Page 37 of The Bound Mage
“When will he be back?” She managed to ask finally, her voice hoarse.
“I don’t know.” Thorne watched her carefully, the kindness on his face almost too much to bear. “It may be a while. He asked me to take over your training for now.”
“And what does that mean?” Araya demanded. Heat prickled across her skin, the ache in her chest giving way to the sting ofbetrayal. “Do you see how many commands I can choke down before I break? Or are you going to force me to throw myself off the wall?—”
“I thought it might be better to start with breakfast,” Thorne said easily. “Unless you feel like you’d rather hit something?” He arched an eyebrow, smiling at her. “I’ll warn you though, I have no intention of being a standing target.”
Araya’s cheeks burned, shame and confusion twisting with her anger. Thorne wasn’t the one who deserved her ire. There person she really wanted to fight had fled in the night. Abandoning her.
“Breakfast is fine,” she said finally, swallowing hard past the lump in her throat. “Lead the way.”
She’d always eatenbreakfast in her room, the covered tray waiting for her on the small table when she opened her eyes every morning. But Thorne led her back through the halls, until they reached the dining room Loren had destroyed that horrible night.
Someone had swept up the glass, the soiled linens replaced by a fresh like nothing had ever happened. Only two places had been set at the table—she truly must have been the last one here to learn Loren had left.
Thorne sat, pulling the silver dome off his plate to reveal a steaming portion of fluffy eggs alongside a heel of the dark, crusty bread they ate here and a few of the salted, preserved fish that seemed to accompany every single meal.
Araya joined him hesitantly, shocked to discover her own portion came with the addition of a small dish of fresh berries, their deep color a startling purple against the pillowy bed offresh cream. Her mouth watered at the sight—she hadn’t seen fresh fruit since she woke up on that boat. But Thorne only grinned.
“Veria likes you,” he said, like that was some sort of explanation.
Araya picked up her spoon, closing her eyes as sweetness burst across her tongue, perfectly complimented by the sour tang of clotted cream. She forced herself to eat it slowly, savoring each tiny bite until the dish was heartbreakingly empty.
“Healing starts with little things,” Thorne said suddenly, pausing to chew. “Rest, confidence that you’re safe. The space to breathe and appreciate the things that make you happy.”
Araya’s spoon clinked against the empty dish. “They’re just berries.”
“Did they make you happy?” Thorne’s amber eyes flicked toward her, steady and unreadable. “You deserve to feel safe and happy, Araya. Something I’m afraid we haven’t been very good at giving you.”
“You took meawayfrom the place where I was safe and happy,” Araya snapped. “You and Loren and Nyra—you drugged me and put me on that boat.”
“You were safe and happy with the man who slammed your head into the desk hard enough to give you a concussion?” Thorne raised his eyebrows at her, his gentle tone never wavering. “The man who drained your power and left you to suffer all night, only taking you to a Healer in the morning?”
Araya’s face heated. “He’s not always like that.”
Thorne didn’t argue with her, using the last bit of his bread to scoop up his eggs instead. He chewed, the silence stretching uneasily between them until he finally swallowed, laying his fork across his empty plate.
“I’m not here to tell you how to feel about Jaxon. Or Loren, for that matter. I’m here to remind you that your choices andyour power belong to you. Until you believe that, no amount oftrainingwill help you unlock the control you buried years ago in order to survive in a world that would otherwise have destroyed you.”
“So what?” Araya shoved her chair back from the table. Her chest ached, his words making the empty place where the bond lay silent twist painfully. “You want me to sit here and eat berries until I somehow become enlightened and embrace your way of doing things?”
“Not exactly.” Thorne’s mouth curved into a faint smile. “I thought you could put yourself to work helping Veria in the kitchens. Busy hands, and all that.”
Araya blinked at him, incredulous. “You want me to work in the kitchens.”
“For now,” Thorne said, nodding like she’d asked a question. “I think it would be for the best. There might only be a few of us here, but Ithralis is a pretty large castle for one person to manage. Even when that person is Veria.”
Araya opened her mouth, then snapped it closed again. Out of everything she’d expected when Thorne had said he was taking over her training, this hadn’t been something she’d imagined.
“You’re serious,” she finally managed.
“As serious as I’ve ever been,” Thorne said cheerfully. He stood, nudging his plate toward her. “There’s a tray for the dishes right over there.”
Araya stared down at the dirty plates, her jaw tightening. “And what if I don’twantto play scullery maid?” she demanded. “I didn’t spend years fighting to be more than a servant just toscrub dishesfor you.”
“Then don’t.” Thorne shrugged, unbothered. “Sit in your room. Go to the library. Wander the halls—it’s all up to you,Araya. But I’d rather scrub dishes than sit around tearing myself apart over something that was never my fault.”
He stood, taking no notice of how she gaped at him. With a cheerful nod, he strolled from the room, his jaunty whistle fading with his footsteps like he hadn’t just upended every one of her expectations.
