Page 11 of Chains of Love

"See?" Lirien points ahead. "Told you we were close to the edge."

I nod, relief washing over me. But something else nags at me – something I'm not ready to examine too closely. The way she looked in that moment of power, wild and free and absolutely radiant...

I shake my head.Focus. The sooner we're out of here, the better.

"Where to now?" I ask, keeping my voice neutral despite the growing unease in my gut.

Lirien brushes a strand of silver hair from her face. "The port of Kestral. We'll need to book passage on a ship."

"A ship?" My steps falter. "How the hell am I supposed to get back home if we're sailing across the ocean?"

The words taste bitter on my tongue. Home. The battlefield I was torn from feels distant now, like a half-remembered dream. The bond tugs at something inside me, making my chest tight.

"That's the point," she says, picking her way through a tangle of roots. "We need to remove this bond if you want to get back to wherever it is you're from."

I grunt, following her lead while trying not to notice how her fitted leather pants hug her curves. Without her usual flowing robes, I can see the lean muscle in her arms, the graceful line of her neck. A silver chain glints at her throat, disappearing beneath a close-fitting vest that accentuates her... I drag my eyes away.

"See something you like?" She throws the words over her shoulder, a knowing smile playing at her lips.

"Just wondering where you learned to dress like a mercenary instead of a witch."

She laughs, the sound echoing through the trees. "You think we all wear black robes and point hats? Sometimes it's better to blend in." She gestures at her outfit. "Besides, try climbing mountains in skirts."

I can't argue with that logic, but I wish she'd put the damn robes back on. It's harder to remember she's my annoying little enemy when she looks like... this. The bond pulses between us, warm and insistent, making everything more complicated than it should be.

"The port's about three days' walk," she says. "Try to keep your eyes on the path instead of my ass."

I scowl at her back. "In your dreams, demon."

But I don't deny it.

I reach out, letting the tall grass brush against my fingertips as we walk. The sensation grounds me, but my mind keeps drifting back to that moment – Lirien's magic spiraling out of control, her eyes blazing with raw power.

"Has that ever happened before?" The question slips out before I can stop it.

She slows her pace, shoulders tensing. A long breath escapes her. "Yes."

"Why?"

Her fingers play with the silver chain at her neck. "It's... complicated. When my emotions get tangled up with someone, my magic becomes unpredictable. Like it has a mind of its own."

"The bond, you mean." The words taste bitter on my tongue. Of course – the magical tether binding us together must be affecting her control.

She keeps walking, but I catch the slight shake of her head, the way her lips press together before answering. "Sure."

Something in her tone makes me wonder if there's more she isn't saying, but the bond between us has become stubbornly quiet. I watch her back as she picks up her pace, noting how her shoulders remain rigid.

My fingers trace the healed skin on my arm, remembering the warmth of her magic seeping into my flesh. The memory of her words echoes in my mind – how she could use my strength to stabilize her powers, but won't. Something about consequences she refuses to face.

With that thought, the bond gives a little tug between us. I watch her walking ahead, her silver hair catching the filtered sunlight. Raw power radiates from her in waves, untamed and dangerous. Like a weapon without a proper wielder.

My jaw clenches. The irony of our situation isn't lost on me. She possessed enough strength to tear me from battle, to bind me to her will, yet she can't – or won't – harness that same power to fix what she's done. The forest around us holds countless dangers, and her lack of control could get us both killed before we reach this mysterious coven.

The solution seems simple: let her draw on my strength. But nothing about this situation is simple. The bond already feels like a living thing, growing stronger with each passing day. Ifwe deepen it further, what then? Will this coven even be able to break something that powerful?

Centuries of battle have taught me to recognize weakness – it gets you killed. But this... this is different. This isn't physical weakness. She has power in abundance. It's her ignorance that makes her dangerous. Like giving a master's blade to an untrained recruit.

The scar on her cheek catches my eye – the mark I left when we first met. It's been mere days but it feels like weeks.Probably because she's so annoying, I tell myself, ignoring any other possibility.

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