Page 172 of Between Soul and Vessel
When we made it to the end of the row, I peeked around the shelf, scanning the hallway. I didn’t see anyone.
I glanced back at Von, jerking my head to the left.
On silent feet, we advanced, slowly weaving toward the back of the library, where Naia’s coveted private room was. When we were close to it, I placed my back against the wall and looked around the corner.
Oddly enough, there were . . . no guards.
It didn’t sit well with me. It was strange for the room to be left unguarded, considering all the valuable items inside. I found it even more weird that the rest of the library had guards patrolling it, so why not Naia’s most treasured room?
Well?Von mouthed the word, raising a brow, the one with the slit in it.
“No one is there,” I whispered back, my words barely audible.
He gave a small nod, his sleek black hair glinting in the dull candlelight. The feather he usually wore—myfeather—wasn’t in his hair tonight. Although he didn’t always wear it, I felt proud when he did. The same could be said for his eyes and the vibrancy of the green in them.
At some point, I’d become just as possessive over my mate as he was over me.
Focus, dumbass, I scolded myself.
My attention shifted back to the room. I debated what to do.
What if it was protected in another way, or what if—
Von slipped his hand in mine and pulled me around the corner, straight for the room.
“Von, wait,” I whispered as he rushed up to the double doors, dragging me with him.
“We don’t have time,” he urged. “Someone’s coming.”
“What?” I breathed, glancing over my shoulder to see if I could detect movement behind us, but my inferior mortal-acting ears heard nothing.
Von opened the door and pulled me inside. That’s when I noticed it, my feather wasn’t the only thing he wasn’t wearing tonight. His wedding ring was also missing.
The bond gave a desperate tug—awayfrom him.
My eyes widened—
“You’re not Von,” I hissed, rearing back.
“No, I’m not,” he said, turning to face me. “Hello, Moonbeam. It’sso goodto see you.”
Von
Amuscle squirmed in my cheek, desperate to escape the clench of my molar-combusting jaw. Surprise, surprise, Folkoln was a moron—a moron who had just wasted twenty minutes of time I could have been spending with Sage. Orinher.
When Kaleb—who seemed completely fine post-tea—and Artemesia showed up at Folkoln’s door, a bottle of wine in each of their hands, asking if we wanted to join them for a round of cards, Folkoln quickly forgot about his blue balls. He invited them in and happily said he would, his tongue nearly falling out of his mouth as Artemesia walked by him.
The bond was doing a number on my brother, but it seemed to have absolutely no power over her. Although, that wasn’t uncommon. It did typically seem to hit males harder. And for some reason, it was really taking a round out of Folkoln. I didn’t know if I had ever heard of someone sensingthe presence of their bonded long before they laid eyes on them, but that was exactly what had happened with Folkoln. When we’d first arrived here, he’d sensed something pulling on him. I wondered if it was something to do with the fact he could feel emotions; perhaps it made him more sensitive to the bond. It was a theory, nonetheless.
As the three of them went over to a small, round table, I spotted my chance to leave. I told them to have a good night, and I made my way back toward Sage’s and my room. Sage had been just about to open up to me about something—I wanted to get back to her so she could. I didn’t know what she was about to tell me. Regardless, I would support her through it, whatever it was.
I reached for the handle, stopping when urgent footsteps sounded to my left.
“Von,” Sage said as she came running down the hallway, straight for me, eyes wide with fear. A cape flailed out behind her. She was dressed in pants and a tunic.
Where had she gone? And why?
I raced for her, every protective nerve ending within me lighting up. I took her in my arms, eyes skimming the hallway behind her. Seeing no threat, I asked her, “What’s going on?”
