Page 86 of Twisted Bonds
It’s Bobble who responds though. “Mira is our bonded mate, your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty,” Mira interjects, her pleading voice trembling, “We only want to help.”
My voice steady despite the pounding in my chest, I say, “We have everything to lose by coming here. We risked our lives to reach you because we believe it’s necessary.”
“And you killed one of my guards in the process, attacked more. Two Keepers of the Portals are also dead because of you.” His voice grows more fierce with each word until it ricochets off the walls that feel like they’re closing in.
Cor’than’s gaze remains fixed upon us, his eyes piercing like ice. Tension crackles in the air, and I feel the weight of uncertainty pressing down on my chest. With the king’s authority hanging heavy around us, all our hopes for convincing him of our noble intentions rest on our ability to lay bare the truth.
“Your Majesty,” Bobble adds, his deep voice resonating with sincerity, “we speak the truth. Please, just hear us out.”
For a long moment, the king regards us in silence, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nods. “Speak your piece. But know this: any attempt at deception will be met with swift and severe punishment.”
“Understood,” I reply, relief flooding through me as we’re granted the chance to explain ourselves. Now, all we have to do is convince Cor’than of the truth.
Now that he’s agreed to listen, I take a step back and let the others explain what happened with Yurghen in the tower and our journey to this point. I note that Mira leaves out the part about traveling in the portals, simply that we left the Second behind in the Western Slopes.
Cor’than is attentive, hands behind his back like a trained soldier receiving instructions. His face betrays nothing as he silently takes in our tale. I expected him to have grown fat from lounging all day on that throne he stole, but his body is still like that of a soldier. No remnants of the male who once planned to dedicate his life to the druids remain.
My eyes glaze over as Bobble explains, for the third time, Yurghen’s plot to open the Great River. Finally, Cor’than cuts Bobble off with a simple flick of his hand.
“Enough. I’ve heard your story.” His eyes turn back to me, and my spine straightens under his gaze. The pit of fire burns inside me as we lock gazes. Usurper, I want to scream as I run him through with my blade. Instead, I wait patiently for this royal cunt to address me. “Prince Dan’thiel is banned from ever entering this kingdom again upon penalty of death.”
Nodding, I take a deep breath. We knew this was a possibility. I warned them. When Cor’than speaks again, his voice is barely audible. “When I heard the rumors of his demise…” He shakes his head as if to clear the wandering thought before refocusing on me. This time, his voice is stronger, more demanding. “On the day of my father’s funeral, I sat alone on the banks of the river for hours until my brother found me there well past dark. What did he say to me?”
The question is clear. Prove who you are. But will that mean death if I’m telling the truth, or death if I’m lying? Perhaps it’s death either way. I blink in surprise as my memories soar back to that day. The smoke of the funeral pyre still hung heavy in the air. The bells of the city rung in mourning. And a youth hung his head by the riverbanks. I swallow thickly, my mouth suddenly dry.
“I told you that grief is like the river,” I respond, my voice almost too soft to hear. “It ebbs and flows, sometimes calm and other times strong enough to drag you under if you’re not careful. I told you to swim hard.”
Cor’than’s gaze softens slightly, a hint of surprise flickering past his otherwise stoic gaze.
“Indeed,” Cor’than finally responds, crossing his arms over his chest. There’s a moment of silence that follows, stretching out until it’s filled with tension. “The night grows late. We will continue this conversation in the morning. For now, they remain Shielded and heavily guarded until we can confirm more of their story. Take them to the Eastern Wing guest suites. And someone heal that one. He’s bleeding all over my hall.”
forty-one
Mira
With my cheek pressed against Bobble’s chest, the warmth of the afternoon sun gently wakes me from my slumber. His purring acts as a soothing white noise, lulling me back into a peaceful state as I nestle closer in his embrace. The soft press of his lips into my hair is enough to bring me back to the morning lit room. The big bed is empty save for the two of us.
The buttery light spreads across the wooden planked floor, and the fourposter bed is lush and fluffy, practically cocooning us together. I let out a long yawn into his side before I groggily ask, “Where is everyone?”
Bobble’s hand finds my hair, twirling it between his fingers and away from my face. He lets out a long groan as he stretches, the muscles of his abdomen going taut with movement. “Sunder left early. I don’t know if he slept at all. If I had to guess, he’s found some training room already has a gaggle on onlookers while he spars random guards.”
I sense the concern touching his voice, but chuckle anyway. He’s probably right.
“Callum has been in and out. Apparently, Cor’than sent out a bunch of scouts last night to confirm our story and look for Yurghen’s army. So until some of them return, we’re just waiting.”
Idly I reach to caress each thread of my bonds in my mind, only to be stopped by the thick wall of a Dampening Shield blocking me from accessing my Chroma. Right. I’d forgotten.
Yesterday is foggy still, but my thoughts turn to Tairyn.
I’ve broken them all.
“You okay?” Bobble’s soft voice is a feather brushing against my skin, a gentle touch that stirs memories within me. It's warm and soothing, offering comfort and support.
Rolling to my side with a sigh, I nuzzle my head into the soft spot between his chest and shoulder, letting his rolling purrs soothe my troubled mind. “Yeah. I’m okay. But just waiting around feels wasteful. We need to be doing something.”
Bobble hums in agreement but doesn’t say more. Inhaling his scent is intoxicating. And those arms. I stare at his biceps as he wraps his free arm around me.