Page 3 of Bound Paths
Zrak’s soft smile was all confidence for the first time since she found him in the river. His arguments until now had been infuriating. But this, his words about another… He was sure of those—sure they would make a difference in his plea.
How did he know? He seemed so unaware of what she was.
“Explain yourself.” She tapped her sword on her palm in as threatening a gesture as she could manage. She was certain the god saw through her. Somehow, he knew she needed this, no matter how much she tried to convince herself she didn’t.
“Some know my element can capture secrets on the wind.” He paused so long before continuing, she wondered if he would. To her dismay, she waited with bated breath.
“The whispers aren’t always from the present,” he said flatly.
Cassandra clenched her jaw tight, unwilling to let her mouth fall open in surprise. The information about the gods and their elements was common knowledge, as was their creation of the fae as part of Zrak’s plan. But this…
“You can hear the future?”
Zrak nodded.
If this were true—if she took him at his word that he had heard secrets from the future of another—did he also know what it meant for her realm? He didn’t seem to understand what she had done to preserve the balance.
“What do you know about another?” Believing his words was too easy. She dared not hope. But if there was any chance it was true…
“I know they are the only chance you have to truly restore balance here. To free yourself from this trap of your own making. I don’t know what you did, but I heard the land calling for more—more than you can give.”
She hated how smug the god sounded now. She gripped the sharp edge of her sword as it landed in her palm again. The bite of the blade as it dug into her flesh kept her focused as the god continued.
“One who can answer the call of the land will exist on the continent. I’ve heard him.”
She held Zrak’s stare. Her brow pinched in thought. What else had this god heard of the future? Had he passed this gift onto his fae? She shook her head. He’d played his cards well. She couldn’t let her cats chase him out now.
“If I let you stay, you will tell me everything I need to know about him.” It was a statement, not a question. “You will tell me when he arrives.”
Zrak nodded.
“Fine.” She released her grip on the blade and turned, using it to gesture to her realm. “You are welcome beyond the veil. Don’t make a nuisance of yourself. We’ll discuss your work for me after you’ve found a place in the city.”
She and her pack turned their backs on the god, leaving him to his machinations.
CHAPTER ONE
Riding the switchbacks up the mountains of Compass Lake single-file left little room for conversation. Unfortunately for Rose, this left her alone with her thoughts. Her mind spun over and over again on the scene beneath Mount Bury: the surge of power when the Compass Points came together to hold Aterra, the opening of a pit in her stomach, the terror flooding her body as she realized what Luc was doing—just a few moments too late.
Not that she had another solution to their problem. Even now, days later, she couldn’t think of a better way to conclude their standoff with the god. This would be Luc’s saving grace when they were reunited.
He was a reckless idiot, but she could admit they needed his particular brand of recklessness.
Admitting this to herself didn’t stem her worry however—it still rose like the sea’s tides. Throwing himself and their enemy—his father—beyond the veil was…well, she didn’t have the words for how ill-conceived, risky, and generally dangerous his actions were.
Worse still, she’d been unable to connect with him since.
Rose glanced at Carter and Juliette ahead of her. Taking advantage of the quiet moment, she dove into the heart of her magic—again.
While hunting Aterra, the bond between Rose and Luc had evolved differently than hers with the other Compass Points. She could connect with each of them through her magic when required to hold the rogue god. But Luc’s power had taken a more permanent residence—or so she’d thought. The tunnel to his magic had been visible at the bottom of the lake.
Leaving her physical body immobile astride her horse, she searched the familiar lakeshore, looking into the calm waters. That dark tunnel was no longer present. The results of her search hadn’t changed, no matter how often she checked.
His final words before jumping through the hole he’d created between realms replayed in her thoughts day and night. “Forgive me, Rose. I know you’ll come for me.”
She shook her head. The words had echoed inside her. Rose was no longer sure if they were real or a figment of her imagination. Three days of riding had done nothing to calm any of these thoughts. They left her unsure whether she would strangle him or kiss him when she retrieved him.
And she would retrieve him.
