ella

till. But the kind that holds its breath before a storm breaks. It was obvious that his skin was burning hot

ssing, glaring up into the s

it n

econd, there was a flicker of someth

shed. He yanked his arm from my grasp with a fo

me?" Trenton snapped, h

bond exists, we have to play

cursed lineage or your war, and I sure as hell didn't ask to feel-" My voic

u hate this so mu

thin leash of control. I could feel it, thrashing in sync with my own eyes. The bond was like

d out finally, "a

e won't let you be the first to break the triad? Or bec

step back, to retreat from the fury simmering in his eyes, but I stood my grou

ct in me is screaming to run from this, to run from you. But my

or shame, I didn't know. Before I could respond,

ugh the tension like a

is expression unreadable

ng anything, can'

er laugh. "You're o

me with concern softening his gaze. "Isabell

r as fine as I can be while locked in a castle with

enton said under his

r more. My feet moved before my mind could catch up, ca

lsed like a second heartbeat. The anger I'd hurled at Trenton had left a hollow ache in it

ove away the only

where the moonlight barely touched. I didn't care. I needed air, and s

it, a whisper of

uickly that I

e unsheathed, his armor gleaming faintly

voice was steady, but the sword

raising my hands

, he just raised the sword h

now. "I'm bonded to the Slade h

altered, ju

hing stran

ore, flared bright gold. Heat surged through my veins like wildfire, an

back in shock, "

My eyes caught the soft glow of runes-etched along the back of the gu

u really?"

question, a low growl came

. The torches guttered out as a new presenc

a, my former

e belonged there, her lips curved into

she said, brushing a h

ou? There are no real

still and my pulse quickened. How did she

er, her voice a con

here, claim them, and not face c

one." I said, my vo

aid, her l

now, everything is unr

lders, "You're wo

as like ice breaking. "I'm usin

her words. I swayed, the heat

?" I asked, my vo

he turned, cloak swirling behind h

r shoulder, her smi

regret cr

st like that

guard, who was still frozen, still silent-a

Not until the bond pulsed again,

stir. And whatever came next-I was

nly the blur of torchlight and the echo of

ce still clu

egret cro

did she e