Cassiel
There was one thing Cassiel knew for certain, and it was not to trust a witch. He crossed his arms as he watched the tent steadily. Dyna had been in there for a while now. What were they doing? Had the witch done something to her? No, he would have sensed it. Instead, something new passed through the bond. A warmth like the rays of sunlight. Dyna was happy.
Relief flooded through him. His confession had left something heavy on her, and it had weighed on his body as if he’d been buried beneath it. He shouldn’t have told her about the bond. It was foolish to have dared for some inkling of acceptance, to have contemplated such a notion. Even from a girl with a kind heart.
Blood Bonds didn’t instill any sort of affection, let alone love. He knew many bonded mates who cared nothing for one another. Celestials didn’t come to love easily, but when they did, he heard it was unyielding. Not the fickle love of humans, but an all-consuming, immeasurable sort of devotion he couldn’t begin to understand. That love was perhaps almost as rare as True Bonded mates.
His grandparents, King Rael and Queen Sapphira, were True Bonded—bound in mind, body, and soul. Two parts of a soul, as the fates determined, or so he was told. As far as he knew, it wasn’t a good thing.
Rael had experienced Sapphira’s pain when the humans tortured her. He heard her cries in his mind. Felt it when her soul was ripped from his. The agony brought Rael to his knees as he screamed and screamed. Then he unleashed his divine fire and burned all those who harmed her, decimating an entire city until it was nothing but ash. Rael perished soon after, not able to withstand the pain of living without his mate.
“Losing a True Bonded is the worst agony a Celestial can endure,”his father had said.“For when the bond breaks, they are losing half of themselves.”
Cassiel shuddered. ThankElyonthat sort of vile thing rarely happened.
He needed to free Dyna from him. It was the right thing to do. Yet, Blood Bonds were a perpetual pact. Bound eternally in the Mortal Realm until death doth they part. But if this Druid was truly all knowledgeable, he may know another way to break the bond that didn’t involve either of them dying.
Cassiel glanced up when Dyna strolled out of the tent. A brilliant smile shone on her face, as bright as the morning light reflecting on her scarlet locks. Her emerald eyes nearly danced with joy as she clutched a book close to her chest and rushed to sit by Zev.
“What have you got there?” her cousin asked.
“It’s a spellbook.” She showed it to him, nearly bouncing in her seat. “Lucenna offered to teach me.”
She wanted to learn magic from a witch? Cassiel kept his retort to himself. He doubted anything he said would be taken well.
Zev didn’t appear bothered. “Did she, now?”
“Isn’t it magnificent? I’ll have a teacher.”
Zev smiled. “I’m glad.”
“Of course, I’ll never be as powerful as her, but to learn more spells and from another sorceress? I could never have imagined this.” The rapid words poured out of Dyna with her excitement. “We’re starting today. She’s going to teach me levitation first.”
Rawn chuckled. “That is wonderful, my lady.”
Cassiel couldn’t even be annoyed about it when her happiness washed through him so strongly.
Dyna’s smile faded, and she squared her shoulders. “There is something I would like to ask of each of you”. She drew in a breath and said, “I want to learn how to fight.”
Silence filled their campsite.
“If I may request, I would like for each of you to teach me. To truly teach me.” She looked at Zev. “Not only how to hit, but to wield a blade and a bow.”
While unexpected, it wasn’t surprising. Cassiel had already attempted to teach her how to at least throw a punch before circumstances interrupted their lessons. Now was a prime time to continue.
Zev crossed his arms. “Dyna...”
“I can’t protect myself, Zev. I’m…” She made a face. “I’m a damsel.”
“That is not true, my lady.”
Dyna frowned at Rawn. “Lord Norrlen, simply by that honorific I know you see me as a delicate lady. Zev sees me as helpless. Prince Cassiel sees me as reckless.”
Prince.The title sat on his head like a crown of thorns. She had returned to being formal with him.
She met each of their gazes. “If it’s not true, then deny it now.”
None of them did.
