Page 402 of Primal Bonds

Adric fingered his quartz and slid her a look. But he didn’t say anything.

The bond had formed, but he was blocking it from his side.

He’s doing it to protect you.

It still hurt, but she understood—until she recalled he’d started blocking it even before he’d left Baltimore. Which meant he’d come to Virginia expecting to die.

The last piece of the puzzle thunked into place with an awful, stomach-dropping sound.

He’d told her himself, right before they’d fallen asleep: Because, damn it, I don’t care about me.

This was a suicide mission. His life for Marjani’s.

If Rosana hadn’t been at New Moon, he might already be dead.

She moved her head slowly from side to side. “You…no. There has to be another way.”

He didn’t pretend not to understand. “Rosana.” He sat next to her, took her hand. “I didn’t want this to happen.”

“But it has.”

“No, it hasn’t. The bond—it’s not complete. I’m still hoping I can take down this bastard and escape, but…. At least this way, you’ll be able to find another mate.”

“That’s up to me, isn’t it?”

His glance was a brilliant mix of bronze and blue. “I need to know you have the chance, at least.” He took her hand between both of his. “Promise me something. If you get another chance to leave, you’ll take it.”

“No.” She jerked her hand free. “Don’t even ask.”

“Please, Rosana. You say you love me. Do it for me if you won’t do it for yourself.”

She growled. “That’s not fair. If you were me, would you leave?”

He exhaled. “No. But this is my fight, not yours.”

She just shook her head and stared out at the room.

Adric eyed her. She felt his will beating at hers, demanding she give in. Her body tightened.

It wasn’t easy to refuse him, not when she sensed how much it meant to him. How much she meant to him.

The tension in the cell ratcheted up until she could’ve screamed, and then he said something low and vicious and resumed his restless pacing.

“There’s one thing I’d give a big fat diamond to know. How in Hades did the prince know I was here?”

She slumped against the wall, relieved he’d given up—for now, anyway. “I was there when Olivier—the butler—told him Luc was in the foyer. He knew then that you were with Luc.”

“He did?” He shook his head in disgust.

“What was that invisible thing you did, anyway? I thought only wayfarers can disappear like that, but you’re a tracker, aren’t you?

“I have another, secondary Gift that I can use like a cloaking spell. The prince shouldn’t have known I was there.”

“I told you, he has the farsight. Maybe he Saw you before you entered the court.”

“I was cloaking myself on and off. I mean, come on—the man can’t be watching all the time, can he?”

“No. He has to sleep, eat, go about his business. And he can’t hear you—just watch.”

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