Page 33 of Bound in Flames

I clenched my fists, grounding myself against the pull she had on me. She was a distraction I couldn’t afford, yet couldn’t resist. The fire’s light traced her delicate features, accentuating the quiet strength in her stance. Her flame-red hair caught the flickering glow, forming a halo around her pale face. An ethereal contrast to the dark-clad orcs surrounding her. She stood apart yet rooted, fragile yet unyielding.Perfect.

The murmur of conversation faded like a dying ember, the anticipation thickening the air as Arna entered the hall. Her presence alone commanded respect, an unspoken authority that sent a ripple through my clan. Their backs straightened, and their eyes shifted warily. But it was Cleo who caught Arna’s attention almost instantly. Her gaze locked onto my mate with an intensity that made my muscles coil. It was as if she couldstrip away flesh and bone and see the raw magic pulsing beneath Cleo’s skin. Assessing. Measuring.Deciding.

“Chieftain, you have returned to us.” Arna’s soft voice echoed through the hall, silencing any remaining conversation.

“The mountain has sheltered us, Seer Arna. And we’ve returned with what we sought.”

But Arna’s focus didn’t waver from Cleo, her head tilting, eyes piercing in their intensity. “And so, the prophesied shaman stands among us. The one—” she paused, a knowing gleam in her gaze “—who is destined to bridge realms, to mend what has been broken.”

Tension radiated through me as Arna beckoned Cleo closer to the fire. Protective instincts warred with reason as I watched her step forward. My people shifted warily. I could feel their uncertainty like an itch under my skin, their fear of what she was. What she represented. And yet, there she stood, head high, refusing to shrink under their scrutiny. My mate was strong.

Cleo knelt before the fire, her fingers brushing the ground as if caressing the power beneath her in greeting. The earth responded, a subtle hum that only a few of us could feel through the soles of our boots. It welcomed her touch in a way that made my chest swell with something deeper than admiration. It was recognition.

The clan watched with the same wary curiosity, but I could see the shift in their expressions. She wasn’t just some outsider anymore; she had earned their respect in our travels. Mine included.

Arna’s voice lowered, her words weaving through the air like a spell. "The magic that flows through you is not of the human world. It is something older. You must embrace it, learn it, or it will consume you."

The firelight flickered across Cleo’s face, casting shifting shadows that danced over her delicate features. My fistsclenched, the sight of her absorbing every word with such raw vulnerability igniting something primal in me. I wanted to drag her away, shield her from the crushing weight of expectation that loomed over her like an unforgiving specter. But I knew better. She wouldn’t allow it. She’d meet my interference with that fiery defiance I had come to expect, and she’d curse me for doubting her strength. And damn me, but I was beginning to crave that fire as much as I feared for her.

When Cleo finally spoke, her voice was steady but laced with a raw edge of uncertainty. "I am trying to learn. I want control."

Something deep within me stirred at the quiet admission. I wanted to remind her of the power she had already wielded, the strength she had shown, but Arna was already leaning in.

"You will learn, shaman," the Seer said softly. "Because you must."

Cleo’s hand hovered over the flames, a flicker of green swirling in her palm before fading. I watched the way she steeled herself, jaw setting in that stubborn way I was beginning to know too well. There was an undeniable force within her, something I had never seen before. She was more than just a shaman; she was a true force of nature.

I moved in, the pull of her presence impossible to resist, sinking to my knees beside her at the hearth. The scent of her—earthy, rich, and laced with something uniquely Cleo—coiled around me, tightening my grip on reality. My hand sought the small of her back. She leaned into the touch without hesitation, and something in me swelled, possessive and fierce. Pride coursed through my veins, and I felt the edges of a rare, almost feral satisfaction curling in my chest.

“You’re not alone,” I murmured low enough for only her to hear. "I’m here."

Her gaze lifted to mine, and for a fleeting moment, something softened in her expression. An unspokenunderstanding that settled deep in my chest. Her nod was small but resolute, a silent promise, and in that instant, I knew with bone-deep certainty that letting her go was never an option.

"Chieftain, I see that you have found a mate." Arna’s eyes traced our touch with interest.

My eyes locked onto hers across the fire, and the mischief in their depths sent a slow, crawling irritation through me. Seer Arna, ever the watchful shadow at my side, wielded her influence with precision, though she seldom flexed it. Yet now, the barely concealed delight on her face told me she had foreseen this moment and reveled in the disruption it would bring. Despite our common goal, we stood on opposing sides of how to face the encroaching darkness. And my bond with Cleo would only add fuel to that fire, a complication.

"I have."

A ripple of disbelief coursed through my people. Cleo shifted beneath my hand, and I traced my thumb along her spine, a silent reassurance meant as much for myself as for her. Still, I held Arna's gaze, unwavering, sensing the challenge simmering behind her knowing eyes.

"The Gods have blessed you, Chieftain. You both have much to discuss and learn of each other."

The firelight flickered across the stone walls, casting elongated shadows that danced with the movement of the flames. I glanced at Cleo, the glow painting her features in hues of gold and crimson, and I felt the familiar pull that unsettled me more than any battle ever had. My warriors would follow me into the depths of hell without question, their loyalty unshakable—but Cleo? She was something else entirely. A tether to something deeper, something more vital than war and survival. She was the bridge between their fear and their hope, the embodiment of a prophecy that threatened to consume us all.

And I would stand between her and the world that would try to tear her apart. No enemy, no force—human or otherwise—would take what was mine. The prophecy was unfolding in ways I hadn’t anticipated, but my role in it had changed. It wasn’t just about the survival of my people, it was also about her.About us.The realization burned in my chest, dangerous and undeniable.

Chapter 18

Cleo

Acharged silence fell over the central hall, but the tension remained thick in the air. I sat by the hearth, my hands warming in front of the fire, still trying to process what had happened. The orcs watched me, a mix of curiosity and suspicion, though the Seer’s words had quelled any outright hostility.

The prophesied shaman.The title felt foreign and heavy. I didn’t know what it truly meant or why it had been bestowed upon me, but the weight of it pressed down on my chest. Seer Arna’s eyes hadn’t left mine, her gaze sharp and knowing. She could see more than what I showed; that much was clear.

Dex sat beside me, his presence grounding me as my thoughts raced. His hand gently brushed against my back, prompting me to speak. My gaze found his, seeking the quiet resolve I knew he’d offer, before looking back at Seer Arna.

"You said I’m the prophesied shaman," I began, my voice hesitant. "But I don’t understand why. Why me? What is this prophecy?"

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