Page 244 of Primal Bonds

Fane jerked her around to face him. “Jani?”

She gulped. Inside, the cat lashed its tail in agitation. She dug her nails into her palms and ruthlessly forced it down.

Fane reached for her through the bond, but she slammed her heart closed to him.

He uses mates against each other.

“You and me?” She shook her head. “It would never work. No, I think I’ll strike my own bargain with the king.”

Fane’s mouth twisted. He looked from her to the king and released her. “I see.”

No, you don’t.

But she didn’t say it. Instead, she raised her chin. “It’s what I want.”

Sindre turned a slow, I've-got-you-now smile on Marjani. The falling snow glittered on his hair and shoulders like magic dust. “A competition, you said?”

“Yes.” And suddenly, she knew exactly what to do, her Gift settling on the perfect strategy. “A test of my skill against yours.”

“Explain.”

“Me against your maze. If I find my way through the maze and escape the castle, I go free—forever. No tricks, no loopholes. And you give me a half-dozen of those diamonds you showed me the other day.” Even six diamonds would go a long way toward getting the clan back on its feet.

“If you escape the castle,” Sindre repeated.

He didn’t think she could do it. It was clear he controlled that odd maze, but what he didn’t know was that she could use her quartz as a GPS. Of course, she’d still have to make it through a portal. She’d just have to hope that her plan to escape as her cat worked.

“Yes,” she said.

“Very well. But I have a condition, too. You will only have until dawn tomorrow.”

Her palms were sweating. When she’d come up with her plan of escape, she hadn’t expected to do it under the king’s very eyes. She rubbed her palms on her skirt and opened her mouth to agree, but Fane interrupted her.

“What if I offer my Gift for her freedom?”

Sindre didn’t even look at him, just flicked his fingers. Fane jerked and grabbed his chest. He doubled over, his breath juddering in and out.

This time, the ice didn’t start at his feet. Sindre had gone straight for his heart.

Arne swung to face Roald. “Stop him, damn it.”

The burly redhead set his jaw. “The boy has chosen his path.”

Arne cursed and turned to Sindre. “My lord, please.”

Fane gave a strangled moan.

Arne continued pleading with Sindre, but she didn’t hear them. Something dark and red filled her head. Fane was dying. She felt the clench in her heart.

Mate.

And just like that, something inside her broke open.

Fane was right, and so was the cougar. It was Marjani who was wrong. She and Fane were mates. They did this together, or they didn’t do it all.

In one smooth movement, she pulled her switchblade from her bra and launched herself at Sindre. Grabbing him by his long blond hair, she jerked back his head and pressed the tip to his carotid.

“Stop it—now. Or you’re dead.”

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