The thought sits like a stone in my chest.
I am the one who refused to give her the mating mark. The one who slept with her and then held back from claiming her fully. And now, watching her treat our bond like an afterthought—something that exists but doesn’t demand her attention—I’m beginning to wonder if she even wants it at all.
Maybe she’s strong enough in this life that she’d rather focus on survival than whatever this is between us. Maybe the bond is just another obstacle to her, something else to manage and control while she fights to break the curse.
I have no right to want more from her. No right to feel this ache in my chest when she leaves each evening without a word about us. No right to wish the bond mattered to her the way it matters to me.
Not when I’m the one who won’t fully commit.
“Kieran.”
I turn to find Artisem in the doorway. He takes one look at me, and his eyes widen slightly.
“What happened? You look—”
“I’m fine.” I wave him off, moving to pour myself some water from the pitcher on the side table. My hand shakes slightly as I lift the glass. “Where have you been? I thought we were going to go over the supply requests.”
“I came by earlier to discuss them, but you weren’t here.” He steps further into the room, his gaze sharp. “Where were you?”
“The forest. Following a lead.” I take a long drink, the cool water soothing my raw throat. “Did anyone come by?”
He nods. “Daciana did. Twice, actually.”
My hand tightens on the glass. “When?”
“About an hour ago, then again maybe thirty minutes after that. She peeked in both times, looked around, then left.”
My chest constricts. She came looking for me. Twice. And I wasn’t here. “Where did she go?”
“The second time, a servant gave her a summons while she was standing in your doorway. I was coming down the hall and saw the whole thing.”
A summons. My jaw clenches. “From whom?”
“She didn’t say. But she was headed toward the gardens when she left.” He pauses, and the change in his tone makes my blood run cold. “The gardens where the noble families’ daughters are allowed.”
I slam the glass down on the table hard enough that water sloshes over the rim. “The noble gardens? When?”
“Maybe twenty minutes ago? She seemed confused by the summons, but—Kieran!”
I’m already moving.
My body protests—still recovering from the forbidden magic—but I don’t care. The gardens. The noble families. The candidates.
My mind races as I stride through the corridors, servants scattering out of my path. I’ve had meetings with every single candidate for the position of my mate over the past several days. I’ve rejected them all.
Daciana was present at every meeting. Required to stand there and watch as they paraded themselves before me, as they listed accomplishments and bloodlines. Having to write it all down as if she were recording inventory.
I chose my own liaison. A female. Someone with no noble blood, no political connections. The fact that I gave the position to Daciana instead of one of the nobles’ daughters—that alone would have been an insult to each one of them. But to have her there, witnessing their rejections, documenting their failures?
I should have anticipated this. Should have known they’d retaliate.
Fuck!
My pace quickens to a run, my boots pounding against the marble floors. The exhaustion from the forbidden magic is forgotten, burned away by pure adrenaline and fear.
The gardens aren’t far, but every second feels like an eternity. My heart hammers against my ribs as I burst through the arched entrance, the late afternoon sun blinding after the dimness of the corridors.
Then, I smell it.
