CHAPTER FIFTEEN
elysia
The morning sun rises cautious and gentle, warm rays grazing the skin of my face.
I sit up and stretch, then run my hands through the tangled mess of my hair.
Ronan had carried me back to the suite after I passed out a week ago.
He stayed with me for hours, long past the point where the adrenaline wore off and the ache truly set in.
By then, Kaden had already said his piece, measured and perfectly believable. To everyone else, it had been nothing more than an intense spar. A bonded pair testing each other’s limits.
He even convinced Ronan he’d only been pushing me, not trying to kill me.
I don’t believe him.
I stand from the bed reluctantly, my feet carrying me to the desk where Cole’s latest letter sits, unopened since yesterday.
I sink into the chair with all the grace of an injured swan and break the seal, excitement climbing my throat as I peel the parchment free.
My gaze snags instantly on the familiar tiny flame sketched in the corner.
I read your letter twice. Once to take it in, and a second time because the mental image of you threatening Kaden Reinheart with a dagger deserved to be savoured.
Two months, and you’ve managed to soulbind yourself to the most insufferable man in Celestria, pick up a sparring habit, and make friends like you’re collecting titles? For someone who would usually rather disappear into a corner with tea and a book, I’m impressed.
I can almost see it now, you socially exhausted and internally screaming, yet still somehow holding your ground like the menace you are.
On my end, training remains… entertaining. Varo, one of the warriors training new cadets, is our age and has a two-year-old! A two-year-old, Elysia. At twenty-three… as a warrior mage!
It’s absolutely mad. I respect it, obviously, but it’s still crazy to me. He talks about bedtime routines like he’s not capable of levelling an entire battlefield.
And I know you didn’t ask, but I’m sure you’re wondering… yes, I remain criminally ignored by every female warrior here. Apparently, being a cadet means I’m “not seasoned enough,” despite my very impressive efforts. Tragic, really. I’m suffering greatly.
Also, I’m holding you to that ass-kicking.
Love,
Your Cole.
Soft laughter spills from me as my eyes trace each word. Cole has always been a relentless gossip, easily his worst flaw… but one I’ve never truly minded. I can almost hear his teasing lilt in every line, almost smell the faint, signature curl of mandarin clinging to the page.
I reach for a fresh sheet of parchment and begin scrawling my reply, sealing it a moment later with an envelope, and Celestria’s emblem pressed warm into the wax.
Then the day ahead demands me. I shower, eat and dress in record time before making it to the lecture hall with two minutes to spare.
I sit on a separate row with Ronan at my side, Brynn at my other and Odette and Enzo in front of us. Kaden sits at a table just across from us with Thane and Sirena.
The tension between us still lingers faintly like smoke after a wildfire.
Professor Aric paces before us, his three-piece brown suede suit rustling in his stride.
“Today…” he begins, voice carrying easily, “we study the concept of mental bridges. An evolution of a soulbond which is exceedingly rare, even among the strongest soul-bound pairs. When they occur, they can create a direct channel between two minds. A bridge of shared thought, shared memories, and in some cases even speaking across distance and sharing dreams.”
The air shifts as his words sink into me like lead, my stomach twists, heat prickling at the base of my neck. Across from me, Kaden stills completely, his eyes flicker up to meet mine and for a heartbeat, the bond hums in sync.
Professor Aric continues, unaware of the invisible current slicing between us.
“Such bridges depend not on control or compatibility, but on power. The combined strength of the pair determines the depth of the link. Yet even among the most formidable soulbonds, few ever evolve so far.” Professor Aric continues, his tone thoughtful.
“A functioning bridge allows more than shared empathy or emotion; it grants access. You could see through your partner’s eyes, hear their thoughts as if they were your own.
The connection can even persist during sleep, pulling you into one another’s dreams. As I’m sure you can ascertain, such a link is highly advantageous in combat. ”
I clear my throat, forcing my voice to steady. “Are there any documented cases of these bridges? Records of how they work?”
Professor Aric turns, brow furrowing slightly as he considers me.
“There are some, yes. Mostly among the early soulbonds, but such records aren’t kept here.
” His gaze flicks toward the east wing of the Tower.
“They’re preserved in the restricted archives wing; you’d need Council approval to access them. ”
The words settle deep in my chest.
The restricted wing, so that’s where they keep what’s forbidden, what’s real.
I nod politely, masking the spark of curiosity that burns brighter than it should.
“Of course,” I murmur, feigning disinterest. But inside, my mind is already turning gears and fitting puzzle pieces together.
Professor Aric continues his lecture, his voice a distant hum beneath the flicker of rune-light. Beside me, Ronan leans in, his breath brushing my ear as he murmurs.
“That would be annoying, wouldn’t it? Having someone in your head constantly.”
I offer him a soft smile, “If you’re constantly on my mind, does it count as the same thing?”
He smiles softly as his fingers brush lightly over mine, “I think so, considering you’ve crowded my thoughts since the moment I first saw you.”
My cheeks warm, the faintest flush of pink creeping up my neck as his hand slides across my thigh.
His lips graze the curve of my neck to place a teasing kiss, and a shimmer of arousal flutters low in my core when his fingers trace the inside of my thigh, giving a light squeeze in answer to my sharp inhale.
Then a soft pressure brushes my thoughts, like fingers flicking through a thought.
“If you sigh any louder, people will think you’re putting on a show.” Kaden’s voice echoes inside my head, laced with wicked amusement.
My eyes widen, and my gaze snaps instantly to him sitting across the room, an almost undetectable smirk playing at his lips. That pressure brushes against my mind again, his voice curling inside my head like a dark caress.
“Don’t stop on my account, you’re a formidable actress.”
Narrowing my eyes, I concentrate on responding through the mental bridge, brushing against his mind with unamused fingers, “How—never mind. Get out of my head, Reinheart.”
His chuckle fills my head, but physically… physically, his face is the epitome of composure, eyes flicking briefly between Professor Aric and me. “Not a chance, you should see yourself… cheeks flushed, eyes wide—”
“I said get out.” My voice is ice.
“Mmm, I would… but it’s fun feeling your pulse jump whenever I speak.”
“Maybe it’s because Ronan’s hand is on my thigh, not everything revolves around you, asshat.
” I bite back, keeping my expression carefully neutral and forcing my focus back to Ronan, who’s still speaking softly beside me, his hand roaming the expanse of my thigh…
though his touch is suddenly searing and uncomfortable under Kaden’s burning gaze.
“Is he always this clumsy when he tries to make you blush?” His voice is low and edged with mockery.
I grit my teeth, eyes meeting his. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t, but it’s painful to watch. The way his fingers fumble when he should be coaxing.” He pauses, and I feel the whisper of his amusement against my mind. “If it were me, I’d know exactly where to touch to make you burn… no guessing, no hesitation.”
My pulse stumbles. “You’re disgusting.”
A soft chuckle echoes through the bond, dark and intimate. “You think my words are disgusting? You should see what I can do with my tongue.”
My heart stutters, heat and irritation skittering through my nerves as my thoughts betray me.
He’s infuriating, completely insufferable.
Every word out of his mouth is designed to provoke, to crawl under my skin and stay there.
I grit my teeth, forcing my mind away from the low drawl of his voice, from the way it always coils around my name like a sinful promise.
“Glad to know you’re thinking about me while he’s touching you.”
I scoff through the mental bridge, “I’m not thinking nice things.”
His lips twitch, “Even better.”
I tear my gaze away from him as his eyes rake over me slowly, leaving a trail of heat and making my pulse quicken. Luckily, Ronan hasn’t noticed my momentary lapse, still talking quietly.
“Didn’t you say you were in one of Kaden’s memories the other day?” Enzo chimes, scribbling a note.
“Yes,” I admit, twirling the end of my plait. “For a few seconds… maybe a minute.”
“Ah, right,” Odette nods knowingly beside him. “He’s thinking you two might… develop a mental bridge—.”
“Really?” Enzo snaps, annoyed. “Didn’t I ask you to stop listening to my thoughts?”
Odette shrugs. “I don’t mean to, but you’re persistently loud. Maybe you should work on being quieter, though I know that’s hard for you.”
Bickering ensues between them as usual, and Brynn chuckles at my side, giving my elbow a slight nudge, “He’s right, though. Professor Aric mentioned memory sharing with the mental bridge. We’ve all seen flickers of each other’s memories… but only you and Kaden have shared one.”
I’m not sure what stops me from telling them. Maybe it’s shock still settling in my bones after hearing his voice in my head. But for now, I decide they don’t need to know.
I offer a soft smile and shrug, “I guess we’ll find out eventually.”
“Gods, it would be so annoying though,” Ronan says, shaking his head.
Odette grins. “Oh, absolutely. His constant brooding inside your head? Good luck with that.”
“And you wouldn’t be able to hide from him either. Anywhere you go, he’d be able to speak to you, despite the distance.” Brynn adds.
I groan, eyes rolling. “Sounds… exhausting.”
Enzo leans back in his chair, “I’d rather wrestle a dozen veinborn than deal with his constant glare and thoughts following me around.”
Odette snorts. “Can you imagine the arguments, though? Just glaring, no sound.”
Brynn shakes her head, smiling. “You’d never get a moment’s peace. Ever.”
I can’t help but laugh softly, despite myself… despite the very real horror that Kaden could, at any moment, slip into my thoughts and my mind whenever he chooses.
When the lesson ends, Kaden lingers as the others file out. His gaze pins me where I stand, silent and unreadable. I force a soft and dismissive smile, holding his stare for a moment longer before breaking it and turning toward the door with careful grace.
My pulse thrums in my throat as I move to pass him, but his arm snakes out, wrapping around my waist and pulling me back with effortless strength.
“Why did you want to know about the restricted archives?” His voice is a low whisper, “And don’t lie to me.”
Nerves flutter through me, but I smother them beneath a mask of ease and tilt my head up at him with a practised smile. “I just thought it would be advantageous to have some information on mental bridges,” I say lightly, “especially since we have one now.”
Not a complete lie.
A soft, silk-smooth pressure brushes across my mind, his attempt to pry deeper, to test whether I’m lying. It’s faint, like fingertips dragging across the edge of a thought. He’ll find nothing but what I allow him to.
“It doesn’t matter anyway…” I add, feigning a careless shrug. “The records are in the restricted wing, and I can’t imagine I’ll be granted access. Unless—”
He cuts me off with a sigh that carries more warning than breath. “I don’t have access to the archives, before you ask what I think you’re about to ask.”
“Why not?” I press, brow raised. “You work for The Council, you’re their warrior mage.”
His jaw tightens. “Only high Council members have clearance for that wing. I’m merely a weapon at their disposal. I don’t need access to whatever hides inside a room full of dusty books, or records on soul-binding and Council members.”
His words send a flicker of hope sparking through my veins.
Personal archives.
If they’re housed there, then my father’s might be too. I can’t imagine he’d have kept anything important right under The Council’s nose, but this… this could be the trail I need.
“Shame…” I murmur, the edge of a smirk curling at my lips. “Looks like we’ll just have to figure this mental link out as we go along, then.”
I give him my most innocent smile and take a deliberate step forward. When he doesn’t stop me this time, I slip past him and out the door.
Curiosity laced with worry ripples through the tether between us. I can feel his eyes on me, burning a hole through my retreating form, like he’s trying to memorise the shape of my secrets as I walk away.
Let him be suspicious. Let him watch.
Soon I’ll find out what The Council’s been hiding and where my father’s truth might still be buried.