Page 128 of Bound By Her

Adria could feel the weight of the room’s eyes on her.

She had handpicked Ally for Kaydon, thinking they would be a good match.

A lot of good that did.

Adria’s jaw tightened as she moved to his side, gripping the fallen leash. She leaned in, voice low. “I thought we had a deal.”

The deal.

The one where they played nice, behaved, followed the rules, and in return, she would let them choose their buyer.

A privilege—if true—was one they shouldn’t be throwing away.

Kaydon sat cross-legged, the picture of defiance, a lazy grin spreading across his face.

“Deal?” he mused, tilting his head. “I’m sorry, deals in our world involve a ring.”

He didn’t mean a wedding ring. Kaydon was referring to the family rings.

A promise sealed in blood and legacy. These oaths among the Nine were binding.

A ring promise wasn’t given lightly. Or broken without consequence.

A flicker of something sharp lanced through Adria’s chest. Not anger, but something closer to hurt. She had trusted them to hold up their end. She should have known better.

They had changed their minds.

Now she just had to figure out why.

Because whatever the reason, in the Triune’s eyes, this was her failure.

Not wishing to make a scene, she exhaled through her nose. If he wanted to act like an insolent child, she would treat him like one. Adria let the leash slip from her fingers, ignoring him entirely.

Let him sit there.

Let them all watch.

She turned on her heels, moving to put eyes on Seth.

Loretta found her in the halls. “It’s going wonderfully, darling.”

“It’s shit,” Adria said to her.

“I wouldn’t say shit.”

As soon as she said that, the two of them watched, horrified as Seth walked past them.

WALKED.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Adria said.

Seth shrugged. “Wherever I want to.”

Adria noted he didn’t meet her eyes.

It was Loretta who responded; moving her cane up, she hit it hard on the wall in front of him. “Watch yourself, little one, you are playing with things way outside your purview.”

Seth pushed the cane out of his way. “I’ll judge that for myself, grandma.”

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