Sin
As well as sealed her power.
Jocelyn’s eyes were sharp on her pale face, shadows deeper beneath her cheekbones, her gaze a warning. “You’re too old to be playing with dangerous magic.”
“Then why are you touching deadly tomes? You have no magic to guard yourself. A witchling would know that book could literally consume your soul.”
Jocelyn lifted her chin, sizing her up, nodding as if she’d come to a conclusion. “You’d risk everything, but everything is exactly what you’d lose. Whoever led you here isn’t your friend.”
“Oh, and you are?”
Jocelyn approached Sin, making her bristle, but she planted her feet firmly on the floor, refusing to cower. Jocelyn’s eyes locked onto Sin’s, the witch’s gaze unwavering. “You need to practice patience.”
“I’ve been enslaved for a hundred years. How much more time do you expect me to sit around, awaiting death?”
“And also silence. I know I’m not the only one to warn you of the walls listening, because I’m one of the few controlling that spell within the castle.
I knew you were coming the moment you left your quarters, and muted the spell for anyone else, such as the other witches or the king himself, to find out. ”
Sin’s brows shot up, her lips twisting in disbelief. “And why the hell would you do that?” she demanded, crossing her arms tightly.
Jocelyn sighed in exasperation. “Max is powerful, but his father’s wards are relentless, bound to the castle by ancient magic. They’ve crushed countless hopes before.”
Sin kept her composure, though she felt hope crumbling as she realized the depth of the king’s influence. No matter how much Max defied him, the king would ultimately win that fight. Sin’s shoulders sagged, her jaw clenching as the crushing weight of that realization settled over her.
“I’m telling you this because it is Max you should be going to.”
Sin snorted, muttering under her breath, her eyes narrowing into a glare. “Of course,” she hissed, the resentment simmering beneath her surface. “Max is promised to another.”
“There are things—connections between mates—that no spell can overhear. And though he is promised, I promise you that as a mate, he would do anything to ensure your safety. He’s more like his youngest brother that way.”
Sin didn’t miss the way Jocelyn’s cheeks heated at the mention of the brother. “I can’t see him. I’m not fully in control when I do, and he is every bit of what’s holding me back from my freedom.”
Jocelyn huffed a mocking laugh. “Stars above, where is that fierce witch who stared down a king without blinking? Scared of a bond? The one thing that could save you?”
Sin whirled around, furious at the witch’s audacity to weaken her resolve, her hands curling into fists as her breath hissed through her teeth.
She couldn’t depend on a male. They were tools, though often not very good ones unless it was the one between their legs.
Not that she had any experience—other than the prince…
Jocelyn called out as Sin reached for the door. “Pursuing forbidden power will draw the king’s attention. Find Max. He will open the gate for you to walk through as you ignite your path.”
Sin was out the door before Jocelyn finished talking, lost in the angry storm of thoughts.
A gasp escaped her as she saw Gideon, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, looking impatient for Sin to leave. She barely made it around the corner before she heard footsteps, and the door opening and closing.
Sin shook her head as she walked aimlessly through the corridors, realizing it was morning. So many obvious secrets within this castle, it didn’t surprise her to feel like she couldn’t trust anyone.
Sunshine was looking through the windows, the brightness of it blinding her as she wandered the halls, following that insistent tug. How much time had passed in the library?
Sin paused at a window, spotting Max outside in a courtyard, sparring.
Her initial instinct was to look away, to avoid the pull she felt towards him, but her eyes refused to obey.
She found herself unable to tear her gaze away, caught between wanting to hate him and the undeniable magnetism he seemed to wield over her.
His movements were powerful and fluid, with serpentine precision. Sin’s heart raced as she watched him move, the muscles bunching beneath his leathers that hid none of his strength. It forced the memory of his naked, muscular form, pounding inside her untouched flesh and claiming it as his.
Serpentine eyes flashed upwards, locking onto hers like a predator scenting prey. His momentary distraction sent him sprawling, his legs flying up before he scrambled back to his feet.
Laughter exploded from Sin before she covered her mouth, breaking her tension from the library.
Max looked up at her in surprise, taking steps towards the castle where he would surely find her.
Sin panicked.
Running through the halls, she reached the servants’ quarters and locked herself in the bathroom.
She sank into the empty, dry tub, her back pressed against the cold ceramic. It was a small comfort against the heat building within, and she closed her eyes, wondering if Jocelyn could be right—if she was truly scared of her bond.