Page 52 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

He follows the rule of his king, and therefore, the rule of King Drath, to the letter. Breaking rules and orders is not something Geoff does, nor would he even question it until now. Seeing me on the brink of death seems to have moved something inside him, making him more forward and forceful in his actions. He is telling the king that we are leaving, not the other way around.

“You’re leaving?” Finnik asks sharply from his position at the edge of the room, his crossed arms falling to his sides.

It is clear he is about to argue this point, but Geoff spins and pins him with a glare, causing him to close his mouth. I do not blame him for faltering at Geoff’s current expression—he’s terrifying.

“Why should she stay here any longer when your friend tried to kill her?” my advisor and father figure asks pointedly, his fangs flashing as he speaks. “There is nothing she can do here now. Havoc has seen to that,” Geoff bites out. Taking a deep breath, he attempts to regain some of his composure, glancing at the other two males in the room. “It is my job to protect Anthea, and I cannot do that here, not any longer.”

Silence follows his declaration, and I know everyone is processing his words. If all is well, I shall be returning home. For how long, I do not know. Will the king call for me again? Will I still be expected to spend six months of the year here in the city? Geoff is right, I cannot fulfil my purpose, so what will become of me now?

Geoff clears his throat, breaking the heavy silence in the room. “The king has requested your presence as soon as you wake, but you are in no state to see him right now. He can wait.”

Again, I am surprised by his attitude, but I am so exhausted and relieved that I am not required to move that I don’t question it.

“Agreed,” Eli rumbles, holding me closer. “She needs to stay here with her mate to recover.”

Geoff nods approvingly, clasping his hands together before him. “I will let you rest and send the healer in to check on you.” He begins to leave, only to pause at the door. “Anthea, it really is good to see you awake.”

If I was not so emotionally raw at the moment, then I would probably be touched by his comment. As it is, my eyes sting with tears, the words meaning so much more when they come from someone who is not sentimental.

Exhausted from the interaction, I lean my head back against the pillows, slumping to one side and resting against Eli for support. Someone says something, but I am already being dragged back into sleep, my body telling me it needs to rest.

Just as I’m about to fall asleep, I manage to send up a quick prayer for a dreamless sleep. Thankfully, my prayer is answered, and the darkness of unconsciousness pulls me under.

Chapter Twenty

Several days have passed since that first awful day when I woke up after Havoc’s rejection, and I am finally beginning to feel a little stronger. The wound in my chest is still a constant ache, but I am learning to live with it. Without Eli practically pressed against me at all times, I would have died. I do not understand why the fae’s bond and the mate bond we have in Drathlor is so different, yet it saved my life, so I am grateful for it.

Sitting on Eli’s lap in front of the mirror, I brush my long hair and take in my reflection, my expression blank. Ever since the ball, Eli has been my one constant, always there to help me, even if it is just to hold me while I weep at the loss of the bond. It is a strange feeling, because I don’t miss Havoc, nor am I particularly heartbroken over what could have been. Instead, I feel as though my emotions are being driven by the bond, or in this case, the loss of that bond.

The whole experience seems to have affected Eli pretty harshly too, causing him to become even more possessive and protective. Wherever I go, he is not far away, touching me constantly. I suspect he fears that without his touch, I will deteriorate, and he would be at risk of losing me again. My body, soul, and mind feel much more stable now, even if I am still in pain, so I do not think there is any danger of that happening. Whenever we are together, warmth fills my chest, especially as his arms wrap around me.

I look at him through the reflection, and I cannot help but smile softly at his expression of adoration as he stares at me. His chin rests on my shoulder as he rubs his nose against my cheek, inhaling my scent.

A flash of movement catches my attention, and I watch through the open door as Felix, Geoff, and my guards move around, gathering our possessions. Every time Felix passes, he pauses in the doorway and searches for me, his expression softening when his eyes land on me. I have not moved, yet he still keeps checking that I am okay.

Gratitude and love swell in my chest, helping to fill the gaping void Havoc left behind. I am so blessed to have Felix here, my old friend anchoring me. He may not be one of my mates, but he helps me in ways they are unable to. He chooses to love me, despite all the difficulties being associated with me comes with.

Shifting forward on Eli’s lap, I gather together the top part of my hair and pull it around to the back, braiding it while leaving the rest down. I drop my arms to my lap and stare at the wraith in the mirror. I’ve lost weight, and there is a tightness around my eyes that wasn’t there before. Pale skin might be expected for a vampire, but mine is almost transparent. I lean back against Eli, disappointed by what I see.

I need to get up and finish getting ready. Before we leave for Trador, we have to speak with the king. Officially, I need his blessing to return home during the six months I am supposed to be here, but I have been assured that he would not stop me after everything that happened.

Standing slowly, I glance down at my hand with a smile, which Eli has commandeered. I open my mouth to comment on his protective nature, but pause as a presence hovers in the doorway. Glancing up, I see Finnik. His gaze roves over me, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes that does not dim when he sees me. Instead, he looks around the room and notices the folded clothes in the trunks by the door, waiting to be transported to the carriage.

“You’re going to leave.” Finnik glares at me, his words an accusation. In fact, he is acting as though I’m going back on a promise or that I’m unreasonable for wanting to return to my homeland to heal.

I nod slowly in agreement. “If the king allows it, yes.”

With a predatory expression, he begins to walk towards me, his body vibrating with tension. I stiffen and prepare for an attack, shifting my weight to the balls of my feet so I am ready to run should I need to. It is an automatic reaction, my instincts simply responding to the situation. I do not really expect Finnik to hurt me, but I am still battered and bruised from everything that has transpired over the last few weeks.

Eli is behind me in the blink of an eye, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me back against him. A low snarl sounds from above me as he bares his teeth at Finnik in warning.

This quickly brings Finnik to a stop as he looks between my reaction and Eli’s overprotective arm. His expression smooths out, and a grin pulls at his lips. Only… I swear I saw a flash of pain in his eyes. Did my reaction offend him?

He crosses his arms over his chest, doing a very good impression of looking unimpressed. “You seem very keen to get away from me.”

Frowning in confusion, I tilt my head to one side as I rack my mind for what he could be talking about. Is this strange behaviour linked to his pointed comment?

“What do you mean? I’m not trying to get away from you.” Is that what this is about? He thinks that I don’t want to be here with him? I ache at the very thought of us being parted, that strange pull in my chest begging me to step forward and reassure him. I do not have the energy, though, so I stay where I am, wrapped in Eli’s arms.

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