Page 146 of Unravelled
The bond, flickered barely, what was left of it was weak. Fragile. A thread where once there had been fire. He reached for her, desperate, willing himself to feel something, anything, but the emptiness that answered made him sick. His thumb traced the line of her jaw, the curve of her lips, the pulse at her throat. He had memorized every inch of her, yet now, she felt just out of reach.
His breath hitched. A sob broke free, raw and desperate, the weight of it crashing over him like a wave. He bent forward, pressing his forehead to hers, his fingers trembling as they smoothed over her knuckles, his grip tightening like he could anchor her here.
Sarelle stepped into the room, her golden-threaded robes whispering as she moved. The room felt too still. She lowered herself beside him, reaching out with steady hands to tilt Mira’s face toward her, assessing her with the careful precision of a queen, but the quiet sorrow of a mother.
A long, tense silence. Then, finally, she spoke. “She is buried under his will.”
Ren’s head snapped up. His breath caught in his throat, his vision swimming with unshed tears. “What?”
Sarelle exhaled softly, her fingers running lightly over Mira’s temple as if tracing something unseen beneath her skin. "The weight of him still smothers her," she murmured. "Not just the bond, Ren. It’s memories of you. Your courtship. Your connection.”
A beat of silence. Then, Sarelle’s voice dropped lower, softer, almost apologetic. " Whenshe wakes like this, she won’t know you.”
Ren’s breath left him in a ragged gasp. His fingers curled into Mira’s dress, gripping the fabric as if he could hold her to him through sheer force of will. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force back the sob clawing its way up his throat.
“She… she won’t…” He shook his head violently, a broken noise tearing from his chest. “Why?”
Sarelle hesitated, searching her own bond for an answer. “He considers it a gift.”
Ren’s entire body snapped taut, rage curling through his veins like a slow-burning fire. His chest heaved. His breath came in sharp, ragged bursts. His grip on Mira tightened.
“I don’t want his gifts.” The growl rumbled low in his throat, laced with fury, with grief.
Sarelle sighed, but there was sorrow in her eyes. “I can’t undo his will.” A pause. “But I may be able to guide it.”
Ren’s grief sharpened into, suspicious. His fingers tightened around Mira’s hand, his voice low and dangerous. “What do you mean?”
Sarelle met his gaze, unwavering. “If she wakes with this emptiness, there’s no telling what she might do. No telling what she might believe.” A pause. “Who she might trust.”
Ren’s thumb traced slow circles against Mira’s palm, grounding himself in the last shred of her he still had.
But Sarelle wasn’t finished. “I cannot lift his hold,” she continued carefully. “But I could… fill the cracks.”
The words slammed into him like a dagger to the chest. Ren flinched. His grip tightened around Mira’s limp hand, cradling it between both of his as if sheer will could tether her to him. To fill the space he left with someone else. His jaw clenched, his head shaking violently.
“No.” His voice cracked on the last word, and he hated how raw it sounded.
Sarelle’s touch was light but firm as she placed a hand on his arm. “You cannot be seen with her. Not after this. He will remove her entirely if he has to.”
His throat was tight. His mind roared with protest. "Then who?" The words were sharp, splintered with grief and fury. “A stranger? A noble? A priest? There is nobody we trust.” The silence stretched.
“I will.” Ren turned sharply at the voice. Tharion stood in the doorway. Instead, his expression was grim, resolute.
Ren blinked. Shook his head. “No.”
Tharion took a step forward. “It's my fault Caelric knew to look, Ren. Let me repay my debt”
Ren surged to his feet, grief turning to fury. “I said no, Tharion.”
“She will need someone, Ren.” Tharion's tone softened, but the weight of his decision lingered in his words. “Someone she trusts already. Someone she knows. Someone who can keep her safe.”
Ren hated how logical it sounded. But it meant Mira would wake up believing she was bonded to Tharion. His stomach twisted violently, his grip tightening aroundher hand as if that alone could change what was happening. He sunk back to his knees. Tharion took another step closer, his voice quiet but unwavering.
He placed a firm hand on Ren’s shoulder. “It won’t be real.”
Ren’s voice was hoarse. “It will be real to her...”
A heavy silence stretched between them. Tharion swallowed hard, his voice quieter now.
