Page 46 of Stolen Thorn Bride

“And if I say itisa true bond? If my bondmate says it is?” No one but Dechlan ever need know the truth.

“It cannot be!” Fionn’s green eyes betrayed desperation. “It was never meant to be! She only bonded with you because we told her…”

He broke off.

But it was too late. This was not the time for a confrontation, but Dechlan’s grip shifted to his retainer’s throat as he leaned in with a furious curse. “Because you told herwhat?”

Fionn swallowed and shut his eyes. “That the punishment for trespassing was death,” he whispered.

And suddenly, everything fell into place.

As preparations for a different battle went on around him, Dechlan battled for control. What had been done to Kasia… It was unthinkable. Unforgivable. They’d used her, lied to her, and now they wanted to discard her like trash.

And he’d had no idea. No clue what kind of fear must have haunted her when he awakened that first time and raged at her for staring.

Given a choice between death and an uncertain future with a terrifying stranger, she’d chosen the stranger. She’d granted him the gift of life and hope, but she’d done it out of fear.

“Did Miach participate in this… this…” He had no words to describe such a monstrous injustice.

“No,” Fionn gasped out, as Dechlan’s fingers tightened around his throat. “He never knew. He asked us to find a human. He doesn’t know we lured her across the Hedge. His Majesty is innocent!”

Oh, not entirely innocent. But despite everything, Dechlan experienced an instant of pure relief to know that Miach, at least, had not betrayed him so completely as this.

Wait. “Youluredher across?”

Dechlan threw Fionn to the ground, unable to trust himself to touch the younger man any longer. “Get out of my sight,” he ground out between clenched teeth. “If we live, I will deal with your betrayal. Perhaps you’d best pray you’re asked to sacrifice yourself in service to the Riene, because I doubt I will find it in myself to be merciful!”

Rage carried him out of the bailey to meet the servant who’d raced to bring his armor. It sustained him as he accepted the harness of a young, black-furred wolf with eager yellow eyes. And it gave him the strength to don his helmet and stand at the head of the small force that would go out to meet the swarm.

No speeches were needed. They knew what was at stake.

“Do not sacrifice yourselves needlessly,” he called out grimly. “These walls will need every one of us once the messengers are away. Our task is to distract the swarm and return without injury. No heroics. Stay together until ordered otherwise.”

He swung into the saddle. And as he turned towards the gates, he saw her.

Kasia stood alone at the edge of the bailey, her eyes fixed on his, her pale hair like a ray of spring sun against the gray stone. He felt her fear. Felt her uncertainty. And for the first time, he also felt the small anxious beginnings of something else…

She’d said she could imagine herself falling in love, but whatever Dechlan might have felt on learning that it was true was now tainted. She’d been tricked. Lied to. Denied her freedom through no doing of her own.

And it was up to him to make it right.

So he granted himself this one last sight of her—blazing like a beacon against the coming darkness—before he turned away to face the gates.

And yet still her image remained, seared into his heart by the agony of his eventual loss. She would leave him. He knew that, and could do nothing—woulddo nothing to stop it.

But first, he had to stop these wraiths, so that she would survive long enough to go home and live the life she was meant for.

It was no comfort, but itwaspurpose, and it gave him the strength to do what was needed.

“Raise the gates!”

The gates opened, and Dechlan urged his wolf forward. As one, he and his small force raced from the bailey, through the gates, into the open ground, and towards the seething mass of shadows advancing from the north.

Time to remind the wraiths of what it meant to challenge the elves of the Northwatch.

Chapter 13

Kasia watched him go. She could feel his pain and his despair, and knew it was not all to do with the wraiths that approached Northwatch Keep.