Page 155 of Unbound

"It felt a lot more like they were hunting him. Not me. Didn't you see how that void lion made no attempt to kill me when I tried to save Raith? It was only blocking my path."

"I would rather they are trying to kill you. The possibility of siphons not wanting to hurt you is… troubling."

"You're cute when you're this small, you know. I feel like you should be perching on my shoulder."

"Don't get accustomed to it.”

Raith is still holding his arm around me, waiting patiently for me to find my balance as I mentally chat with Typhon.

I wonder if he feels anything from me through the tether. Can he sense how my heart races when he's close, how my skin heats where he touches me? How the thought of him dying had driven me to create the tether in the first place?

If he does, he gives no sign of it as he guides me toward the door. His face is composed, neutral, though his hand at my waist is gentle. Even if part of me wishes he’d let that hand slide lower, to touch me the way I know he wants to. The way I want him to.

His hand inches slightly lower, almost as if triggered by my thought. I look up sharply at him and see confusion and… something else in his eyes.

A sharp knock interrupts the moment. Raith tenses, moving slightly in front of me as he calls, "Enter."

The door opens to reveal Bastian, immaculate as always in his black legacy uniform with silver and gold trim. His pale eyes widen slightly at the sight of me on my feet.

"Thorne," he says with a polite nod. "I'm glad to see you're recovering. The password is fish slap,” Bastian says smoothly.

Raith nods. "As you can see, we're both fine. You can report back to your… people that there's no need for concern."

Bastian's gaze shifts to Raith.

"The Rector specifically requested to see Thorne once she was able. To discuss the incident."

I feel Raith stiffen beside me. "She's not ready yet."

"She's on her feet," Bastian says, gesturing to me. I see the way his eyes linger on my oversized clothing. I wonder if he's assuming I'm wearing Raith's clothes because we slept together and not for more innocent reasons.

"And she still needs time. I'm not sending her to get interrogated by the Rector. Tell him to fuck off until she tells him she's up for it."

Bastian's expression doesn't show the slightest reaction. He's just silent for a few seconds, then nods. "I'll say she's still in bed. Make sure you're not seen when you go wherever it is you two are going."

"Thank you, Bastian,” I say.

Raith's grip tightens on my waist slightly, pulling me into his side protectively. Possessively. "Anything else?"

"Thorne's friends asked me to tell you they'll be back this evening. They apparently had some matters to attend to in preparation for the Crucible."

"Okay, thanks," I say.

Bastian hesitates. "There's something I should tell you before the Crucible… something I'd rather not say in front of Hollow."

"Fuck you," Raith growls.

"It's okay. If you can trust me with it, you can trust Raith."

Bastian looks between us, his white eyes seeming to see far more than simple appearances. His nod is curt. "Very well. The legacies have been instructed to stay out of the fight between aspirants during the Crucible. I wanted you to know you can't expect help from me. Our orders are very strict. We’ll be standing guard of the objective, forbidden to stray far."

"Orders from whom?" Raith asks.

"Somebody wants things to play out as they're going to play out this year. They don't want us stepping in and putting a stop to the bloodshed."

"Like you would have." Raith's tone is laced with cynicism.

"Actually, we already had plans to do exactly that," Bastian says. "Despite what you all think about legacies, we have no interest in seeing potential primals slaughter one another. We may be getting groomed for command, but positions of leadership are rather pointless without anyone to lead. No?"

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