It tastes like burnt disappointment.
Perfect.
“That bad?” Elena slides into the seat across from me. She’s got her own mug—tea, because of course she does. Lila sits beside her, identical tea selection.
Rossewyn witches and their beverage choices, apparently.
“It’s fine,” I lie.
“Mara.” Elena’s voice has that particular quality. The one that saysI know you’re full of shit and we both know I know.
“Okay, it’s terrible. But it’s caffeine, so I’m drinking it anyway.”
“There’s a French press in the back if you want actual coffee.”
I take another sip of the burnt sadness. “This is fine.”
Elena and Lila exchange glances. That mother-daughter telepathy thing they’ve apparently mastered in the couple of months since they reunited.
“How are you feeling?” Lila asks. Her voice is gentle. Careful. The tone you use with someone who might shatter.
“Physically? Great. Best I’ve felt in—” I stop. “Ever, actually. Turns out not having massive internal injuries is pretty cool.”
“And emotionally?”
“Also great. Totally fine. Living my best life.”
More glances. More telepathy.
“Mara,” Elena starts.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You need to—”
“What I need,” I interrupt, “is to drink this terrible coffee and pretend that I didn’t just have one magical bond ripped out of my chest so I could potentially sign up for another one that’s supposedly forming whether I want it or not.”
Silence falls.
Then Lila: “Another bond?”
Elena stares at me. “Holy shit.”
“Exactly.” I take another sip. Grimace. “K says his dragon recognizes me. Which is—” I gesture vaguely. “A thing, I guess.”
“It’s more than a thing,” Elena says quietly. “Mate bonds are—”
“Forever. Irrevocable. Permanent. Yeah, I got the lecture.” I set the mug down too hard. Coffee sloshes over the rim. “Sorry. I’m not… I’m processing. Badly.”
“You’re allowed to process badly.” Lila’s voice is still gentle. “You just had a very intense experience.”
“Intense is one word for it.”
“What would you call it?”
“Terrifying. Confusing. Like standing at the edge of a cliff and being told to jump becausetrust me, there’s definitely a net down there, you just can’t see it yet.”
Elena reaches across the table. Takes my hand. “Do you want there to be a net?”
