Page 27 of The Bound Mage
Eryn inclined his head. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
Loren waited until the door shut behind him, listening for his footsteps to fade beyond earshot.
“We’re not sending her back,” Loren said.
“Of course we aren’t,” Eloria scoffed.
Some of the tension in Loren’s chest eased—but not enough.
“She can’t know,” he said. “If you let them question her about this—it will push her right back into his arms.”
Eloria’s gaze cut back to him. “You think she’d still run back to him if she knew what he’s capable of?”
“She knows. He’s hurt her before. And she was the one who patched me up after he…” Loren looked away, unable to stand the pity that softened her stare. “None of that kept her from trying to go back to him after you ambushed her with that awful dinner.”
Eloria stilled.
“She nearly died, Eloria,” Loren said, his voice rough. “Thezal’vorrwere herding her into the forest. If I hadn’t gotten to her in time…”
“I’m sorry.” Eloria murmured. “I—it wasn’t my intention to put her in any danger. She’s your mate. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“I know you wouldn’t.” Loren exhaled, trying to focus as the shadows hissed in his ears. “I told her about the bond.”
Eloria’s head snapped up. “And?”
“And she completely lost control of her power.” Loren shook his head, clenching his jaw. “She’s a danger to herself and everyone around her. Seeing this—” he gestured at the bodies, his stomach twisting “It would only make it worse.”
Eloria bit her lip, staring down at the bodies. “I can try to delay calls for her to be questioned, but…” she trailed off, shaking her head. “I won’t be able to protect her from them indefinitely, Loren. You need tofixthis.”
Loren bristled, the shadows snapping at the command.
“I’ll help her learn to use her power, but I won’t use that to manipulate her into accepting a bond with me,” he snapped. “It’swrong, Eloria. Mate bonds are sacred. They should be freely given?—”
“We’ve all had to do things we don’t like in the past twenty years, Loren.” She leaned forward, gathering the shroud in her hands and spreading it gently over the bodies. “How many pyres do we have to light before you stop wallowing in guilt and start trying to fix this?”
Chapter
Nine
He had lockedher in again.
Araya twisted the door handle, more out of irritation than hope, rattling it for good measure. But the door stayed firmly closed.
She sighed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She must have slept for hours, not even bothering to strip off her filthy clothes before collapsing onto the bed. But her limbs still felt leaden, every movement a painful reminder of her failed escape.
Her stomach twisted with a low, hollow growl, reminding her that she’d missed lunch. Without being able to leave her room, she’d just have to wait until someone brought her a tray. But at least her prison cell came with an attached bathing chamber.
Araya turned the taps, watching the water rise before sketchinginarin the soap residue left on the edge of the tub. She laid her hand over it, breathing a sigh of relief as her power answered her command, aether blooming under her fingertips and sending curling tendrils of steam into the air.
She stripped off her dirty clothes, grimacing as she peeled them away from her skin. The once fine fabric was stiff with sweat and mud and gods only knew what else she’d draggedherself through last night. She let them fall in a heap, sinking into the gently steaming water with a deep sigh.
For a long time, she just sat there, letting the steam fog the room and the hot water loosen muscles she hadn’t even known could get tight. She closed her eyes, tipping her head back and letting her mind drift. She didn’t want to think right now. Not about Loren, or Jaxon. Or how she was trapped here with no way out.
She stayed like that until something nudged at the edge of her awareness.
Araya cracked one eye open.
One of Loren’s shadows perched on the rim of the tub, its wisp-like tail shifting in slow, serpentine undulations as it watched her.
