Page 32 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
While Kallie didn’t regret seeking him out before, she wondered if it would have been easier now if she hadn’t. Even though Kallie hadn’t accepted the bond, which to her understanding was required for it to snap into place, Graeson was already in too deep. He needed to understand that Kallie would never—couldnever accept it.
When she had discovered they were soul bonds, she vehemently opposed it, refusing to tie herself to another individual the first second she gained some semblance of freedom after being the king’s puppet. But now, her reasoning was even greater than that.
For his entire life, Graeson believed his mother to be dead. Kallie was all too familiar with the complicated emotions that came with discovering a monumental truth such as that. While Kallie wasn’t sure if she would get a chance to mend the strained relationship with her mother because of the divide that separated them, Graeson deserved one. And Kallie would do whatever it took to give him that chance, even if it meant sacrificing whatever they could have been together to do it.
Dani’s warning was clear: accepting the bond would only damn them. If Kallie failed and Domitius killed her, it would destroy Graeson. She had seen the aftermath of the others locking him up when Cetia was undoing the web of lies woven into Kallie’s mind. With Graeson’s power and the rage of a god within him, who knew what havoc would ensue if the worst happened?
She cared about Graeson too much. She cared about him more than she even wanted to admit. They would never become soul bonds because she had to protect him. She had to protecteveryone.
"Take care of him, all right?" she croaked, voice wet with the remorse she failed to swallow.
"Kallie," Terin begged, "please don’t think like that."
"I have to. I’m not sure—" She choked on the words.
Terin grabbed her wrist tenderly and squeezed it. "I have faith in you."
Unable to hold his gaze for a second longer, Kallie ripped her hand from his and looked back at the castle. A warm glow hummed in the windows. People walked past, the dinner portion of the evening having ended.
"You should get back in there."
Sadness dimmed her brother’s brown eyes. "You should too."
"I will."
They both knew it was a lie, but she had to give him credit for not pointing it out.
Understanding he couldn’t convince her to change her mind, Terin started to walk away, but paused. His foot hovered in the air as though he wanted to step closer. In the end, though, he only leaned back on his heels.
"No matter what happens, I will always be here for you, sister."
Chapter 12
KALLIE
Slippingout of the dining hall, Kallie made her way toward the stairs. For once, she was thankful she didn’t have too many belongings. Fewer things to gather, less baggage to hold her down.
As Kallie took the first step up the staircase, a large, calloused hand wrapped around her wrist, sending a spike of heat soaring through her arm.
"A word?"
Eyes squeezed shut, Kallie silently cursed herself for not having left sooner.
Slowly and reluctantly, she turned around. Graeson immediately released her wrist. Yet, even though his hand was gone, the warmth of his touch lingered, searing into her. Briefly, she hoped it would remain on her skin forever, a permanent mark. Then, immediately, she hoped it would evaporate into thin air, never to appear again.
Graeson stuffed his hands into his pockets. "You have been avoiding me ever since the council meeting." His mouth formed a small pout, the curve making his lips look even softer than she already knew they were.
She tried not to think about it.
She had been trying not to think about a lot of things lately.
Graeson leaned his weight onto his heels, nodding in understanding. "So it is intentional, then."
"I just…" Her tongue became leaden in her mouth, heavy and unmovable. She did not wish to lie to him, but she also couldn’t tell him the truth. She shifted on her feet, struggling to find the words. She released a heavy exhale. "I have a lot on my mind."
"You can talk to me, you know."
"I know," she mumbled, avoiding his concerned stare. If she looked too closely at him, if she let those gray eyes draw her in like the moon pulled the tide, she would be done for.
