Page 47 of Lifebound

Holy fuck, that actually made sense.

“Which is why I didn’t let them find you. I made them think you died so no one looks for you anymore, and I can take you to the Seelie Court, alive.”

Was I just being stupid or was I right to believe himmorecapable of doing that than Helid and all those guards?

I shook my head. “And if I say no?”

He gave me a long and hard look. “You came to heal the prince. You’re his Lifebound.”

“Yes, I know that,” I said. “I came here with Helid because he told me I’d be safe. Apparently, he was wrong—I amnotsafe. And I need you to answer me right now—what if I saynoto that generous offer you just made me?”

He suddenly looked fucking murderous. If I wasn’t scared for my life, I’d have probably told you all about how much the look suited him. It gave a spark to his eye.

“Then I take you to Helid,” he finally said, and I’d been holding my breath without realizing it. “Or, if you so wish, I’ll take you back to Nerith.”

Nerith.Our world was too beautiful for that name, but I didn’t comment.

I just allowed myself to close my eyes and take in a deep breath, hold my hips for a moment and just think. Try to be rational. Reasonable. Logical—whatever. Just try.

“We don’t have much time,” Rune said. “You have to decide—now.”

“What is it with you lot—now, now, now—why so goddamn impatient? You got some place to be, is that it?” I said, much too loudly, but my anger had free rein over me now because this wasabsurdandridiculousand I just wanted to go home and curl up under a blanket.

“Youdo.” Rune came closer, towered over me, but now I was pissed off, so I didn’t back away. The anger muddied my self-preservation instincts completely. “You have someplace to be—the Seelie Court. To heal the prince.”

Goddamn sonovabitch.

He was right, of course. There was a reason why I was here, why I’d accepted Helid’s request in the first place.

The prince. The very reason why I was still alive. My savior.

He needs you,a voice in my head whispered, and it was almost foreign, like it didn’t belong to me at all.

Heat gathered in the center of my being, too. I was overwhelmed and scared and panicked, but I couldn’t go back. Not without healing the prince first, paying my debt to him. Thanking him for saving me when he did.

“Why?” I finally whispered. “Why would you want to help me?” Because he’d followed us and Helid had had no idea. He’d hidden me from him, and though this guy’s reasoning made perfect sense, I needed to know why.

“That is a private matter,” he told me, and I laughed. It was bitter but it came from the soul.

“Well, what a coincidence! My business with the prince is a private matter as well, yet you took the liberty to follow me since I left my fucking home.”

Again, he leaned down closer to me, and my fists were shaking at my sides. His eyes fell on my parted lips—could he tell I was breathing far too fast?

Could he possibly be thinking about kissing me?

Ridiculous thought, but still. The way he was staring…

“Your mouth is very dirty.” Oh, hell… “What did the prince do for you? How did he bind you?”

I swallowed hard, and the words came out of me before I even realized I was speaking. “He…he was trying to heal me. They think the binding was an accident. He was just trying to save my life. And he did.”

A pause. His eyes full of colors fell on mine again—so heavy, his gaze.

“He did the same for me,” he finally whispered. “He saved my life when I needed it most. Now I’m going to do whatever it takes to save his.”

Well, fuck.That was not what I was expecting at all.

The next moment lasted forever, like someone had pressed Pause on time, and neither of us blinked, and our eyes wereconnectingthe way eyes normally didn’t—that I knew of.

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