“She’s… skittish.” Amon’s brows furrow. “But I’m forever indebted to you and your bonds for caring for her. Whatever you require, I will give. And if I can’t, my guild will.”
“Speaking of that… have you told Kace yet,Your Highness?” Sai’s smirk edges towards being cruel.
Amon hesitates. “It’s a subject I’m unsure how to broach.”
“Well, a word of advice from fuckers who’ve been there: tell her now, or risk being doomed to the friendship pit of hell.”
Amon blinks, then turns to Julien for guidance.
Julien sighs. “Ignore him, Amon.” Then he sends Sai a warning glance.“Do not discuss our bond with him, Sai.”
“She hasn’t accepted you?” Amon sounds… shocked. I cant my head. “I apologise.” He looks between us all. “I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. It’s just…”
“What?” Sai sits up sharply, eyes narrowed, air crackling. “Come on, spit it out, prince.”
“Bonds are more common in shifter districts, and you feel…” Amon’s amber eyes flicker, wary. “Forgive me. I… I must be mistaken. I thought you were fully bonded.”
Sai groans, full-bodied and miserable, slumping back like a man mortally wounded—which I suppose we are. “I fucking wish, man.”
There’s a nervous pause from Amon, clearly unsettled by this information, until Julien steps in. He begins a conversation with Amon, onenotabout our bond.
I let their words fade around me, but it’s clear the dragon values Julien’s wisdom, listening carefully as he discusses the importance of breathing. He may be Kacey’s bond, but I don’t trust him.
And I don’t care if he knows it.
I catch his gaze slipping to me now and then. Every time, I’m already watching him. When he leaves, so do I, without a word. Which I know will anger my brother. But I’m impatient. I’d waited long enough, because even when I’m with my unit, all I think about is—
Jasmine.
There she is, crouched on the edge of the riverbed that runs through the atrium, studying the water with a soft smile. The sun beams down, soaking her in golden light, and her gentle laugh carries on the breeze to me.
I will never recover from her beauty.
Then she looks at me, still smiling, and when her hand raises in a small wave, it’s like a magnetic force has awakened within me. I go to her.
“Hey,” she says, squinting as she peers up at me. I immediately stand closer, blocking the rays so she isn’t blinded.
“Thanks.” She smiles.
She thanked me and smiled.
Then she kneels, patting the patch of grass beside her. “Sit.”
I do.
I try not to sit too close, but I’m also not sure how to sit on the ground, I don’t remember the last time I sat on a floor. I prefer standing.
I think she laughs, but tries to hide it while I awkwardly bend my legs, deciding to rest my arms over my knees.
“You look… better,” she says, her voice soft as she keeps feeding the fish—an array of hungry, gaping mouths all staring up at her, desperate for her attention. “Did you sleep?”
I tried not to. I’d rather stay awake and catastrophise all the ways yesterday could have ended. I imagined arriving too late, picturing her lifeless body hanging from Julien’s arms—
“Hey, what’re you thinking?” Her eyes are wide, troubled.
I needed to get better at blocking my emotions, but being near her always eased them out.
Demons feel less than all other creatures, our apathy being a skill many envied. But Jasmine always makes me feel. So much more than I thought possible… I’d forgotten what certain emotions felt like until I met her.
