Page 28 of Bound By the Wraith: Northern Realms

Honk shook their head. “Cannot do that. Not right.”

Cali sighed. “Fine. I am a bit concerned.”

“About what?” Honk asked.

“The day of freedom. I don’t want to go.”

Honk’s little mouth pursed together. “I don’t want you to go either, mistress. Tis not safe.”

“What’s not safe?” Cillian asked, walking toward them.

Honk looked away and continued trimming the topiary as Cillian came over and kissed her on the top of her head, before sitting next to her. He was dressed head to toe in black leather, certain pieces studded with sharp silver metal rivets, and she couldn’t help but wonder where he’d been. When he left that morning, he once again stated “wraith business.”

Although, she wasn’t complaining about the look. She quite liked the way the leather molded to his body like a glove.

“I was telling Honk that I’m not sure about this day of freedom. I don’t really want to go,” Cali said, taking Cillian’s hand in hers.

“I do understand,” he replied gently. “You must, though. We cannot break the stipulations of the contract. It’s binding and I won’t have the contract put in jeopardy for anything.”

“What do I even do when I’m there? My adoptive parents weren’t exactly great and they’re dead. Simon probably would have me committed again if I showed up. There’s really nothing left of my life, because I’m pretty sure that whatever I owned, Simon has sold off.”

Cillian squeezed her hand, his eyes flashing briefly at the mention of Simon. “If I ever…”

“No. You won’t do anything to him. No revenge killing.”

Cillian growled. “Fine.”

“And no random accidents or killing that way. You leave Simon alone.”

Cillian frowned and nodded. “Agreed. You caught me on that technicality.”

“Apparently, I’ve known you many lifetimes now and I know how you think.” She smiled and then touched his face. “I’ll go, but I don’t know what I’ll do there.”

What she didn’t want to tell him was that she had this dread gnawing in the pit of her stomach. This sense of foreboding that was overcoming her that she just couldn’t shake.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Cillian whispered. “It will be okay. You have more protection now.”

“How so?”

“Well, you gave your virginity to a wraith and in this realm. There were times you weren’t always so innocent when we were together, and it was never in this realm. There is some magicthat flows through you and that can never be taken away. Not even by the breaking of the contract. Does that ease your worry?”

“Yes.” It was a lie, because she still couldn’t shake that sense of foreboding.

All she needed right now was to be with Cillian, before she had to step off into the unknown tomorrow.

“What would you like to do now, pet?”

“I would like to spend my last day with you, before I have to leave tomorrow.”

“You say that with such finality,” Cillian teased gently.

“It’s not finality, it’s just I want to be with you. Only you.” She leaned over and kissed him.

He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. “I think we can arrange something.”

She stood and he scooped her up in his arms, where she was able to wrap her arms around his neck. Her body thrummed with anticipation, because if she only had this one last night with him, she was going to make sure that he knew how much she loved him.

How much she had always loved him.

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