– Bound

was quieter

wly back toward her cabin. The air between them shimmered with tens

muttered, eyes scanning t

rowned.

Too curious. There's something about his

nk he's

replied, his voice dropping lo

or slowly. "Come inside," she said, her voice softer

pause. Then

blanket. A fire crackled softly in the hearth. Riven lingered

alone anym

ed down at their fingers entwined, her warmth spreadi

began, but stopped,

plain," she whispered

n he ki

d into his arms, her fingers brushing his neck, his heartbeat pounding beneath her hand. He kissed her wit

n's hands traced the lines of her back, memorizing her shape like scri

er, still breathing hard. She nestl

n had shifted hi

ndlelit chamber carved into the earth. Ancient

scars and runes of old blood oaths. Before him bu

of blood into th

r," Lucie

cond, stepped into the ch

et h

nd

n said. "But I've smelled that sc

narrowed. "Th

ire. "Now we wait. Let him fall deeper into this life. The

ra rested on Riven's c

hispered. "Of stars falling into oceans. I

nd forgot," he murmured, stroking her hair. "

m. "Maybe I was wai

shifted again-clos

y either world, the cel

ft was

-

. The sound of his heartbeat-slow, heavy, grounding-was like a rhythm she

ore by survival than vanity. But it wasn't his body that held her-it was the look in his eyes

tly across his collarbone. "You've bee

es slowly. "I don't

ot alone

ir from her face. "If you stay

afraid,"

what sca

he window blinds. Riven sat at the edge of her kitchen tab

tching him. "S

out who Lucien really is. Som

. "A few people in town talk to

hy would a wolf like that

ould a wolf like you

uc

aking of the wood floor, the warmth

wn, something

nd was a shard of obsidian with a silver thread bound through it. The moment the moons aligned, he b

ime," Dalia sa

d it. But this... this will give me his name. Once I have it

b along the edge of the shard. "H

hat pulled low and a hoodie. Still, a few people looked twice-there was s

ld woman named Mara called Ela

d. "Somethin

e. "You look dif

hort distance, smiling faintly. He

n his neck

ci

as n

a, casually inspecting the market stands. His gaze caugh

er fl

ed a nod. "S

ack. "Smaller

e a heartbeat too

r tea, touching Riven'

a ghost,"

up at the two moons-his world and this one, inching closer t

with a blanket. "

"The balance

th. They called it the Tether. The

"And what do you t

st his. "I think it's tangled together

t kissed her back-slow, ful

, something ancient stirred. Something t

was w

-