Page 30 of Curses and Casualties
“Let’s hope it’s enough,” she murmurs, but squeezes my hand, drawing strength from our bond.
The night continues around us, full of laughter and song, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’re in the calm before a storm. Whatever tomorrow brings—trial, alliance, or something unforeseen—we’ll be ready.
We have to be.
Chapter 13
Georgia
“Ready to call it a night?” Ryan asks when Ethan and Scarlett return to the party with Amara and Darius not far behind. The Úlfhéðnar’s laughter and merriment echoes around us, but I can’t shake the sense of dread that started as a whisper in my gut and now spreads through my bones like frost on glass.
Luna stirs uneasily within me, her usual contentment replaced by something watchful.
Something comes,she murmurs, but the warning is vague, more instinct than knowledge.
“Yeah, I think so. We should probably get some rest before tomorrow.” I try to keep my voice light, but Ryan’s eyes narrow slightly—he can feel my anxiety through our bond.
“I agree. That heated spring in our room is calling our names.”
That gets a small smile out of me, the idea of sinking into warm water too tempting to resist. “That sounds heavenly. My leg could use it after all that dancing.”
Ryan holds out his hand. “Come on, then.”
We say quick goodbyes to our group and thank our hosts before slipping out of the reception hall. As we follow the dimlylit paths back to our quarters, I notice how the shadows seem deeper tonight, how the wind carries an edge that makes me shiver despite the warm evening.
“You’re jumpy,” Ryan observes, pulling me closer.
“Just tired,” I lie. Because if I speak the truth, I’ll shatter the calm we’ve built tonight.
Even with the door closed, we can still hear the party in the distance, but as we undress and slip into the pool of water, it feels as though we’ve carved out our own little world, insulated against the noise and chaos outside.
The steam rises around us, curling into the air like smoke signals, and for a moment, I can almost forget about the trials ahead, and the fact that our future will forever be a struggle due to the nature of our bond.
“Ryan,” I murmur, glancing at his face, the flickering lanterns casting warm shadows across his features. “What if... what if we can’t control it? The Soul Bond, I mean. What if completing it changes us in ways we can’t predict?”
He shifts closer, water lapping at his chest. “That won’t happen, love. You and I aren’t ruled by our egos the way that ancient pair Ragnar told us about were. We understand that power shared is power multiplied, not divided.”
I lean into him, and he wraps his arms around my middle, urging me even closer until our legs tangle beneath the water, and my face is nestled against the heat of his chest. I can hear his heartbeat, steady and sure.
“You and I,” he murmurs against my hair, fingers tracing the curve of my spine, “are going to be the pair that shows the entire supernatural community—the Council, the Elders, everyone—that Soul Bonds aren’t something to fear.”
I pull back just enough to meet his gaze. “That’s quite the geological survey you’re planning, Mr. Blackwell,” I tease, tryingto lighten the mood. “Sure you’ve got the right equipment for mapping uncharted territory?”
His eyes darken with heat. “The only thing I’m sure of right now is how much I need my brilliant, brave geologist.”
The familiar warmth starts building between us, that electric connection that makes my skin tingle like I’m standing on a ley line. When he kisses me, I can already feel the light beginning to stir beneath my skin—that silver glow that matches the golden radiance building in him.
“We should be careful,” I whisper against his lips, even as I press closer. “The glow—if someone sees?—”
“We’re inside a tree,” he murmurs, trailing kisses down my neck. “And everyone’s still at the feast. I can hear them.”
He’s right, of course. And god help me, I don’t want to stop. Not when every touch sends sparks through our bond, not when I can feel Luna stirring contentedly within me, pleased that we’re with our mate.
The water around us begins to shimmer as Ryan’s hands slide down my body, cupping my breasts and teasing my nipples until they’re hard peaks begging for his mouth.
“I need you,” I breathe against his lips, grinding against his rock-hard length beneath the water. “You’re like my own personal tectonic shift—completely reshaping my landscape.”
He laughs, low and rough. “Only you would use geology metaphors while I’m trying to seduce you.”
