bride, someone to pass on my biological children through, a woman to call my own. The excitement couldn’t be visible in any stitch of my expressions, though, I had to stay calm.
This was for the good of my people. I had to push selfish reasons aside.
“How does this work?” Rhaef asked.
She glanced at him, and then pulled out a notebook.
“I’ll need to be alone with each of you, no longer than a minute or two, and then I’ll send you on your way. I’ll help only one of you at a time to make sure the matches are good ones,” she explained. I thought about calling her out on wanting the work to last longer so that she’d be more heavily compensated, but I didn’t really care.
Money wasn’t important.
“When it comes your turn, I’ll give you a first name and any local identifiers. I’ll describe her face and anything else I can see,” she said matter of factly. “I can’t see everything, or endlessly, but I’ll give you what information I can.”
There was a murmur of agreement in the room, but my oldest brother, just a year younger than myself, stood to leave.
“Lerin…?” I asked.
“I’m not interested in this,” he growled, striding towards the door. “I just wanted a mate, not some riddle or to be sent on a quest.”
He stormed out, and the room fell quiet and everyone stared at Rhuron.
“If you’re still wanting to work with me, I’d like to speak to you alone now,” the seer said sitting forward in her chair.
“Yes, of course.” I shooed everyone out.