id the crowd in the main hall. She wanted to reach her room, lock th

de even tha

cross the building. When she paused, she sensed him pause too. When she turned down the narrow passage near

pressed her pa

iculous," sh

offered n

ung wolves were carrying a crate of supplies towards the kitchens. They laughed as they work

m. Their world s

ds the back stairs. She had almost reached them w

ai

rom surprise than o

ain something a

lain it f

the cut at her lip. "The bond can intensify cert

ut without i

n't how

veni

loser. Seren immed

ticed. H

touch you

as if I should

lling you s

not angry. His attention kept shifting towards her shoulder and ribs, as though he were t

y room," she sai

the wall, leaving

few inches. The bond stirred, a warm pressure beneath her sk

t the raised edge o

ck the corner of a low stone support before she could steady herself. A shar

t, the corr

towards he

on

take her weight. She drew in a careful breath, fighting the instinct to panic. It might onl

short distance aw

don't to

the sto

otic

shou

mi

y extended one hand, palm open. "I'm not going

fer was so unfamiliar that she d

n man

pulled at the injured joint. Pain shot down her arm, bright enough to make

xpression

stop m

ll me wha

't make i

herself upright was becoming difficult. He sh

e call

all her

and is

the stone floor, partly from pain and partly from the humili

her again, then stop

ermission," he said. "But I

ask you

eplied. "Y

e healer, his voice carrying down the corrido

through the pain. She could hear Riven pacing a few steps away. He di

on the stairs, Seren let out a breat

ards them with a medic

ll," Ri

for myself,"

lder with careful hands. "Don't move it. We

lk," Sere

plied. "And I would rather not

ovement sent another pulse of pain through Seren's shoulder. She swallowed hard

other arm

r lean on

er

is harder than

little room. As Mara guided Seren past him, Riven reached out instinctively to ste

as fixed on the pain in her shoulder

er, went sud

m. His expression shifted-not into ange

it?" Ma

though the brief touch had revealed somethi

. "What are y

though his voice had

ind them, Riven remained motionless in the corr

nderstood what the bo