Page 9 of Chains of Love

I circle Darak, my muscles screaming in protest. Sweat trickles down my spine, and my vision blurs at the edges. But I match his movements, keeping my stance low like he showed me.

"Your form's improving." He feints left. "But your shoulders are dropping."

"Shut up and fight me." My voice comes out raspy, my throat raw from heavy breathing.

My legs feel like lead weights, and each step sends tremors through my exhausted muscles. The morning sun beats down mercilessly, making my head swim. But I won't stop. Can't stop. Not when he's finally seeing me as something more than just the silly girl who trapped him.

"Enough." Darak's voice cuts through my concentration. "The bond – something's wrong."

"I'm fine." I lunge forward, ignoring how the world tilts sideways. A pressure builds in my chest, like a storm gathering strength.

"Lirien." His tone carries a warning. "Slow down."

"I said I'm fine!" The pressure intensifies, spreading through my limbs. My skin buzzes with electricity.

Through the bond, I sense his growing alarm. "Stop. Now."

But I push harder, channeling everything into my next strike. The tension in my chest coils tighter and tighter, until –

The magic explodes outward. A wave of raw power tears through the clearing, sending us both flying in opposite directions. Trees groan and bend. The air itself seems to ripple.

I slam into the ground, all the breath knocked from my lungs. The world spins violently, and darkness creeps into the edges of my vision.

Through the ringing in my ears, I hear Darak curse. "Damn it, demon!"

The world rights itself with nauseating slowness. My head pounds as I push up onto my elbows. Through blurred vision, I see Darak – and my stomach drops. A jagged branch protrudes through his forearm, dark blood staining his ash-gray skin.

"No, no, no..." Magic crackles across my skin, sparking like lightning. The earth trembles beneath me, and leaves whirl in a frenzied dance. I can't breathe. Can't think. The power builds and builds, a pressure cooker ready to explode.

"Lirien, stop!" Darak's voice cuts through the chaos.

"I can't!" The words tear from my throat. My hands shake as another wave of magic pulses outward, splintering a nearby tree trunk. "It won't stop!"

Through the maelstrom, I watch in horror as Darak grips the branch. With a grunt of pain, he yanks his arm free. Blood streams down his skin, dripping onto the forest floor. The bond screams with his pain, but he keeps moving, stalking toward me with measured steps.

"Lirien." His voice is steady, even as he clutches his mangled arm. "Calm down. It's okay."

"Stay back!" Another surge of power ripples through the clearing. "I hurt you. I – I never meant to..." The words catch in my throat as tears blur my vision. The magic burns through my veins like liquid fire, desperate for release.

Branches snap and crack around us. The very air vibrates with uncontrolled energy. I curl in on myself, trying to contain it, but it's like trying to hold back an ocean with my bare hands.

"Please," I whisper, my voice breaking. "I don't want to hurt you again."

I press myself against a tree, trying to contain the magic that threatens to tear me apart. But Darak – stupid, stubborn elf– steps closer, blood still dripping from his wounded arm.

"Stay back!" Another pulse of power cracks the ground between us. Leaves swirl in a violent dance around my feet.

He takes another step. "Not happening."

"Why won't you listen?" My voice breaks as tears streak down my cheeks. The magic burns through my veins, desperate for release. "I could kill you!"

"You won't." His good arm reaches out, and I try to scramble away, but my legs won't cooperate.

"How can you know that?" The words come out as a sob. Tree branches snap overhead, and the earth trembles beneath us.

"Because." He closes the distance between us, his crimson eyes locked on mine. Blood seeps from his wound, but he doesn't even flinch. "I know you didn't mean to. I can feel it through the bond."

His hand finds my waist, warm and steady against my skin. The touch sends electricity racing through me, but this time it's different – not the wild, destructive force of before, but something deeper, more controlled.

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