Chapter 13
Chapter 12
THE ROOM was dim, the only light coming from the faint glow of the bracelet on Elara’s wrist. She lay tangled in the sheets, her breathing still uneven as she pressed her cheek against Zar’Ryn’s broad chest. His skin against hers felt warm and slick with sweat, his arm draped possessively around her waist as if he could shield her even in sleep.
But Zar’Ryn wasn’t sleeping. His fingers traced slow, absent patterns along her spine, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as if searching for answers in the shadows. The bond between them pulsed faintly, asteady rhythm that matched the rise and fall of their breathing.
Elara tilted her head to look up at him, her hair spilling across his chest. “You’re quiet,” she said softly, her voice breaking the stillness.
“I am thinking,” he replied, his tone low andeven.
She smiled faintly, brushing her fingers across the bracelet on his wrist. “I figured that much. Care to share with the class?”
His lips curved slightly, ashadow of a smile that quickly faded. “I am thinking about us,” he admitted. “About everything that has changed. Everything that will keep changing.”
Her chest tightened at his words, but she didn’t let it show. Instead, she propped herself up on one elbow, her hair cascading over her shoulder as she looked down at him. “You mean the bond,” she said carefully.
“I mean you,” he corrected, his amethyst gaze locking onto hers. “And what it means to have you in my life. What it means to want you. To need you.”
Elara’s breath caught, the weight of his words pressing against her heart. “Is that so bad?” she asked softly.
“No,” he said immediately, his voice firm. “But it is… different. For centuries, Ihave known who I am. What I am. And now… everything feels uncertain. Except for one thing.”
She swallowed hard, her voice barely a whisper. “What’s that?”
“You,” he said simply, his hand sliding up to cradle her face. “No matter what happens, no matter where this bond leads us, you are the one thing I know is real.”
Her heart swelled at his words, the honesty and conviction in his voice stealing her breath. She leaned down, pressing her lips to his in a soft, lingering kiss. When she pulled back, her voice was steady despite the storm of emotions swirling insideher.
“Then let’s figure out the rest,” she said. “One step at a time.”
Zar’Ryn nodded, his thumb brushing against her cheek. “Affirmative,” he agreed.
The silence that followed felt warm, comfortable, but it didn’t last. Couldn’t last. Elara shifted, resting her chin on his chest as she broke the quiet.
“What about Selyr?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern. “He’s not going to stop coming after us. You know that, right?”
Zar’Ryn’s expression darkened, his gaze sharpening. “I know.”
She struggled to keep the cascade of fear from swamping him through their connection. “He’s dangerous, Zar’Ryn. Brilliant, obsessive, and completely unhinged. If he catches us—”
“He will not,” Zar’Ryn interrupted, his voice firm. “I will not let him.”
Elara sighed, her fingers absently tracing the edge of his bracelet. “We can’t just keep running, though. We need a plan.”
Zar’Ryn shifted, sweeping her onto her back and propping himself up on one elbow as he stared down at her. “We will not run forever,” he said, his tone resolute. “If Selyr pursues us, we will face him. Defeat him.”
“Face him how?” she pressed. “Defeat him how? He’s not like the Marauders. He’s not going to charge at us with a sword. He’s going to outthink us. Outmaneuver us. He’ll use the bond against us if he can.”
His jaw tightened, his gaze flicking to her bracelet before returning to her eyes. “Then we outthink him first. Whatever he wants, whatever he is trying to achieve with these bracelets, we take it away from him. We make sure he has nothing to use against us.”
Elara frowned, her mind racing. “That’s easier said than done. He’s a scientist, Zar’Ryn. Like Tor’Vek. He has resources, technology, people working for him. All we have is each other.”
“And Tor’Vek. That is all we need,” he said simply, his voice steady. “You are the cleverest mind I have encountered, Elara. And I have been alive a long time. If you and Tor’Vek join forces…”
She blinked at the unexpected compliment, her cheeks warming. “I—thank you,” she stammered, caught off guard. “But I’m not sure cleverness is enough to outsmart someone like Selyr.”
“It will be,” he said with quiet confidence. “Because you are not alone in this. You have me. And I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
His words sent a shiver down her spine, the bond pulsing faintly in response. She wanted to believe him—to believe they could outmaneuver Selyr and whatever forces he commanded. But doubt lingered, ashadow she couldn’t quite shake.
“What if we can’t stop him?” she asked quietly. “What if he—”
“We will stop him,” Zar’Ryn interrupted, his voice fierce. “I will not let him hurt you, Elara. Not now. Not ever. He managed it once. But never again.”
The certainty in his voice left no room for argument, and Elara found herself nodding, the weight of her fear easing slightly under the warmth of his conviction. If Zar’Ryn believed they could win, then maybe—just maybe—they could.
As she settled back against him, her head resting on his chest, she closed her eyes and let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat soothe her. The future was uncertain, the path ahead fraught with danger, but for now, in this moment, she feltsafe.
The weight of their conversation lingered between them, thick and heavy in the stillness of the room. Her fingers idly traced the smooth lines of his bracelet as her mind churned. She wanted to believe him, to trust in the strength of his words, but the fear of what lay ahead gnawed at her resolve.
Selyr wasn’t just a threat—he was a predator, relentless and cunning, and the bond they shared only painted a larger target on their backs.
“I hate this,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “Not… us. Not you. Just… this. The danger. The running. The not knowing.”
Zar’Ryn’s hand stilled against her back, his fingers tightening slightly as if to anchor her. “I know,” he said softly. “And I hate that you have been pulled into it. If I could shield you from all of it, Iwould.”
She shook her head, her hair brushing against his chest. “It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
“Maybe not,” he admitted, his voice low. “But it is my responsibility now. You are my responsibility.”
Her head shot up at that, her eyes narrowing as she met his gaze in the dim light. “I’m not some fragile thing you have to protect, Zar’Ryn. Ican take care of myself.”
“I know you can,” he said, his voice steady. “You have proven that over and over. But that does not change the fact that I want to protect you. That I need to protect you.”
The intensity in his voice stole her breath, and she found herself unable to look away from him. The bond between them thrummed faintly, asteady rhythm that matched the quiet resolve in hisgaze.
“You scare me sometimes,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “Not because of who you are, but because of what you make me feel. It’s like… I’m not just me anymore. I’m us.”
Zar’Ryn’s expression softened, and he reached up to cup her face, his touch firm but gentle. “You are you, Elara. Strong. Brilliant. Unyielding. The bond does not define that. It only amplifies what is already there.”
Her throat tightened, and she blinked back the sting of tears. “Then why does it feel like I’ll fall apart if I lose you?”
“You will not,” he said, his voice low and fierce. “You are stronger than you know. But you will not lose me. This I promise.”
Before she could respond, he leaned in, his lips capturing hers in a kiss that was both tender and consuming. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was a promise, avow etched into the bond that linked them. His hand tangled in her hair, holding her close as if letting her go was unthinkable.
When they finally broke apart, her breath came in shallow gasps, her heart pounding against her ribs. Zar’Ryn’s gaze remained steady, unwavering, and his next words settled over her like a shield.
“You said you hate the danger, the running, the not knowing. So do I,” he said quietly. “But I do not hate this. Ido not hate us. And I will do everything in my power to make sure we have a chance to figure out what this is—what we can be.”
She pressed her forehead to his, her fingers curling into his hair. “I want that, too. Iwant it so much it scares me.”
“Good,” he said, afaint smile tugging at his lips. “Fear keeps us sharp. But do not let it take what lies between us away from you. From us.”
The bond flared delicately, not with the chaos or confusion it so often brought, but with a quiet sense of unity. Elara felt it settle into her chest, warm and steady, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she let herself believe that maybe—just maybe—they could find their way through the storm.
Zar’Ryn shifted, rolling them so that she lay beneath him, his weight pressing her into the mattress in a way that made her feel grounded, safe. His lips brushed against her temple, and his voice came as a low murmur against herskin.
“You are not alone in this,” he said. “No matter what comes, you will always have me.”
Her arms tightened around him as he wrapped his arms around her, her eyes slipping closed as she let his words wash over her. Whatever dangers awaited them, whatever challenges they would face, she knew one thing for certain. With Zar’Ryn beside her, she could face themall.
The silence that followed their conversation remained soft, comforting. Elara lay nestled against Zar’Ryn, her fingers absently tracing the lines of his ribs as his hand rested lightly on her hip. The warmth of his body seeped into her, grounding her in a way that felt both foreign and natural. She could feel his steady breathing, the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, and the faint vibration of the bond that tied them together.
For the first time in days, the fear that had been a constant companion seemed to ease, replaced by a fragile sense of hope. She didn’t know what the future held, but lying here with him, she dared to believe they could faceit.
Zar’Ryn’s hand slid up her back, his touch firm yet tender as he pulled her closer. “You are quiet,” he murmured, his voice a delicious, low rumble.
“I’m thinking,” she replied, echoing his earlier words with a faint smile.
He turned his head to look at her, his amethyst gaze catching the faint glow of the bracelet on her wrist. “About what?”
She hesitated, her fingers stilling against his skin. “About you,” she admitted softly. “About us. About… what happens next.”
Zar’Ryn’s hand moved to cup her face, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek. “We take it one step at a time,” he said, his voice steady. “Whatever comes, we will face it.”
His words were simple, but the conviction in them made her chest tighten. She nodded, her throat too tight to speak, and leaned into his touch.
“I meant what I said earlier,” he continued, his tone softer now. “You are not just someone I am bonded to. You are more than that. Ido not know what the bond will bring, but I know this—what I feel for you is real. And I will fight for that. For you.”
Her breath hitched, and she felt a surge of emotion rise in her chest. “You make it sound so easy,” she said, her voice trembling. “But what if—what if it all falls apart? What if—”
“It will not,” he interrupted firmly. “Because we will not let it. We will make mistakes. We will face challenges. But we will not fall apart, Elara. Not if we choose to fight for this. For us.”
She closed her eyes, her forehead pressing against his chest as his words washed over her. The bond between them pulsed faintly, awarm, steady rhythm that echoed the unspoken promise in his voice.
“I choose this,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I choose you.”
Zar’Ryn’s arms tightened around her, and she felt his lips brush against her hair. “And I choose you,” he murmured. “Every time.”
They lay like that for a while, the quiet wrapping around them like a cocoon. Elara’s mind drifted, the tension in her body slowly unwinding as she let herself believe in the possibility of a future with him. Afuture where they weren’t just surviving, but living with one another.
“We should rest,” he informed her, his hand brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Tomorrow will bring its own challenges.”
She nodded, though the thought of sleep felt distant. “Zar’Ryn?”
“Yes?”
She hesitated, then looked up at him, her gaze steady despite the uncertainty swirling inside her. “Do you think this bond is trying to tell us something?”
His expression softened, and he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. “Maybe,” he said quietly. “Or maybe it is just showing us what was already there. Maybe the bracelets magnified what was between us. What is between us.”
The warmth in his voice settled something deep inside her, and she found herself smiling despite the weight of their conversation. “Whatever it is,” she said, her voice barely audible, “I’m glad it brought us here.”
Zar’Ryn smiled faintly, his thumb brushing along her cheek. “So am I.”
As he lay back down, pulling her against him once more, Elara closed her eyes and let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lull her toward sleep. The future was uncertain, the path ahead still shrouded in shadow, but for now, she allowed herself to believe they would find their way.