Page 167 of Master of Storms
And he saw the nervousness within her.
It’s not the bond she’s afraid of.
No, that was just the excuse.
Marduk rolled onto his knuckles, watching her back away from him. “It makes all the sense in the world. You were made to be mine.”
There was no surprise in her eyes.
Only defiance, as she tipped her chin up. “If I was yours, you would have known first. You would haveknown.”
And suddenly, he understood everything.
* * *
Solveig’s heartskipped a beat as Marduk slipped from the bed, his eyes locked on her like a prowling wolf scenting its prey.
“I finally figured it out,” he told her, stepping closer. “Why you hated me from the first second you saw me. You hated me the moment you saw my face. You hated me without even giving me a chance to speak.”
Again her breath caught. She didn’t want to do this. She’d made her peace with the concept. Marduk was the other half of her soul, but she would never be his. This bond between them was a tether. Nothing more. Nothing less.
“They say males always know first,” he said, and all the warmth drained from her face. “But this one time, it was you.”
His thrust went straight through her armor, and she was left defenseless and weaponless.
She took a step backward, but he came after her, his eyes dangerously intent.
“You knew, didn’t you?” Marduk said softly. “You knew the moment you saw me that I was made for you—”
“I didn’t—”
“You took one look at me and you were all twisted up in knots. Oh, you didn’t know what was happening to you. You only knew my presence made it all worse, and you didn’t like the way it felt. Raw. Vulnerable. Defenseless. And if you let me get close to you, then I was the onedrekiwho could ruin you.”
Her chest heaved, and her back met the wall. “Shetoldyou?”
The gold in his eyes turned molten as if he’d finally caught her out, and Solveig realized she’d made a mistake.
“If you’re referring to Árdís, then no. She told me to stop being an idiot and start using my mind.” Something softened in his face. “And I know you, Solveig. I know that every time I start getting close you push me away. What is the one thing a woman like you would actually flee? Because you’re not afraid of me, but you keep running, so there’ssomethingabout me that you’re running from.” His brow twitched. “The only thing you would fear would be if I was the onedrekidestined to be your ultimate weakness. And so, you never gave me a chance to slip under your skin. You fought me and you hated me and you even tried to kill me—but in the end you couldn’t do it.”
“I….”
Surrender is the greatest power we have,Árdís had said.
But how did she force herself to give up control?
A fevered light came into his eyes as he pressed both hands on the wall on either side of her hips. The heat of him filled the inch between their bodies.
“How long have you known?” His voice roughened. “Truly known what it all meant?”
Solveig closed her eyes, the fight leaving her. “Árdís saw it first. She guessed and…. It was like all the pieces finally fit together. It finally made sense.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She looked up at him, her heart in her throat.
“Ah.” His thumbs softened on her jaw. “You’re afraid the bond isn’t real. No.” He was looking right through her soul, and maybe he could sense her doubt in his head, the way she could sense his sudden certainty. “You’re afraid that what I feel for you isn’t real.”
Solveig captured his wrists, resting her head against his forehead. She didn’t want to see the answer in his eyes.
