Page 7 of Chains of Love

"And you?"

"My mother was Purna. We lived in the mountains of Prazh, in a coven." She traces patterns in the dirt with a stick. "Only women can channel the magic. Nature's way of evening the scales, I suppose."

"Evening the scales?"

"Look around you, Darak. What do you see in the towns we pass? Women cowering from drunk husbands. Girls sold off like cattle." Her voice hardens. "At least Purna have power. Real power. No man can force us to be less than what we are."

The bitterness in her tone stirs something in me – recognition, maybe. Or understanding. The fire crackles between us, and I find myself wanting to hear more.

"And is that how you use your power?" I ask, watching the shadows dance across her face. "To balance the scales?"

Lirien's fingers still their tracing in the dirt. "I try. Though perhaps not as much as I should." Her eyes meet mine, that unsettling green catching the firelight. "What about you, Darak? What do you do to balance the scales?"

The question hits like a blade between ribs. My jaw tightens as memories surface—villages burning, children crying, the endless march of war. I cross my arms and lean back against the broken pillar, the rough stone digging into my shoulder blades.

"Hmph."

The shadow-feline stretches and yawns, showing needle-sharp teeth. Lirien reaches beneath her robes, the fabric rustling as she pulls out a worn leather satchel. The smell hits me before Isee it—bread. She unwraps it from its cheesecloth binding, tears off a generous piece, and extends it toward me.

The simple gesture somehow makes the bond between us pulse with... something. Not the earlier warmth, but an echo of it. An offering that goes beyond mere sustenance.

I turn my head away from the offered bread, my pride burning hotter than the campfire. The gesture feels too intimate, too much like acceptance of this whole cursed situation.

The bread hits my chest and tumbles into my lap.

"You're impossible," Lirien says, running her fingers through her silver hair. "Where exactly were you before I summoned you that made you such an insufferable ass?"

My fingers curl into fists. "I was in the middle of a battle. My men needed me, and now they're probably dead because of your ignorant meddling."

The firelight catches the fresh scar on her cheek – the one I gave her – as her expression hardens. "I already apologized for that. What more do you want from me?"

The genuine hurt in her voice sends an unwelcome pang through my chest. Guilt. Damn this bond making me feel things I don't want to feel. I pick up the bread, tearing off a chunk with more force than necessary. The crust is still warm, probably spelled to stay fresh.

"What I want," I say between bites, "is to understand how someone with so much power can't even defend herself properly. What good is all that magic if you can't use it when it matters?"

The shadow-feline's ears flatten against its head, picking up on the rising tension. The bond between us pulses with something sharp and defensive – Lirien's anger, no doubt.

"It's not my fault I'm not an arrogant warrior," she shoots back. "I've been on my own, no one taught me to use my powers. No one trained me to fight."

I rise to my feet, brushing bread crumbs from my leather armor. "Then we fix that. Now."

"What?" Lirien's eyes widen.

I reach down, pulling the slim dagger from my boot. The firelight catches its edge as I flip it, offering her the hilt. "First lesson – never hesitate."

She takes it, her fingers brushing mine. The bond sparks between us, and I step back quickly.

"Spread your feet wider. Like this." I demonstrate the stance. "Your center of gravity needs to be lower."

Lirien mimics my position, but her robes tangle around her legs. She huffs in frustration, hitching them up to her knees. The flash of creamy skin makes my throat tight.

"Here." I move behind her, adjusting her shoulders. Her silver hair tickles my chin, carrying the scent of herbs and something wild. "Keep your arm close to your body when you block. Like this."

I guide her arm through the motion, my chest pressed against her back. The bond hums with awareness, making my skin prickle.

"Now pivot." My hands settle on her hips, turning her. "Use your attacker's momentum against them."

"Like this?" She spins, the dagger flashing up. I catch her wrist just before the blade reaches my throat.

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