Chapter 6
six
. . .
Is ignoring Anders a bit petty? Perhaps, but I refuse to be swept away by his dark and mysterious charm. Unlike so many women around me who seem eager to vie for his attention, I hold my self-respect in high regard. For that reason, keeping my distance feels best—safe.
I don’t complain when he walks me to class each morning, or when he escorts me back to my room in the evenings.
Our interactions, however brief, remain polite and surface-level, avoiding any deeper connection.
Yet, despite my best efforts, a small part of me knows that I can’t maintain this distance indefinitely.
There’s an undeniable pull that tugs at my resolve, making me wonder what it would be like to let my mental shield open just a little.
I attempted to have a conversation with Chancellor Xara about my concerns, only to discover later that Anders had also approached her regarding the removal of his detail.
As expected, she remained unmoved by my plight.
Despite her indifference, this arrangement causes him to arrive late to class each morning and leaves me with a towering presence—a six-foot-something distraction—with an ever-rotating cast of girls batting their lashes in his direction.
It feels like every time I look up from my books, there’s another flirty exchange happening mere feet away from me.
I can’t quite decipher his intentions with me.
Perhaps he’s trying to win me over? Just the other night, while I was up late studying, he unexpectedly brought me a cup of tea.
Not coffee, mind you—tea. This small gesture spoke volumes, suggesting that he knows my preference for the soothing herbal liquid over the typical bean juice that most students crave.
It’s not that I’d outright refuse coffee; I just find that tea has a much more appealing flavor.
Underneath it all, there’s an unpredictable quality to him that leaves me reeling.
One moment, he presents a side that is warm and considerate, offering glimpses of someone I might genuinely enjoy getting to know.
But then, there are times when he transforms into the brooding asshole everyone else knows him as.
I’ll walk right into a door he lets swing shut in my face, and the momentary glare he shoots my way makes me feel as though I’ve somehow offended him.
The inconsistency is maddening, leaving me to wonder which version of him I’ll encounter next.
It shouldn’t matter to me…it doesn’t matter. He’s graduating at the end of the year and off to Bond with someone else. He won’t be a problem much longer, and I will continue to pray for a release from my shadow.
It’s been a few days since that awkward Government Class, but Cole has made every attempt to say hi to me whenever Anders is watching.
Whatever game we are playing, I’m not enjoying it anymore.
I need to talk to Cole, set some boundaries, and clarify that we can be friends for real—not because he wants to annoy his brother.
Speaking of said brother, Anders is nowhere to be found today.
I have no idea where he is…nor do I care, but I’m thankful for the autonomy.
How surprising that I can get myself to and from all of my classes alone, without someone attempting to Bond with me in the halls without my scary escort around.
During lunch, I find a quiet spot in the corner of the yard and tuck myself under one of the ornamental trees to read.
The weather is warm today, but a light breeze keeps the heat from overwhelming me.
The fresh air carries the scent of newly fallen snow from the mountains, mixed with the smell of pine and a hint of flowers from the fall blooms. I let out a contented sigh as I lean against the brick wall, propping my tablet on my knees.
It might not be the most exciting material, but learning about the Lumos Bond and the first emperor and empress to receive it settles some of my nerves about our first class.
I scroll through the pages of The Lumos Bond - A New Beginning and realize that the entire court went through a Bonding ceremony after Emperor Aren did. I reread the page to make sure I have it right.
Hours after the first Lumos Bond was completed, members of the court, both married and unmarried, participated in what is now known as The Ceremony.
At that time, the process was archaic and painful, as they had yet to discover the serum that would later help identify Bonded partners.
Many remained Bonded to their spouses, but for a select few, their connections turned out to be much stronger with different partners.
It was not until UC 05 that we learned the significance of the Bond on the twenty-third birthday of the female partner. However, males typically exhibit a more substantial Bond before the age of twenty-eight.
My jaw drops as shock and outrage stir in my chest. Married couples were forced to Bond with others? Anger stirs in my chest. How the gods think this is fair, this is right….ugh… it’s not. I scroll further, bypassing the rest of the section, landing upon a section on the Bond itself.
Light, colors, minor zaps of energy—it’s everything I’ve been feeling with Kellan and Anders. The connection I share with Kellan is unlike anything else. It’s gentle and soothing, like a soft caress or a gentle breeze that wraps around me, enveloping me in a lulling warmth.
It’s a stark contrast to the potential Bond with Anders, which ignites a very different kind of fire within me.
It’s intense and electrifying, and makes my skin feel ablaze and my body hum with energy.
It feels like raw energy, filled with passion and urgency, every interaction leaving shockwaves reverberating through me.
While Kellan’s presence brings tranquility, Anders awakens me in a way I can’t ignore.
The lunch bell sounds, softly ringing out three times, signaling that I need to head inside. I groan and shuffle the tablet back into my linen bag, taking a long pull of water before shoving the bottle in next. My body aches from sitting in one position for so long as I head back toward Taeolyn.
I don’t make it past Veker before three men, who I believe are seniors, approach me, their faces all masked in irritation.
The one at the center, the tallest of the group, has a hawkish nose and is a little round at the stomach.
I keep my focus on him as he approaches ahead of the other two, his hands clenched at his sides.
“There ya’ are, Princess,” he says with a thick accent I recognize from one of the smaller colonies on Dionek.
“We’ve been looking fer ya.” The other two huff behind him.
It’s only then that I realize I’m being herded as I step back and find myself against the backside of Veker, away from all witnesses.
Now would probably be a good time to sprint—or I don’t know, call someone—maybe. These three seem pretty pissed, and I’m positive I don’t have a clue who they are except that I’ve seen them around.
The three of them are wearing Bragr Recon colors, and I take a few seconds to analyze them, looking for weaknesses. If I ran, I’d outpace at least two of them, but the third looks like he could catch me in two strides.
I need to distract them if I have a hope of getting away.
For the first time since school started, I realize that I may very well be in danger.
“Ah, well, I’m going to be late for class, and I’m meeting with Ryker, so I should really get going,” I ramble as calmly as possible.
I inhale slowly, trying to slow my racing heart.
Adrenaline pumps through my system as the man at the center steps closer, now only four feet away.
“How very interestin’,” the one on the left starts.
“One.” He holds up a finger. “Yer dark prince isn’t here.
He’s on Kyrr with yer father.” What? Anders is on Kyrr?
Why, and why didn’t he tell me? “And two…” Another finger.
“Yer father ‘tis responsible fer my father no longer having a job and is currently bein’ stripped of his title.” My stomach bottoms out.
Oh shit. It’s rare for nobility to lose their titles, which means one thing: he is responsible for illegal activity.
My father would never strip anyone unless there was undeniable evidence.
The other two flank me, giving me nowhere to run. The one to my right is a man with auburn hair tied back in two war braids, and the look he’s giving me promises retribution. The one to my left is tall, his black coils shaved short, and his smirk says he’s enjoying this.
Focus. I need to focus.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. Maybe I can call my father and ask if it was a mistake?”
The one to my left chuckles darkly. “Tis no mistake,” he hums. “Our families are as corrupt as they come.” He steps closer, three feet.
“All yer father had to do was turn a blind eye. We aren’t hurtin’ anyone who didn’t already deserve it, and yer daddy had to go sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. ”
The other two shuffle closer, and they’re all so big that I don’t stand a chance.
All the training in the world won’t help me when I’m not armed.
I discreetly tap my energy shield on, the cool metal of the bracelet humming to life at my touch.
At least if they attack, they’ll have to move at the right speed to pierce through it.
“Let’s go,” the one on my right snaps. “They’ll be here soon. Bind her hands and gag her.” He reaches for me in one heartbeat, rebounding and growling. The second heartbeat, the one in front of me, boxes me in, a purple material in his hands that I’m assuming he plans to use for the gag.
I knee him where it hurts, and in his anger, his head slams down against mine, causing my vision to splinter as pain radiates across my head. Nausea swirls in my stomach, but I don’t think I’m concussed.