Page 229 of The Tribrid Princess and the Taste of Chaos
Slowly, I turn away and leave the graveyard. Tilting my head, I gaze up at the sky for a moment. The Blood Moon peeks out from behind the clouds, beautiful and powerful, but at the same time a stark reminder of what tonight is.
The night I will pay for my carelessness.
My wolf is restless, as if wanting to be let out. Halfway to the place Helios had shown me in my dream last night, I stop and remove my Schattensicht, just in case. I drop it on the ground, remembering Uncle Leo. Oh, he’d be so pissed at me, too, and Grandpa Al. I shudder. Maybe it’s good I’m not coming back. Everyone would just be so pissed at me.
Imagine if Jayce isn’t upset but angrier? A shiver runs down my spine at the thought; Jayce can be scary. I’ve just been treated so well by him that I’ve forgotten that.
The location is a five-minute walk from the mansion, on the outskirts of Black Storm Territory. I blend in, passing quite close to some of the guards without them realising. The darkness conceals me somewhat. I’ve noticed it’s happened at the Academy, too, at night.
That was something else I wish I had the chance to show Jayce. He helped me in so many ways, and here I am, betraying him. I pass through the trees, jumping down the rocky terrain, the sound of the river nearby making me keep going, and thenwhen I recognise the rocks from the vision, I pause.
This is it.
Walking over to the location, I recall what I saw in my dream and begin moving the rocks. After a couple of minutes of digging out the rocks, I use a spell to help move this along faster. After another ten minutes, I finally pull away a large block of earth, and there, as clear as the sun shines, is the ripple in the fabric of the veil.
An entrance to the Realm of the Gods… this one is so close to home.
My heart hammers as I look up at the moon.
“You will do as you promised, right? You’ll return him?” I whisper into the night, knowing Helios is watching. My neck stings as it heats up. My heart pounds as I stretch my hand to the ripple.
“Sienna!”
My eyes fly open as I hear Jayce’s voice. My heart thumps erratically as I quickly look around. How do I hide this before he realises what I’m doing? What is he even doing here?!
I step away from the tear just as he comes into view. His hair is unruly, his eyes blazing brilliant blue as he looks at me. His eyes rake over me as if checking to see if I’m ok, but it’s the intense current of electric energy that tugs taut between us that dizzies me.
The bond… I feel it snap into place, stealing away my breath. It’s as if lightning cracks through my soul, opening something to his. His scent hits me with beautiful, intense force, intoxicating and ten times stronger than before. Dark cedarwood, storm-kissed leather, and dark spice that is sinfully alluring. It coils around me, pulling my wolf forward with a purr of hunger andapproval. Every nerve in my body is sizzling.
No. This wasn’t meant to happen. This will only make it harder for him and for me!
Our eyes lock, mine a brilliant red holding suppressed tears, his dazzling blue burning with fire.
My lips tremble as I try to focus on what I’m going to have to do. I did consider this scenario, and I wish it hadn’t come to be, but one thing strikes me.
“Why aren’t you shocked?” I ask in a hoarse whisper, barely holding myself together. Every part of me is screaming to run into his arms, to bury myself in the safety of his embrace and let him fix it.
He steps closer, only making my knees weaker. The shadows cast half of his face into darkness. “Because I already knew,” he murmurs softly, a glimmer of guilt in his eyes. “I’ve known for a long time. But I chose you even before the bond told me to.”
My breath catches. He knew we were mates? “You didn’t tell me…”
He tilts his head. The clouds part, allowing the moonlight to catch his black hair.
Gods, he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.
“You don’t look surprised either,” he remarks softly, eyes tracing every flicker of emotion on my face. I nod and look away, ashamed.
“Then let’s call it even,” he says, voice roughened by emotion. He’s close now. So close. My heart stutters.
If I don’t leave now… I don’t know if I’ll have the strength.
“Whatever you’re planning,” he breathes, cupping my face, “Don’t. I’m here.”
The touch is like a jolt of pleasure, the sensation spreading like wildfire across my skin. My eyes flutter shut, and my body betrays me as I lean into him.
“You shouldn’t be here, Jayce.” My voice cracks.
“This is exactly where I should be,” he answers quietly. “It’s Helios, isn’t it? All of this is because you’re my mate. The mate of the Deimos King.”
