Page 54 of Chains of Love

ONE YEAR LATER

Ipace the stone floor, my boots scuffing against the worn surface as anxiety churns in my gut. The bond throbs with a dull ache, stretching thin across the distance between us. A month without Lirien feels like an eternity.

The emptiness in my chest where Lirien's presence usually radiates feels wrong. This past year has filled me with a completeness I never knew existed – like finding a piece of myself I hadn't realized was missing.

Watching her grow, and learn, and love has been the center of my world for the last year, and now it's been disrupted. I don't blame her for it. In fact, I understand more now than I ever did before. But the Day of Valentia is only minutes away and she's still not here, not home, safe in our arms.

While our bond has strengthened over time, my connection to Sethrys and Kaelor is different. Still strong, but intuitive rather than passionate. It's as though we come together to sense what Lirien needs most. A team. Her protectors.

"She should be back by now," I growl, running my fingers through my hair for the hundredth time. My boots wear a path in the stone floor. "She's been gone longer than she was with me."

The anxiety churning in my gut spreads outward, but a wave of tranquility washes over me. Seth's scaled hand lands on my shoulder, his touch cool against my feverish skin.

"Our little human knows what she's doing," Seth says, his forked tongue flicking between words. "The bond tells us she's safe."

"The bond tells us she's alive," I snap, shrugging off his touch. "What if someone took her? What if she's hurt and we can't reach her? What if the one Valentia chose for her?—"

A rumbling laugh cuts through my spiral of fears. Kaelor emerges from the kitchen, chunks of raw meat caught in his silver-streaked fur. "You worry even more than I did. Very funny."

I roll my eyes, ready to defend my concerns, but Seth steps between us, his emerald scales catching the lamplight.

"If anything had happened, the bond would have shattered us all," Seth says, his forked tongue flickering. "You know this, Darak. You've felt how it works."

"That doesn't mean—" The words die in my throat as warmth spreads beneath my skin, a familiar tingling sensation that makes my heart race. The bond hums through my blood like a forgotten melody suddenly remembered.

Kaelor's massive form straightens, his ears swiveling forward as his amber eyes brighten. Even Seth's constant movement stills, his tail freezing mid-sweep across the stone floor.

A grin splits Kaelor's wolf-like features, exposing sharp teeth as he bounces on his haunches. "She's here." His voice carries all the excitement of a child receiving a gift, his claws clicking against the floor as he shifts his weight.

The bond is stronger now, and I know he's right. After a month of emptiness, Lirien's presence fills the void in my chest. My fingers itch to touch her, to verify she's real and whole andsafe. The warrior in me wants to check for injuries while the bound part of me just wants to hold her close and never let go.

My heart hammers against my ribs as footsteps echo down the corridor. Through our bond, I sense Lirien's presence growing stronger with each step, but there's something else – someone else – with her. The air crackles with unfamiliar magic.

The questions burning in my mind threaten to overwhelm me: Who has Valentia chosen? Will he accept the bond? Will he hurt her when he learns the truth?

The chamber door creaks open, and Lirien steps through with a tall, willowy man at her side. His blonde hair falls past his chin in perfect waves, his features delicate yet masculine. Despite his obvious beauty, there's something unsettling in his ice-blue eyes – a knowing look that seems out of place for someone who should be confused by this situation.

"Darak!" Lirien's voice rings out across the chamber, her face lighting up as she breaks into a run. Her silver hair streams behind her, those green eyes I've missed so much glowing with joy.

I catch her as she launches herself at me, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her close. The familiar scent of herbs and magic fills my senses as I bury my face in her hair. Her body fits against mine perfectly, like she was made to be there. Or perhaps that I was made to hold her.

"I missed you," she whispers against my neck, her fingers digging into my shoulders.

I watch as Seth slithers closer, his emerald scales catching the lamplight. "You're cutting it close, pet," he scolds, though his lips curl into an affectionate smile. His forked tongue flicks out between words, a habit I've grown oddly fond of over our time together.

Lirien laughs, the sound like wind chimes in a summer breeze, and pulls away from my embrace. She throws her armsaround Seth's torso, her small frame dwarfed by his serpentine form. "I missed you all so much." Her voice cracks with emotion as Seth's tail curls protectively around her.

Kaelor crowds in next, his massive furry form engulfing both of them. The bond between us all pulses with warmth and contentment, like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. I feel it in my chest, a golden thread connecting us all to Lirien, humming with renewed strength now that we're together again.

"My boys," she muses in a sigh of satisfaction.

When she finally extracts herself from their embrace, she moves back to the stranger's side. My jaw tightens involuntarily as she places her hand on his arm. The bond twists with something that feels like jealousy – from all three of us.

"This is Alaric," she says, her green eyes bright with an emotion I can't quite read.

Kaelor's massive form tenses beside me, his nostrils flaring as he scents the air. The silver streaks in his dark fur catch the lamplight as he circles Alaric, studying him with predatory focus.

"Vrakken," Kaelor growls, his amber eyes narrowing. "A blood-drinker."

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