Cora hesitated. “Grayson said it was forced. A marriage rite at the auction. He only did it to get me out.”
Elena’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Cora, magic like that isn’t always just a ritual. Depending on the caster, it could go deeper. Much deeper.”
“What are you saying?” Cora asked, her pulse quickening.
“I’m saying,” Elena began carefully, “that this might not be just magic. It could be…soul-deep.”
Cora stared at her, and the weight of those words landed like a physical blow. “Soul-deep? Like…fated mates?”
“Not exactly,” Elena said, shaking her head. “But something close. Sometimes, when two souls resonate on a fundamental level, a bond can form that goes beyond magic. It’s rare, but it happens.”
“No,” Cora stated firmly, standing up. “That can’t be it. I barely know him. We don’t even like each other half the time.”
Elena’s eyes glinted with something almost mischievous. “And the other half?”
Cora glared at her. “Not the point.”
“I’m just saying,” Elena replied, raising her hands in mock surrender. “The bond might be amplifying feelings that were already there. Or it could be creating them. Either way, breaking it won’t be as simple as a potion.”
Cora sank back onto the couch, and her shoulders sagged. “So what? I’m stuck with this? With him?”
Elena didn’t answer right away. Instead, she rose and crossed to the shelf lined with jars and tomes. She pulled downa leather-bound book and flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.
“Here,” she said, setting the book in Cora’s lap. “It’s a ritual for tempering bonds. It won’t break it but might give you some control.”
Cora skimmed the page and frowned. “This looks…complicated.”
“It is,” Elena admitted, closing her own book and tapping the cover thoughtfully. “But it’s your best shot for now. And you’ll need help.”
“Help?” Cora repeated, narrowing her eyes. She already knew where this was going, but that didn’t make it easier to hear.
“Yes,” Elena confirmed with a knowing smile lighting her face. “Grayson.”
“Absolutely not,” Cora refused, slamming the book shut. “He’s the last person I want to be involved in this.”
“He’s the other half of the bond,” Elena reminded her. “If you want to temper it, he has to be part of the process.”
Cora rolled her eyes. “He already helped with the last potion, remember? Maybe that’s why it didn’t work. He was too involved, and his pheromones were like…messing with me even more.”
Elena snorted, and the sound came out somewhere between amused and exasperated. “Oh, please. You know that’s not how magic works. If it didn’t work, it’s because the bond is stronger than either of you expected. Not because Grayson can’t stir ingredients or smells like sex.”
“That’s debatable,” Cora muttered under her breath.
Elena leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but he’s not your enemy, Cora. I’m sure he wants the bond gone just as much as you do. Maybe even more.”
She hated that Elena had a point. Grayson’s frustration with the bond had been obvious from the start, and while she knew it wasn’t personal, it still stung. It jeopardized his mission and his career. Hell, it totally disrupted his life. Now, he was sleeping on her couch and spending his days watching her every move.
“Even if that’s true, I don’t trust him to not take over. He doesn’t know how to let anyone else be in charge.”
“Then make him let you lead,” Elena suggested simply. “You’re a witch. You know how to set boundaries.”
Cora snorted. “Yeah, because that’s worked so well so far. Every time I try to stand my ground, he bulldozes right over me. It’s like he doesn’t know how to back off. I’ve spent my whole life figuring things out on my own. I don’t need someone hovering over me, telling me how to breathe or when to blink. And with this bond, it’s like he thinks he owns me. I can’t even walk to the damn corner without feeling his shadow at my back.”
“You’re used to relying on yourself. I get it. But maybe this isn’t about him controlling you. Maybe he’s trying to keep you alive.”
Cora groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“A little,” Elena admitted with a smirk. “But only because I know you’ll get through this. You always do.”
