Page 69 of The Bound Mage
He wanted to beg her to stay, to promise her they would find another way—that he would burn the New Dominion to the ground before he let them take her again. But she was right—Jaxon would never stop. And if leaving meant protecting every free fae on Eluneth from the horrors of being captured by the Arcanum…what right did Loren have to stop her?
And the only thing saving his people would cost would be both their souls.
“Loren—” her voice wavered, a tear spilling over and sliding down her cheek. “What are you thinking? Say something.”
Loren swallowed hard. “I’m thinking you would have made a wonderful queen,ael’sura.”
She gave him a watery smile. “In another world, maybe.”
“In another world,” Loren echoed. He inclined his head, his heart breaking in his chest. “I’ll meet you in the library tomorrow morning.”
You would help her bind us?The shadows quivered at his feet, their whispers rising in a plaintive chorus.
“You’re actually going to help?” Araya stared at him, her eyes wide like she couldn’t believe it either—but Loren had no fight left. Not when it came to her.
“That was the deal, wasn’t it?” He forced a smile, the shadows curling around his legs like that would prevent them from being ripped away. Their grief surrounded him, a cold storm building in his chest. “You did manage to hit me.”
For a heartbeat she just blinked at him, then a weak laugh slipped past her lips. “I guess I did.”
“I just have one request.” Loren swallowed hard, holding her gaze. “Work with Thorne. Learn everything you can about your magic, even if you never use it again.”
Her brow furrowed. “You don’t want to teach me?”
“Oh, I do.” His mouth twisted, the smile bitter on his lips. “But I seem to turn every lesson into a disaster. Thorne has more patience than I do. And he’s my best friend. He’s been my anchor more times than I can count…and I want you to have someone like that too. Someone you can lean on when you need to.”
Araya’s smile wobbled, but she nodded. “Alright. I’ll work with Thorne.”
“Thank you.” Lorne let out the breath he’d been holding even as the shadows hissed their displeasure. Thorne would keep her safe. Even when he couldn’t.
“Well,” a familiar voice drawled from the doorway. “I suppose I should be flattered. But what are the two of you doing out here in the damp?”
Loren started, his attention snapping to Thorne as his best friend crossed the courtyard. His easy tone didn’t fool Loren—however long Thorne had been standing there, he’d seen enough to concern him. The shadows grumbled at his feet, an incoherent murmur of overlapping voices. What business was it of Thorne’s what happened between him and his mate?—
“The more people who protect her the better,” Loren hissed under his breath, too quietly for Thorne or Araya to hear. Especially people who were willing to protect her fromhim.
Thorne stopped next to Araya, his gaze flicking over her pale face and the way her hands trembled at her sides. “Are you alright?” he asked gently, reaching out as if to steady her.
The shadows screeched, surging past Loren in a black tide as they lashed out at Thorne. One lashed around his wrist, the ghost of Thorne’s blood blooming over Loren’s tongue as the shadowsyankedhis best friend off his feet and dragged him across the broken stones.
“Stop!” Loren roared, grappling for control. “He’s not hurting her?—”
You cannot give her to him, the shadows howled, their voices splintering and coming back together in a frantic chorus as they fought him.She is yours. Ours. Ours to protect—we will not fail. Not again—not this time?—
“Loren!” Araya threw herself between them, wrenching at the shadows as they spread from Thorne’s arm to his chest, crushing him. “Stop!”
He wastrying. Godess help him, he was trying. But the harder Loren pulled, the more the shadows tore at him, cold tendrils lashing his skin like whips. They snarled, biting into his arms, his chest, his throat—punishing him for holding them back.
But they wouldn’t fight her.
They recoiled at her touch, shrinking away as she dug her fingers beneath their coils and yanking them off Thorne one by one. His friend sucked in a ragged, gasping breath, but before Loren could move the shadows lunged again, their fury boiling over.
The would not let him take her from them.
A shield blazed to life between them, the shadows slamming into the wall of power in a crash of darkness and light that shook him to his bones.
“He is your friend!” Araya shouted, throwing herself over Thorne to shield him with her body as well as her magic. “He would never hurt me, Loren! Call them off!”
The shadows shrieked, unleashing the full force of their anguish on him. Their voices spilt his head, accusations landing like blows as he staggered under the force of their despair.You betray us.Both of you—you would divide us. Leave us. Broken prince. Traitor?—
