“Daciana—”
“I knew something was off about all this.” Her voice rises, edged with hysteria. “You trying to keep me by your side. There’s only one reason you would want to get close to me, and that’sAstra. This is about the Kingdom, isn’t it? About securing your claim?”
“No. That’s not—”
“I’m done.” Daciana moves toward the door, her whole body rigid. “I’m leaving. I don’t want any part of this.”
Panic surges. I watch her slipping away, see the walls slamming down between us. Not again. Not like this.
“Wait.” I move to block her path, desperation making my movements sharp. “Just wait. Please.”
“Move, Kieran.”
I make a split-second decision. The worst decision. The only decision.
I release the magic suppressing our bond.
The effect is immediate and devastating. Daciana’s eyes widen, her hand flying to her chest as if she’s been struck. She staggers backward, catching herself against the wall.
“What—” Daciana gasps, her knees buckling. “What have you done to me?”
“Nothing.” The word comes out ragged. “We’re fated mates, Daciana.”
She stares at me, shock written across every feature. Then, denial floods in. “No.” She shakes her head violently. “No. We can’t be fated mates. I would have felt it. I would have…” Another wave hits her, and she chokes on a sob. “You’ve done something to me. What did you—”
“The bond is mature,” I explain, watching her suffer and hating myself for it. “Fully formed. Our souls are entwined; that’s why it’s hitting you so hard.”
When she looks up, her eyes are swimming with tears. “What have you done?”
“I’ve been suppressing the fated mate bond.” The confession tastes like ash. “Since the moment I first saw you. Months ago. That’s why you felt nothing when we met.”
Daciana gasps again as yet another wave hits her. “Why?” The question is bitter, anguished. “Is it because you didn’t want to be with me?”
“No.” The word rips out of me. “Daciana, let me help you—”
“No!” Daciana’s voice is strained, barely controlled. “You’ve helped enough!”
“I want you.” The confession tears free, desperate and raw. “I want you more than you could ever understand. But being with me…” My voice fractures. “Being with me has been a death sentence for you.”
Daciana is crying now, silent tears streaming down her face as the bond inundates her. And I stand here, useless, watching her suffer because of choices I made. Choices meant to protect her that have only caused more pain.
“Every lifetime,” I continue, my voice hollow, “you die. The same way. And I’m never fast enough to save you.”
Daciana sinks to the floor, her entire body shuddering. The bond is battering her, years of suppressed connection flooding through all at once, and I curse myself for doing this to her. But she needed to understand. She needed to know.
“How many?” Daciana whispers.
“I’ve lost count.”
Daciana looks up at me now, and the devastation in her eyes nearly brings me to my knees.
I move before I can think, crossing the space between us and lifting her into my arms. She’s trembling so hard, I feel it in my bones.
I set her in the chair and drop myself down in front of her, my hands gripping the armrests on either side of her body. Not touching. Not daring to touch when she’s looking at me like I’ve shattered her world.
“I was trying to keep you safe, Daciana.” I look her in the eyes as I speak. “In every lifetime, I have met you, fallen for you, builta life with you, and then lost you. No matter what I’ve done, no matter how hard I’ve tried, I have never been able to save you or our child.”
The words scrape my throat raw. I lower my head to the edge of her knees, and my eyes burn with unshed tears. I blink hard against the pressure building behind them.
