Chapter 22 #4
“Miles—” I didn’t know what love was, but there was one way to show him I cared—something Julian already taught me was important to the boys. “Bond with me.”
He tensed, breath catching in the air between us, as his body grew tense and his eyes widened. “What?”
“The Soul Bond thing,” I told him. “Titus said we all need to do it. You’re next, right?”
Miles frowned, expression torn. “Yes…”
I moved to my knees, facing him. “You said you needed to be ready. You took the potion and didn’t die. Isn’t this what you’ve been waiting for?”
“Um,” he looked away. “One of the things. I mean, no one wants to pressure you—”
“You’re not pressuring me!” I pressed my hands into my lap as my cheeks grew hot. His chivalrous concern, though touching, was unnecessary. “Will it help?” I asked him.
Would he leave me again if we didn’t do this?
He watched me from the corner of his eyes, pressing his lips together into a thin line.
I waited, holding my breath. I couldn’t be much to look at, however.
My face was dirty, and my hair was pulled back in a tangled mess of a braid, and even though my dress was clean, it was still baggy.
I was thankful for the warmth of the fleeced-lined leggings, my fuzzy boots, and the dark-brown scarf that kept my neck and shoulders from the chill.
I tilted my head as he remained silent, and it was impossible to determine his thoughts.
“Yes,” he said finally. As he spoke, his features turned more determined. “It will help you.”
Me? But—
“What about you?” I asked. I didn’t care about me—I wanted to be helpful to him.
“It will help me do what I need,” he replied. “But only if you’re sure. Do you want me to create a Soul Bond with you? This is your request?”
What an unusual way to phrase it, but still. “Yes,” I nodded.
“Okay,” he said, furrowing his brows. “Then I’ll do it.”
It was the strangest thing, but I couldn’t quite place his reaction. From what I could tell, he wasn’t against the bond, but he was hesitant for another reason. “What’s wrong?” I asked. “It’ll be similar to Julian and me, right? I’ll be able to feel your emotions?”
Was he scared?
“Yes, but no,” Miles answered. “You’re able to feel everyone’s emotions on some level, but—when we do it—there are different benefits reaped from each Soul Bond. You’re not the main one affected with new abilities.”
“Do we always have a Soul Bond in every life?” I asked.
“No,” Miles replied.
The mood had darkened, and I leaned back, touching my chest. What was this heaviness? Usually, I’d press for an answer—especially for such a cryptic statement. But…
This seemed to be a touchy subject.
“Is it… hard to do?” I asked instead. “What will our bond be like?”
He grinned, and my stomach fluttered. “Why don’t we find out?” he asked.
“O-okay…”
Miles moved to his feet and pulled at his left sleeve, ripping it from the shoulder down.
“What are you doing!?” I jumped up, my gaze filled with bulging biceps. I didn’t mind the view, but with only the warmth of a dying campfire, why would he proceed to strip now ?
And besides, he’d better not expect me to fix this. I’d had enough of mending clothes.
“Give me a minute,” he replied, pulling out a knife. He cut the sleeve into a long strip and continued, “There are many ways we can do it, but this is the easiest. I’ll wrap our wrists with a cloth, speak a blessing—”
“You want to do a handfasting ?” I interrupted, but how could I allow this madness to continue? We’d had all these discussions about none of us being allowed to marry, and now he wanted to enter the olden version of holy matrimony.
Was he insane ?
And even more importantly, I was already legally wed!
“It’s not a handfasting,” Miles said mildly as he began to fold the long strip of cloth. “But it is similar. We all bond differently, and witches like ritual.”
“So you’re not asking me to marry you?” I blurted, still trying to calm my racing heart.
Miles paused and glanced at me, the firelight and shadow highlighting his raised eyebrow. But the muted tones still weren’t enough to disguise his reddening cheeks. “You know I can’t ask that,” was his response.
My heart fell—even though, really, what did I expect?
“Of course,” I replied instead. “That would be silly.”
“Let’s just focus on this,” he said, grabbing my hand and kissing the tip of my finger. He held up the knife, pressing the back of it over the side of my hand.
I glared at the blade. “Are you going to stab me again?” What was with all the bloodletting? Did he really know what he was doing?
“I didn’t stab you.” The corner of Miles’s lips lifted. “I pricked your finger with a thorn.” And before I could respond, he released my fingers and ran the blade over my left wrist.
A line of fire passed over my skin, and I cried out in response, pulling back. He did the same to himself and reached for my arm while I cradled my wrist to my chest. “Don’t be dramatic,” he said. “That didn’t even hurt!”
My eyes were trained on the very light, and barely bleeding, cut over my wrist.
“Are you serious?” he asked, his confidence fading. “It hurt?”
“No…” Not really. It was the point, however. Why did he keep stabbing me with things? “But—”
“Then let’s not waste time. I don’t want it to clot,” he interrupted. My breath seized, and my heart fluttered as he closed his wrist over mine. He used his right hand to tie them together.
His skin stuck to mine, our blood mixing, the snug wrappings holding me prisoner against him. Miles had always been larger than me, but sometimes it was easy to forget our differences—especially when compared to Titus, who was taller than the witch.
I stared as he watched me with his soft brown eyes. “What do we do next?” I asked.
“Just remember”—his fingers tightened over my hand—“our relationship won’t be like what you have with Julian—we’re different.”
“Obviously.” I frowned.
The last of the fire flickered and died, leaving only the moon to light the night sky.
So it was eerie when Miles suddenly spoke. His words were low, but the phrase was hauntingly familiar. “ As my blood flows free, our souls join as one. ”
My heartbeat echoed through me as the air grew still. I could feel each resounding beat from my fingertips to the bottoms of my toes.
It was the same as the ritual that was in Miles’s book. What were the odds of that?
“Say it after me,” he commanded.
Goosebumps broke out over my skin, but I obeyed. “A-a-as my blood flows free, our souls join as one.”
“ And so I promise to uphold my contract with you ,” he finished the words.
“And so I promise to uphold my contract with you,” I whispered.
As the echo of my words faded, a shiver shot down my spine. My lungs ached as I held my breath, waiting for the other shoe to fall.
Julian’s emotions had hit me like a wave crashing against the sand before they retreated, leaving only the slight pulse of memory behind and the constant undercurrent of something deeper. That was expected and what I’d prepared for.
So why was nothing happening?
But then, as Miles pulled me closer to him, trapping our tied wrists more tightly between us as he wrapped his other arm around my back, I could feel him.
His emotions reached out slowly, wrapping around me like a warm blanket. His feelings, a mixture of steadfast resolve and quiet strength, offered a grounding force that anchored me firmly to the present. I found a sanctuary in him, a steady place where I could regain my balance and feel safe.
At the same time, a bone-weary fatigue that’d been chasing after me began to be chased away. My aching muscles, my feet—even the slight twinge pulling at my wrist where Miles cut me, were made better.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m sharing your burden,” he said, fingers moving in a circle over my back. “That’s our relationship—you help me, and I ground you.”
I looked at him. “What does that mean?”
He straightened at my question. “I can tell how you’re physically feeling and choose to amplify those sensations or take them upon myself.”
But… “Isn’t that what Julian does?” I asked. “Like how he can control my body and emotions?”
“That’s not quite what he’s doing,” Miles clarified, placing his hand over mine. “Necromancers can influence hormones and the nervous system, but it’s not a passive, empathic connection. It’s more diagnostic. Besides, Julian’s not using your Soul Bond when he does that.”
“But…” What was the point of our Soul Bond?
“If you’re hurting or injured with me, I can shoulder your pain for you,” he explained. “It will still exist, but I will feel it instead. Right now, it’s only limited to when we’re touching.”
“You can feel my pain?” I didn’t see how that’d help him at all.
“And other things.” Miles’s face turned pink, and he didn’t look at me.
My skin grew warm in response. “Oh.” Perhaps he was more dangerous than Damen.
“Bianca—” Miles’s features turned serious. “I can’t influence how you feel to make you feel anything that you didn’t already.”
Why was my head spinning? “O-okay,” I replied.
“You don’t have to take me at my word. You’re in tune with my emotions,” Miles continued. He looked nervous as he added, “Do you think I’d lie to you?”
“I know,” I said. “I’d believe you even without feeling it.”
And I would have. But it helped to have the confirmation. Even more importantly.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were tired?” I asked. “We could’ve set up camp.”
He studied my face, fingers quietly undoing the bindings at our wrists. His voice was hesitant. “That doesn’t matter. I’m more concerned that you’re hurting.” His brows drew together. “Even more than I realized. I’m trying to shoulder it now—at least a little. But why haven’t you said anything?”
“Oh…” I blinked and instinctively pulled back, breaking our contact. He frowned as my breathing shifted, and the strange, lulling haze began to clear. My limbs felt lighter. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “I’m fine.”
He caught my hand before I could pull away completely. My breath caught.
“Rest now,” he said. His voice was soft but threaded with something older, deeper. His eyes darkened with that same ancient weight I’d glimpsed before. “You don’t have to pretend anymore.”
That was…
My headache eased. The tight knot in my stomach unraveled.
“I—I am sleepy,” I murmured. A gentle fog crept in behind my eyes. That fight with Miles must’ve taken more out of me than I’d thought. “I want to…”
My knees gave out.
But I didn’t fall—Miles caught me before I could hit the ground.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You’re safe now. I’m here.”
And that was the last thing I heard before sleep took me.