His gaze flicks between us once then, without another word, he steps toward the outer arch and disappears beyond the warded threshold. Leaving us alone. The heavy rune-etched doors slide shut behind him with a low, finalthrum.
Great. Left alone with the guy I just accidentally emotionally and magically detonated myself on.
The air doesn’t ease when he’s gone. If anything, it thickens—pressing in, wrapping around us like smoke.
The bond burns hotter now. Winding tighter through my chest, coiling around my spine, curling low in my stomach like it’s trying to rewrite me from the inside out. I canfeelhim. Not just his pulse or tension, but everything under it—naked and unfiltered.
And I’veneverbeen this turned on in my life.
Which, you know, is super convenient right now. Perfect moment for magical horniness to kick in. I thought this was for training. Focus. Stability. They said it didn’t include emotion.Didn’t they?I honestly can’t remember anymore. My brain’s been replaced with static and want.
And Iknowhe feels it too.
Not just from the strain in his grip or the locked tension of his jaw. Not just from the way his abs flex against mine with every shallow breath. But from the heat flaring down the tether. Raw. Primal. Bone-deep need that’s not entirely mine.
It crashes into me, and my breath stutters. His does, too.
Raiden’s eyes lock on mine, dark and restless, but the bond betrays him. I feel the spike of desire low in his gut like it’s my own. His hand tightens on my arm—the only thing keeping us technically in contact. But the tether? Oh no, it’s not done. It pulls, brightening, burning, dragging us closer like it has opinions now.
A beat passes. A breathless, melting beat. His chest brushes mine—bare skin to bare skin—and that’s it. My brain short-circuits. Heat blooms behind my eyes and pours through every nerve like I’m being consumed from the inside out.
Ican’tmove. The bond won’t let me. And honestly? I’m not sure I want to. Then, like he’s caught in the same gravitational spin, Raiden leans in.
His breath ghosts against my lips.So close.Every part of me screams to close the distance. The tether is practicallychantingfor it. My heart slams against my ribs. He wets his lips. Holy shit. He’s going to kiss me.
I make the fatal mistake of closing my eyes.
And then—he jerks back like I lit a match to his chest. His hand drops, his breath ragged. The bond bristles, indignant at the distance, but eases just enough to let him rip away.
His gaze avoids mine. Jaw clenched so hard it looks painful.
“Don’t read into it,” he says, low and strained. “The bond twists instinct. It changes nothing.”
Oh sure. Nothing saysmeaninglesslike full-body magical yearning and accidental almost-kissing someone you apparently loathe.
He turns and strides to the door like he hasn’t just set me on fire and walks away. The heavy doors thud shut behind him, loud and final. And the bond still hums. Low and steady. Wound through my chest, my stomach—lower.
My skin burns where he touched me. Every nerve feels electric. And under all of it—still there—need. Raw and clawing. I sit down hard, mostly because my knees aren’t entirely listening anymore.
There’s nothing left of him in the room. But I can stillfeelhim. Not in a romantic, poetic way. More like…an emotional splinter in my soul that refuses to be ignored. I suck in a breath. It doesnothing.
My hands shake as I reach for my tunic. I pull it on like armor—cheap, itchy armor that does absolutely zero to soothe my wrecked nerves. Shoes next. Then the cloak. My movements are stiff. Mechanical. Like maybe if I move slow enough, my brain won’t catch up to what just happened.
It does anyway.
Because the bond is stillthere, vibrating just under my skin, whispering that something changed, and no matter how many layers I pile on, it’s not going away.
NINE
LINDSAY
The corridors feel toobright when I step out of the ritual wing. I’m barely two halls away when I hear footsteps.
“Lindsay!”
I turn, pulse still too fast. Nolan jogs up, dark eyes wide behind his glasses. He takes one look at me—at my face, the way I’m probably pale as hell and stiff as a board—and his expression softens.
“You okay?”
