Page 35 of Bound in Blood

Chapter

Fourteen

OPHELIA

Iclear my mind and focus on Anikêtos.

His snort of derision soon fills my head.What is it now, annoying human child?

I can’t help but smile at his grumpiness. If he found me that annoying, he simply wouldn’t speak to me.Actually, I’m an elementai,I remind him.

I think you will find that you are still a human. Perhaps an enhanced version of the species, but human all the same.

I hope I haven’t interrupted your mating bond this time.

If you had, I would return to the mortal realm simply to burn you to ash. Now, what is it?

I need your help.

I gathered as much when you invaded my thoughts on this otherwise peaceful day. What do you need my help with?

Do you have any idea where Giorgios or maybe even the Order might be keeping Alexandros?Perhaps Giorgios was lying and the Order truly does have him.

The Order will not be keeping him anywhere. They are prohibited from interfering.

Okay. Giorgios, then. Wherever he is, I can’t reach him. Which is strange, right? I can speak to you in the netherworld, but I can’t speak to him wherever he is.

There are places within the mortal realm where a bond cannot be felt. Nor a mind be read.

I chew on my lip.Of course. Like Thucydides Library?

He simply snorts.

It’s a library carved into the bedrock of Montridge Peak.

I have no desire to learn of its existence, Ophelia.

I roll my eyes. Dragons are so grumpy.I’m just explaining what it is. Do you know of other places like that?

He doesn’t reply for a moment, and I’m worried he’s decided to end our conversation prematurely, but then he speaks again.In order to suppress someone with Alexandros’s power for a sustained period of time, it would have to be a place with a vast amount of magical energy.

That makes sense. But like where?

They are often underground caves or chambers, much like the library you spoke of. Which is why the Order makes their home in the base of a sacred mountain in Greece.

So he could be there?

If I am going to acquiesce to these lessons you are forcing upon me, Ophelia, then I insist you pay attention.His ire is quite apparent, and I am sufficiently chastised.

The Order doesn’t interfere. I’m sorry, Anikêtos.I take a second before asking my next question.Are you aware of any other places with that kind of power?

There are but a few places imbibed with such powerful magic. The slate mountains of Wales, the silver mines of Peru, the Ethiopian Highlands, the Qilian Mountains of China. All have mountains connected to ancient dragon magic and would therefore be strong enough to hold him.

They all sound so far away. The thought of him alone anywhere without us is hard enough. Are they hurting him to keep him compliant? Is he wondering why we haven’t come for him?

If that is all.

No!I wince, but he can’t disconnect yet, so I hurry to continue before he can chastise me for my tone.I have one more thing to ask of you, Ani.I swallow hard. This one’s a doozy, and I have no idea how he’ll respond. I guess the worst thing he can do is say no. But if he does, I have no idea what my next plan will be. I am all out of options. I’ve tried reading Giorgios’s mind dozens of times, but it’s like he’s got a wall of granite up inside there. And if Enora’s suspicions about him completing the ritual to permanently sever our bond are correct, we have two more days, three if we’re lucky.

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