Page 167 of The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating

I felt a measure of relief. For once, something seemed to go as planned. Then, without warning, my magic surged out of control. One obsidian sphere cracked with a sharp pop. My energy flared through my veins, scorched my muscles, then ricocheted into Kazimir.

My eyes snapped open.

He looked taut, sweat beading on his temples. “Keep the connection,” he snarled, each word dripping with tension. “I’m diverting the overflow to the outer wards.”

I felt a tidal shift as he siphoned that furious power away from our joined hands, sending it rippling into Skyspire’s defenses. Windows rattled, and vibrations crept through the floor under my boots.

Griffin practically hopped in place, half terrified, half enchanted. “Truly fascinating! Your synergy is?—”

Kazimir’s breath snagged, pupils blown wide. A deep, strangled groan ripped from his throat, and fear jolted through me. I tried to draw back, but his grip clamped around my wrists, stopping any retreat. Dread coiled in my gut, then images started crashing through my head.

A cavern drenched in a sickly glow, runes gouged into the rock—unlike the ones on Kazimir’s body but carved with the same savage, ancient style. A surge of fury and hunger knotted together, pounding with raw, primal rage. The vision threatened to drown me.

“Kazimir!” I shouted, voice cracking.

He tore his hands free. The sudden break in magic left me feeling hollow. The remaining obsidian spheres disintegrated in a puff of black dust, and a pulse of recoil wrenched me off-kilter.

I clung to the wall, battling a swirl of dizziness that made my teeth buzz. Kazimir stood stiff as a pillar, wild-eyed and pale. Griffin rushed closer, scanning us both.

“That was incredible,” he said, though concern laced his tone. “But what happened to you two?”

My voice rasped. “I saw something. An underground place with runes. They felt… vicious.”

Kazimir’s jaw tightened, and he wouldn’t meet my gaze. “Magical feedback,” he muttered.

Griffin, brushing dust from his robes, nodded decisively. “Regardless, the enchantment is in place. The crack in the Heirloom shouldn’t keep spreading. Hopefully it’ll be usable again soon. I’d call that a success, wouldn’t you?”

I wanted to appreciate the good news, but my body still throbbed with leftover terror. Before I could celebrate, pain stabbed beneath my ribs as though something were clawing its way free. I coughed in agony and hunched over. A heartbeat later, Kazimir did exactly the same, mirroring my posture.

“Interesting,” Griffin observed, eyes bright behind his broken spectacles. “You must have triggered an entanglement effect—temporary, I’d guess.”

“Entanglement?” I ground out, pressing a palm to my side. “It feels like my guts are trying to wring themselves inside out!”

Kazimir staggered closer, wincing at his own pain. But as soon as he neared, my muscles eased, the pain sliding back. He exhaled, relief in the lines of his shoulders.

Griffin rubbed his chin. “Yes, that supports the theory. You’re forcibly sharing a magical signature. Until those energies settle—perhaps a day, maybe less—you’ll suffer if you’re separated. Staying close will dampen the worst of it.”

“A day?” I croaked, straightening by sheer spite alone. “Griffin, you’d better be joking.”

He shrugged. “Sadly, no. But it’s not soul-ripping, per se. More like... polite internal shredding. Think of it as mild mayhem. You’ll live.”

I shot him what I hoped was a withering look, and Kazimir radiated restless irritation. “Guess I won’t be going down to inspect the garrison tomorrow. Then again…”

His face shifted, that aggravating smirk forming on his lips as he gazed down at me. “The entanglement won’t disrupt our plans for tonight, now that the Heirloom isn’t seconds from catastrophe. However will we endure?”

“Right. Endure,” I echoed with a tight swallow, the heat in his eyes leaving me dizzy again. “At least we solved one problem.”

Griffin dusted fragments of obsidian off his boots. “Exactly. It’s a major victory. I’ll gather the remains for further tests, just in case a repeat is necessary.”

Kazimir rested the lightest touch on my elbow, soothing the last tremor in my chest. The moment felt precariously intimate, and I had to clench my jaw not to lean farther into him. Our moment of near-calm was shattered by footsteps hammering up the tower stairs. Vex barreled through the doorway, brandishing a sealed envelope.

“Letter for Lady Blackrose,” she said breathlessly. Then she eyed us, her brow furrowing. “From the Alchemist.”

Kazimir tilted his head, tension rolling through him. “Why would the Alchemist write to my wife?”

I gave him a mock glare. “Maybe they liked me better than you.”

Vex stepped forward, ignoring the shattered orbs. “No idea. But it’s sealed properly.”

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