Page 38 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

While I have seen many dead bodies before, I desperately hope I don’t find any today.

My heart aches again, twinging enough to make me wince. Pressing a hand against the pain, I focus on keeping my breathing even. The twinge happens again and again. Letting out a slow breath, I move around to see if that helps ease the sensation. Although I am just aimlessly wandering around, I quickly realise that when I move in a certain direction, it eases a little, becoming less of a pain and more of a pull. Frowning, I move slowly through the debris, following the instinct that’s guiding me.

A figure appears in front of me, carrying a large wooden panel above his head, and I stop in my tracks, my chest no longer aching. In fact, warmth spreads through me. The male also stops, tilting his head to one side as though he’s confused, his gaze still forward but his focus elsewhere. His eyes glaze over as he loses himself in his thoughts.

The moonlight shines down upon him, and I realise with a kick in my chest that there’s a reason he seems so familiar. It’s Eli, the mysterious fae who swept me away at the ball.

Eli, Eli, Eli.

My heart seems to pound to the sound of his name, my skin breaking out in goosebumps at the sight of him. Why am I having such a strong reaction to him? Even now, I feel myself being pulled towards him as though an invisible string ties us together and I’m being reeled in.

He appeared so suddenly that night, and after our magical dances together, he vanished once more, as though he was an apparition or a dream. If others had not interacted with him, I might have believed I was going mad. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought of him since the ball, especially at night when I’m alone in my bed. In my dreams, he is always close enough for me to sense him, to want the promise of what he could offer, but is just out of my reach.

My recollections had not done him full justice, and seeing him here right in front of me causes my cheeks to flush—not an easy feat for a vampire. I need to go before he spots me. My clothes are dirty, and I am sure my hair is a mess of silver strands after digging through wreckage and debris for the last four hours.

I am in such a hurry that I jerk forward. He turns to look at me, his gaze locking on me immediately. As soon as our eyes meet, something comes alive within me, sparking and igniting a hope I didn’t know was there.

I don’t understand this connection between us. How can I feel so comfortable around a male I know nothing about? It feels so different from my bond with Havoc, yet just as powerful and binding. It’s a promise of what could be, which makes no sense, because Havoc is predestined to be my mate. I feel a similar connection to Finnik, which only complicates that matter. Right in this moment, though, my only thoughts are on Eli, my mind utterly enthralled.

I’m locked into place as we stare at each other, hungrily committing every detail of him to memory in case I never see him again. It feels like fate has brought us together today, something I don’t usually believe in. The fluttering in my chest tells me that this is right. He looks like I remembered, yet something about the moonlight makes him appear different.

The pallet is still balanced easily on his shoulder, and his bicep is flexed, showing off his strength. He’s wearing dark trousers and a loose, dark green shirt that compliments the golden hue of his skin. His golden hair almost looks silver in this light, the long strands pushed back from his face as he works. This only highlights the golden markings on his face, going from temple to chin. I have no idea what the swirling symbols mean, but it’s beautiful in a mysterious way. Altogether, he looks wild as he admires me back, his eyes glowing with an inner fire.

Dropping the pallet to the ground, he strides towards me, each step causing my heart to somersault in my chest. My breath catches in my throat as he stops before me, close enough to touch, but carefully leaving space for me should I need it.

“Lady Anthea,” he greets, his voice low and smooth, a smile pulling at his lips. “I didn’t think I would see you here.”

“Eli.” My greeting sounds far breathier than I wanted, and his eyes crinkle in amusement. He knows exactly what effect he is having on me right now. Taking a deep breath, I clear my throat and continue. “The same goes for you. I didn’t think I’d see you again at all, to be honest.”

This is true, I didn’t expect it, yet what I’m not going to tell him is that I dreamed of seeing him again. It is becoming clear from his growing smile that my face is giving me away. He seems to get past all of my walls, exposing my true feelings beneath, knowing I’ve been hoping to see him again, even if I didn’t believe it would happen.

“I promised we would meet again, my lady. I don’t go back on my promises.” He smiles, but I can see how serious he is about his statement, and despite only just getting to know him, I believe him.

I am commonly addressed as “my lady,” yet when he says it, there is something about the warmth in his tone that causes it to sound intimate. I need to change the subject before I get distracted by this euphoric feeling and do something reckless, like kiss him. Searching my mind, I fumble around for a topic, my thoughts sluggish.

“Do you help in the slums often?”

He finally breaks eye contact with me and glances over his shoulder. “Yes, I like to be useful.” When he returns his focus to me, there is a shadow over his expression and a heaviness that seems to hover around him, the weight of the despair he’s witnessing leaving its mark.

“Tonight is different though.” His tone changes, his gaze intensifying. “I was drawn here. Usually I help during the day and was expected on the other side of the city, but my instincts were telling me I needed to be here. Now I know why.”

My eyes widen, and my heart beats fast as I try to come up with a suitable response. What are the chances that he would suddenly just decide to help the same night that I am, especially when he never works at night? It cannot be a coincidence, and once again I can’t help thinking that fate has a hand in all this. My overwhelming emotions and confusion over what’s happening leave me mute.

Pushing back some of the stray strands of hair that have fallen into his face, he looks conflicted, his smile wavering and his stance becoming restless. His eyes sweep across my face as he watches me closely. He nods curtly to himself, his jaw set before he takes a step closer, entering my personal space.

“I hoped to do this differently, but I can’t ignore this opportunity.”

I start to feel uneasy at the sudden change in him. I might feel a pull towards him, but I still don’t really know anything about him. While I don’t think he is going to hurt me, his rapid personality change is making me anxious. “What do you mean?”

Reaching out, he grips my shoulders, his expression intense. “Run away with me.”

I open my mouth to reply, but I don’t have a clue how to answer him, my mind still reeling.

Shaking his head, he curses when he sees my hesitation and blows out a long breath. “I am messing this up.” He closes his eyes for a second, gathering himself together. Once they open again, he seems more grounded. “I know how to help you. I know how to break your curse, but you need to come with me.”

Chapter Sixteen

Staring up at the handsome fae before me, I shake my head. He can’t have said what I think he did. I know how to break your curse. The words spiral in my mind, and I think I go into shock. Stepping back to give myself some breathing space, I press a hand against my breastbone, attempting to soothe the ache there. Time seems to slow down as everything else falls away, leaving just the two of us and his words hanging heavily between us.

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