Page 148 of Bonded Chaos

Eleanor studied me intently, and an unsettling glint entered her eyes. It disappeared as quickly as it had formed before she barked out a harsh laugh.

“Then this is a futile endeavor. If he’s using the bond to track you, then he’ll be able to find you no matter where you go.”

My stomach sank with her declaration, but there was also another part of me that rejoiced. I chose to ignore that part and focus on the immediate problem.

“Isn’t there anything you can do?”

Eleanor eyed me before she blew out a breath.

“I could try to mask the bond, but that kind of magic, one that interferes with fate’s design, is not without risk.”

Her eyes dipped to my lower abdomen, and my hand moved to the spot without my permission.

“You know?” I gasped.

“As I said, when I forged the collar, I tethered myself to you just as I had done for the prince.”

A surge of frustration overwhelmed me, and it took me a moment to realize it was coming from the bond. I could feel Ryker’s anger, his desperation, and it terrified me.

“Do it.”

Eleanor scanned the forest, her eyes sharp and discerning, before she tugged my hand and pulled me toward a small clearing.

“We have to be quick,” she urged, as she settled on the ground.

I dropped to my knees in front of her, and the damp earth soaked through my dress. An icy shiver tore through me, and I pulled my cloak tighter around me to ward off the chill. Eleanor withdrew a dagger from her belt, and the blade gleamed dangerously under the moonlight. Dark runes etched its edges, and I swallowed, unable to conceal my apprehension.

“Give me your hand,” she demanded, and I turned my palm heavenward before extending it to her.

Without any preamble, Eleanor sliced the blade across my flesh, and crimson beads pooled in my open palm. The coppery scent of my blood filled the air, and a sharp stinging sensation erupted at the site. I tried to ignore it by focusing on Eleanor’s murmuring as she flicked the red droplets from the knife in arhythmic pattern, but the sound was guttural, making my skin crawl.

Eleanor then pressed the blade to her hand, cutting deep. She rose from her position on the ground, her blood dripping onto the forest floor as she circled me. The runes on the dagger glowed faintly in the dark, and a slight tingle broke out over my body.

The bond screamed in protest, and a searing pain tore through my chest. I gasped, unable to breathe through the agony as I clutched my heart. Tears streamed down my face, and I cried out as choked pleas fell from my lips.

“Stop, please,” I begged. “The pain, it’s unbearable.”

“That means it’s working,” Eleanor reassured me, but her words fell flat as my body warred with my mind, both begging for relief.

Then, mercifully, the pain ebbed before fading away. My breathing was labored, and sweat coated my forehead, but I forced myself to stand on unsteady feet.

In the distance, a visceral roar of anguish echoed through the forest, and the creatures of the night fled in panic. My vision blurred, and I swiped away the tears that betrayed me. For the first time since meeting Ryker, I felt… alone.

“We have to keep going,” Eleanor said as she wiped the blade clean and tucked it back into the sheath at her hip.

“How long will it last?” I asked as I forced my legs to follow her.

“Long enough,” she said. “Now move. We’re not safe yet.”

We’d been traipsing through the forest for hours, and the further we delved, the more oppressive it grew. My limbs ached, and my dress was torn and bloodied from our desperate escape. I’d gathered countless abrasions along the way and would have given anything for a moment’s rest to mend my wounds.

“We’re almost there,” Eleanor said, her voice soft but urgent.

“Almost where?” I asked, as a feeling of foreboding settled over me.

“To safety.”

I’d put my faith in Eleanor because I’d had no other option. But now, with the bond concealed and Ryker unable to track me, doubt began to creep in.

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