“Youare still more useful to me dead,” the Commander seethed.
Riven’s features morphed, ageing and transforming into the face of my father. I cringed, nausea swirling in my gut.
“I can be whoever you need me to be,” my father’s voice said.
The Commander dropped Riven, letting him crash to the floor as he shapeshifted back into himself.
“And what new display of testosterone is this?” Cerilla’s voice drifted in like cold water as she stepped through the doorway, skirts whispering behind her. She raised aneyebrow at her brother and helped Riven stand, touching the wound on his leg. Her fingers came away covered in red blood. My brow creased. It was red. Not black.
“I follow the path of blood,” she sighed, “and of course it leads to you, brother.” She flicked her wrist. A steaming pot of floral tea appeared beside me. I managed the faintest smile of thanks and she returned it warmly.
“Come along,Mortal boy,” she said, tugging Riven by the wrist. “Let me put you back together.”
Riven shot me one last smirk. But something unreadable flickered in his eyes before the heavy doors closed behind them.
Solas lingered, his shoulders tensing as his eyes flicked between me and the Commander. It was like he expected violence to erupt at any second.
“Go,” the Commander snarled without looking at him.
Solas didn’t move. “I’m not leaving her alone with you,” he said quietly, steel under every word. “Not when you look likethat.”
Shadows snapped like whips across the floor. The Commander lifted his head slowly, looking at him with pure black eyes.
“She isbondedto me,” he said slowly, his voice rough. “She is safe.”
Solas opened his mouth, ready to argue.
A pained sound escaped me, soft and broken as my body trembled against that insufferable heat surging violently through my veins.
Solas’s expression crumpled as he took a step towards the door. “Stay the fuck in control,” he pleaded, voice dripping with worry before he slammed the doors shut behind him.
The room fell silent. The Commander was suddenly infront of me, hands cupping my face. “I am sorry,” he said, voice breaking on the words as if they hurt him.
My eyebrows crinkled together. I had kissed another male merelyhoursafter I bonded him, and he was apologising to me?
“I should have been here. I should have known you were too stubborn not to empty your power.”
I leant into his touch, letting it cool my burning skin. “I didn’t mean to kiss him,” I whispered so softly that it was barely audible.
He gathered me into his lap, arms wrapping firmly around me even though it cost him, his shadows were attacking him.
“I can shadow jump you to the ocean,” he muttered to himself, panicked and furious.
I shook my head weakly. I didn’t think I could survive being torn apart and stitched back together.
“Or—” he hesitated.
My stomach fluttered in anticipation at the way his eyes heated and dropped to my lips.
“I will take care of you,” he promised, voice dark and breaking.
I could already feel the familiar tingling seeping into my skin. Knowing how good he could make me feel turned the anticipation into its own quiet torment.
His lips brushed mine, a touch so tender it almost hurt. He became unnaturally still; nose twitching and anger surged down the bond. He couldscentRiven.
I wanted him to smother any trace of it with his own. I lifted my head, closing the space between us and claimed his mouth. He stayed deathly still for a heartbeat, startled that I had made the first move. But he melted beneath my touch and his handstangled in my hair.
I deepened the kiss, sliding my tongue into his mouth and my toes curled at the moan that rumbled through him.
