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“I don’t have time to examine these remains to figure out how to,” Rozalia said, tilting the bottle. “But even if I did, I cannot use it to help you force her back here or correct whatever she did with the bond she doesn’t want.”

Kardos clenched his fists and glared at her, unable to believe what he was hearing. “You are within your rights to disagree and refuse my orders on those grounds, Rozalia—she is indeed your chieftess too. But by refusing my instruction and being unwilling to help in any way, you are choosing to keep us apart. And that I cannot abide. Shaya cannot decide she doesn’t want the bond—it was her decision to create it in the first place and regardless of what has happened. She has no right to interfere with it.”

“She was desperate,” Rozalia said evenly. “She left because you showed her no care. I tried to explain to her that it wasn’t true, but she almost died, Kardos.”

“She would never have died!”

“I know that you truly believe that, but she—”

“Enough, Rozalia!” Kardos bellowed. “If you will not help, then after these blizzards pass you will be expelled from this tribe. I will not justify my actions to a potionist who will not do as instructed.”

“I have done everything you have ever asked,” Rozalia hissed, anger flaring in her eyes even as her chin trembled.

“And yet now, when it is about returning Shaya to me for the betterment of our bond, you refuse! When she is theonly thingthat matters!”

Rozalia glared him, her breath heavy. “Even more than the seat?”

Kardos’ jaw clenched. “The seat matters because of our people. It doesn’t compare to Shaya. I already told you we are true mates, so refusing to help me is a betrayal to us both.”

The hardness is Rozalia’s eyes slowly faded as she exhaled. She looked again at the bottle. “I don’t have time to examine this properly to try to reverse it,” she muttered. “I don’t even think I could. No one I know would even attempt something like this, let alone do it successfully.” A small smile appeared on her face as she stared at the bottle. “She is an extremely powerful potionist.”

“A potionist who would be happier here.”

With a sigh, Rozalia uncorked the bottle and sniffed it, and then held up the bottle to the light to peer at the dregs. “I think can use elements of existing potions I have to reconnect you in some way, maybe in short bursts. It won’t restore the bond, but it might help you find her.”

“Reconnect us how?”

“Your bond and the potion is unique to you both. I might be able to create a potion that acts as some kind of bridge between you, but with the blizzards coming—”

“Do it,” Kardos ordered, turning on his heel to leave the room. “I want it as soon as possible.”

“Kardos.” The strangled sound in Rozalia’s voice made him stop. “There is only so much anyone can do. Shaya’s decision to return rests solely on you, just like her decision to leave. If she is really your true mate, you shouldn’t need potions at all. You should be able to return her with just you—nothing else.”

Kardos shot her a dark look before heading out of the room, a strange feeling twisting in his chest as his anger fled. He tried to shake it off as he climbed the stairs to his bedroom, but as he approached his empty bed, the feeling expanded.

Rozalia had been a member of Tribe Nyek since she was born and had the same ambitions he did… to be the best. It wasn’t as though he didn’t admire her for her skill and knowledge in almost all areas, though she probably didn’t realize he did. She may not consider him a friend, but she was the only person he had ever discussed certain things with, and was the one person who had given him guidance as he developed into the tribe leader and shinno he’d wanted to be. She had rarely been wrong, and yet he couldn’t believe what she said about Shaya wanting to leave him. There had to be something more to the reasons why she did things she’d done.

Kardos came to stop by his bed, staring at it, his entire body tense. Shaya should be lying before him right now, the blankets tangled in her arms and legs as she turned to look at him with beautiful sleepy eyes. She should be sighing into his neck as he pulled her into his arms and melting under the force of his kiss as he held her.

He shouldn’t be deprived of her, just like she shouldn’t be without him. When he was free to go after her, it would be with the all the force he could manage.

He grabbed the pillow she always favored and pressed it to his nose, breathing in the beautiful fading scent of his little bird.

And everything within him ached.

CHAPTER TWO

SHAYA

Everything inside Shaya was slowly turning grey.

She didn’t notice it at first. It was just a spark of oddness within the multitude of emotions that bounded through her as Kyus led her through a busy market in the strange land the portal had taken them to, her arm around Shaya’s shoulders as though afraid she would disappear. The noise and color of their surroundings distracted and startled her, causing her to cling closer to her sister, but within the space of a few more moments, they were stepping through another portal and into the living room of their home in the Western Lands.

The powerful relief that overwhelmed Shaya was so strong, she could barely stand, and prickly tears blurred her vision as she took in the familiar surroundings where she spent most of her life.

Kyus hugged her tightly and looked over her carefully before releasing her. “We have so much to talk about, but we can’t stay here,” she said, briskly. “He will find us. You need to pack your things and be ready to leave within the hour. Meet me back here.”

Shaya nodded and headed to her bedroom.

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