Page 87 of Ties of Starlight

Maybe she'd be saving him if she disappeared after the ceremony anyway. But if he knew, he'd react the same way he had when she first suggested it.

He was convinced he’d fallen in love with her after marrying her. But that was only because he couldn’t stand the thought she was still someone else’s in her soul even if not in marriage. How could that be real love? He was deluding himself into believing that because he thought it was the only way to keep her from running off and was conflating his possessiveness with care. If he loved her, it was only because she’d saved his life, but soon enough his gratitude would wear off.

He thought he wanted her. It wouldn’t last. If it never did with her soulmate, how could it with another man?

Idonea couldn't return to the tent. So she didn't.

She couldn’t go back until she stopped seeing the phantom traces of her previous crimes. If she was going to be around Nyrunn, she had to stabilize and ensure she was even safe to be around. If that was even possible.

She sat by the fire until it sputtered out and ignored the guards who eyed her, whispering to each other if they should do something about her sitting there.

They didn't.

The night had almost ended and soon enough dawn would come when finally someone else appeared.

But it wasn't Nyrunn.

Frode sat next to her and stared at the dead embers. “So he told you?”

Idonea's heart hit the ground. Frode knew Nyrunn had been trying to break the cycle? Nyrunn had told him about her past lives?

She never should have trusted him.

“Don't be too mad at him. He was afraid to tell youbecause he knew you'd get upset, but would you rather he have not told you?”

Idonea stayed silent.

“Give him a little grace, would you? Even if you went after him now, what really is there to do but arrest him? And with the comet so close, there's not much time for diversions for cowards.”

Idonea looked up and said, “What are you talking about?”

Frode's eyes went so wide, she half expected them to fall out of his skull as his face turned ashen. “What are you talking about?”

“Arrest him” “Coward”

“You’ve found Olaug,” Idonea whispered.

Frode shook his head. “N—No? No. We absolutely do not have his location, and it's definitely not near here. How ridiculous would that be?”

But Idonea was shooting off the log and tearing toward her tent.

Frode muttered behind her, “I better start getting my noose measured.”

Idonea flung open the tent flap and stormed in, Nyrunn shooting up from where he'd been asleep in the chair, facing the exit.

Waiting for her to come back.

“Idonea, please, I'm so sorry.” His eyes lit up at the sight of her as he reached out for her. The bond was swelling on his side, him purposefully trying to use his emotions to convince her of his words. “I shouldn't have said that, but I need you to know how much I—”

“Where is he?” Idonea cut him off, holding her hand out between them to stop him from coming any closer.

Nyrunn froze and the remorse trying to swallow herfrom the other side of the bond ebbed as he blinked. “Who?”

“Olaug. I know you know where he is, and you didn't tell me.”

Maybe Idonea was getting better at reading full-blooded elves' expressions. The panic all over her husband was unmistakable.

Or maybe it was because it started to hit their bond before he frantically buried it, but it was too late. He opened his mouth, but she stopped him before he could start.

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