Page 29 of The Bound Mage
The thought left her cold. Jaxon had been obsessed with her before, but if he learned she shared a magical, fated connection with the lost fae prince? Gods, she wasn’t certain if he’d bejealous or ecstatic. But one thing was certain—any freedom she’d enjoyed would be gone in a heartbeat.
And the fae were no better. Loren might spin a pretty story about how he didn’t expect her to complete any sort of magical bond with him, but he’d locked her in here again without even making sure someone came to bring her a tray of food. And Araya had no illusions about Eloria’s intentions. The fae regent didn’t seem like the kind of leader who would allow the key to her people’s survival to just…refuse. Not without some sort of alternative.
Araya straightened, sucking in a sharp breath.Thatwas what she could offer them. An alternative way to control of the shadows. She’d done it for Jaxon on a small scale—with Loren’s blood and her own, she had no doubt she could do it for Eloria.
If she could give them that…they wouldhaveto accept her terms. Control of the shadows in exchange for her freedom. Of course, that still left the problem of this mate bond—Araya had no desire to be a high-value game piece in this conflict. But if the years she’d spent working with Jaxon had taught her anything, it was that any curse could be broken.
A sharp knock jolted her from her thoughts, sending the little shadow scurrying. It raced across the room, scrambling up her side to crouch on her shoulders. Araya caught her breath, pressing a hand to her chest as that strange thread hooked under her ribcage snapped tight, leaving her with no question as to who stood on outside her room.
Araya swept her notes into the drawer, slamming it closed. She capped the inkwell, glaring at the door as he knocked again, harder this time.
“You’ll have to find my jailor if you want to come in,” she called out. “You see, I don’t have a key. Or any say over where I go or who I see?—”
A key scraped in the lock, magic flaring along the doorframe as it swung open.
“You tried to run,” Loren growled. “What did you expect—” His gaze snagged on the shadow perched at her shoulder. “What is that?”
“Your spy?” Araya glanced down at where the little shadow had wrapped itself around her shoulders like a scarf. “Do you really think I’m going believe you didn’t leave it here?”
“Ididn’t,” Loren snapped. But even as the words left his mouth, the shadows behind him hissed, their sharp, sibilant whispers prickling across the back of her neck. They were speaking to him—just like the Shadowed Veil had spoken to them. She couldn’t understand this time, the flowing cadence of Valenya lost to her, but Loren’s face darkened. Whatever they were saying to him, it wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
“It’s not a spy.” Loren’s jaw worked, his green eyes narrowing as he stared at his wayward shadow. “It decided to stay on its own. To protect you.” He winced as the shadowed hissed again, snapping at his heels. “Because I didn’t.”
“They really don’t listen to you at all, do they?” Araya tilted her head, considering the mass of darkness.
She hadn’t meant it to be cruel — but Loren flinched like she’d driven a blade between his ribs, his mouth flattening to a thin, hard line.
“Not where you’re concerned,” he said. “Now get dressed. You have to work on getting control of your power?—”
“No.” Araya crossed her arms. “Did you know I’ve been locked in here all day with no food or explanation?”
A muscle in his cheek ticked, guilt flashing across his face.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t tell Veria you were in here. I didn’t think?—”
“You’re right,” Araya cut in. “You didn’tthink. You just locked me in here andforgot about me.” Power heated herblood, pressing against her skin, but she shoved it back down. “Out of sight, out of mind, right? Now get out.”
“I can’t. You nearly brought the crypt down on top of us,” Loren said tightly. “If you had any more power right now, you’d be doing the same thing here. You don’t have to forgive me, but you do needto learn control, Araya. For your own safety.”
“That’s not your decision,” Araya shot back. “I’m not your subject or your student. My training is none of your business.”
Loren’s eyes flashed. “You’re my mate.”
“I’m yourprisoner.” Araya let out a bitter laugh. “Would you really have locked yourmateup and forgotten to feed her? What’s next? You coerce me into completing this bond and take my power for your own? Because that sounds very familiar?—”
“I would never.” Loren took a step forward, his shadows bleeding into the room and flickering up the walls in restless, lashing shapes. “I don’t care what Eloria wants or says. I swear it to you here and now, I willnevercoerce or force you to bond with me.”
“I still don’t want to train with you.” Araya set her jaw, trying to ignore the way her magic thrummed under her skin, pulling toward him. That was the bond—heat pricking at her fingertips even as she curled her hands into fists, trying to smother it.
But he saw anyway.
“And what are you going to do the next time you lose control?” he demanded, taking another step. “What if I’m not there to help you?”
“I can monitor my own power levels.” Araya fell back a step, refusing to acknowledge how her powersangas Loren invaded her space.“I can burn it off before it gets to be too much?—”
“It’s already too much,” Loren said, his voice as rough as hers. “You haveno ideahow powerful you are, Araya. What you’re proposing—it could kill you or someone else. I know that’s not what you want,ael’sura.”
Araya closed her eyes, begging her power to settle in her blood. It bucked against her control aching to reach for the infuriating male who had dared lay claim to her—but finally ebbed. For now.
