Chapter 27 #2
“I’m hard to kill. Cockroach energy.” The joke comes out weak. “Also, turns out ancient dragon kings make excellent life support.”
“About that. Caleb told me about what happened.” Elena glances at her mother. Then back to me. “Can we talk?”
Lila steps forward. Up close, I can see the differences from Elena—older, harder edges, the silver in her dark hair that catches what little light remains. But the eyes are the same. Sharp. Assessing.
“About the bond,” Lila says carefully.
My stomach drops. “What about it?”
Elena’s hand finds mine. Squeezes. “We can heal you. Completely. Break the connection Kael created and heal the underlying injuries. You wouldn’t need him anymore.”
The words should feel like relief.
They don’t.
“You can do that?” My voice comes out too careful. Too controlled. “Just… undo it?”
“Not ‘just’ anything,” Lila says. “It would require preparation. A ritual. Time to gather materials and ensure we do it correctly.” She pauses. “But yes. Between Elena and me, we have the power to unravel what was done. To free you both.”
Free.
The word tastes wrong.
“Okay, pause.” I pull my hand from Elena’s. Step back. “Why are you offering this? Like, right now? I’ve been back for all of three hours, and you’re already trying to… What? Separate me from the guy who saved my life?”
God, that sounds ungrateful.
“We’re not trying to separate you from anyone.” Elena’s voice is gentle but firm. The tone she uses when she’s about to tell me something I don’t want to hear. “We’re giving you options, Mara. Choices. Because right now you’re magically bound to someone out of necessity. And that’s not—”
“Not what? Not fair? Not romantic enough?” The words come out sharply. “Sorry if my magical resuscitation device doesn’t fit your fairy tale aesthetic.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Elena’s eyes hold mine. “I just think you should know that you don’t have to stay bound to him just because he saved your life. That there’s another option.”
“And if I don’t want the other option?”
“Then we don’t do it.” Lila’s voice is blunt. Professional. “But you should make that choice knowing what’s possible. Not because you think you’re trapped.”
Trapped.
Am I trapped?
The bond pulses. Distant but present.
He’s too far away. This feels wrong.
“When?” The question comes out hoarse. “When would you do it?”
“Tomorrow afternoon, if you agree.” Lila crosses her arms. “We’d need a day to prepare. Gather materials. But it’s doable.”
Tomorrow afternoon.
Less than twenty-four hours from now, I could be free. Healed. No longer dependent on an ancient dragon king who looks at me sometimes like I’m precious and sometimes like he’s trying to figure out if I’m real or just convenient.
“What happens to him?” I ask. “If you break the bond? Does he feel it?”
Elena and Lila exchange glances.
“He’ll feel it,” Elena says carefully. “Like losing something he didn’t realize he was holding. But he won’t be harmed. It’s not… We’re not hurting him. Just severing a connection that shouldn’t have been created in the first place.”
Shouldn’t have been created.
But it was created. And it’s kept me alive. And somewhere in the past week, it became more than just a magical obligation.
Didn’t it?
“Okay,” I hear myself say. “Tomorrow afternoon.”
Elena’s expression shifts. Relief mixed with something that looks like concern. “Are you sure? We don’t have to rush this—”
“I’m sure.” I’m not sure. I’m the opposite of sure. “Just… don’t tell anyone. Let me—” I stop. “Let me figure this out.”
“Mara.” Lila’s voice is gentle now. Almost kind. “You know he cares about you. This bond… It’s not just some sort of obligation. I can see it. Anyone can.”
“Stop.” The word comes out harsh. “Please. Don’t tell me what he feels. I can’t—” My voice cracks. “I can’t make this decision based on what I think he might feel. Or what you think you see. I need to make it based on what’s right.”
“And what’s right?” Elena asks softly.
“Not being someone’s afterthought.” I wrap my arms around myself. “Not being the girl he saved because he couldn’t save the one he really wanted. Not being—” I stop yet again. Can’t finish.
Not being enough.
Silence falls.
Then Elena nods. Steps forward. Pulls me into another hug. “Okay. Tomorrow afternoon. We’ll come get you.”
I hug her back. Breathe in the familiar scent of my best friend and try not to think about what I just agreed to.
They turn to leave.
“Lennie,” I call out.
She stops. Turns back.
“Does it hurt?” I ask. “Breaking the bond?”
Her eyes soften. “Physically? No. But you might feel… disconnected for a while. Like losing your sense of direction. Or like walking after your foot’s been asleep.”
“So yes. It hurts.”
“In a way.” She pauses. “But healing often does.”
They disappear through the door.
I’m alone again with the darkening mountains and the decision I just made.
And the bond—stretched thin by Kael’s absence, pulling at something behind my ribs—that might not exist come morning.
I should feel relieved.
Instead, I feel like I just agreed to amputate something vital.
I pull out my phone. Stare at the screen.
The old Mara, the Mara from two months ago, would’ve been TikTokking the hell out of this story right now. But the old Mara went down in that chopper, and now she’s changed.
So instead, I pull up my messages and scroll to Elena’s name. Our last conversation from before the helicopter. Before everything.
Elena: Please tell me you’re not live-streaming the battle site
Me: I’m not live-streaming the battle site
Me: (I’m totally live-streaming the battle site)
Elena: MARA
Me: RELAX, it’s unlisted
Me: Also, I think your boyfriend’s cousin ate someone
Me: Nvm that’s normal apparently??
Elena: He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my mate
Me: Mate. Right. Dragons are WILD, babe
I smile. Scroll further back. Months of conversations. Late-night conspiracy theories and 3 a.m. coffee runs and Elena sending me articles about “healthy friendship boundaries” that I absolutely did not read.
Normal life.
Before helicopters and near-death experiences and ancient kings who turned my world upside down.
My phone buzzes.
New message. Elena.
Elena: You okay up there?
I stare at the screen. Type and delete three different responses before settling on:
Me: Yeah. Just processing.
Three dots appear. Disappear. Appear again.
Elena: I love you. You know that, right?
Elena: Whatever you decide tomorrow, I’ve got your back
My throat closes.
Me: Love you too, babe
Me: Even though you’re conspiring with your magic mom to emotionally devastate me
Elena: That’s what best friends are for
Elena: Also, she’s not conspiring. She’s just very direct
Elena: It’s a Rossewyn thing, apparently. All the witches in our line do it
All the witches.
Like Lyria.
Of course.
I shove my phone back in my pocket and turn to face the mountains.
Tomorrow, I’ll be free.
And I’ll finally know if what I feel for Kael is real.
Or if I’ve just been confusing necessity for love.