Page 157 of Ashborne Forged

I felt the warmth of her sunny smile in return to that, and it was a balm to my heart.

I backed away from the wall where I’d leaned, let my shoulders come up against the opposing wall, then slid down it, to sit. Knees bent up, and elbows resting on them. Prepared to leap up again at the slightest notice.

‘Rest now,’ I sent, trying to keep the ache out of my voice. ‘I’m here. I’ll watch. If anything happens, I’ll help. Just… rest.’

‘I’m not going to sleep while we can still speak!’

‘You’ll have to. I’m not leaving for hours yet. And even when I do, I’ll be back within hours. We’re coming, Grace. We’re coming. Tomorrow night I will be in the castle and staying until we’ve fixed this, and I can take you home. Do you hear me?’

I felt the pinch of tears in her. The happy weep that wanted to come.

‘I love you, Voski,’ she breathed—and underlined those precious words with heady love and care. It swelled through me from the bond, filling my veins as surely as the beating of my heart. I swallowed a pinch in my throat as well.

‘I love you, too, Grace. And I’m never leaving you. I’ll die first.’

‘I know.’

But even as our hearts celebrated this truncated reunion, even as we fed emotion and need into the bond that linked us, and watched the dragons in our minds, even as we vowed to each other and reassured, I felt her fear. Her desperation. It was a low trickle of cold under all this warmth. She tried to hide it, but I knew her, and I knew her heart.

She couldn’t hide that something gripped her. Something she feared would never let go.

And that made me desperate.

I caught myself, turning over strategies in my mind. Ways to misdirect the guards. Diversions I could create. Endless, silent methods of murder…

But I didn’t share those thoughts with Grace, and eventually, in the small hours of the morning, she did drift off to sleep—her last image one of curling into me, lying in bed together, her head on my shoulder, her arm across my chest, her knee resting on my hip. She huddled into me, and I held her, and both of us smiled.

In the end, it took a stern warning from Kham to get my feet moving—and the only reason I listened was because I knew we would return. This same day, we’d be back. And I’d never leave her again.

Drawing away, I felt sick as Kham flew us furiously—and wearily—back to the estate. And yet, a part of my heart that had ached and shriveled for the past two weeks was alive again.

I kept stretching for her as I had when we were in pursuit, and it took miles before I lost all sense of her.

‘How is it that we’ve connected better after this separation?’ I asked him, marveling.

‘You have sought each other, single-mindedly. Koa tells me they practiced every evening, working on Grace’s strength. And she sought you. She reached. Just as you were.’

‘But we weren’t actually linking!’

Kham shook his head, still flapping, but slowly, allowing himself to glide now and then. He was tired. ‘The bond isn’t a physical thing, Voski. It is unity of heart. When you two began, you placed barriers before each other. Now, you surrender, grow sure. You seek without defense. Your souls align more deeply every day. And so, your link strengthens—which strengthens ours, also.’

I swallowed. ‘I made your link weaker, by denying her?’

‘Yes. And she damaged yours by attempting to destroy it. Your beginning was wounded. But now, you are of one heart. It will continue to grow. Just remain.’

‘I will. I’m never leaving her again.’

Kham lifted his head and screamed, and somewhere, far behind us I heard the whisper of a dragon scream in return.

Koa.

‘I’m sorry, Kham,’ I sent suddenly, as clarity—memories of his advice, his urging, his wisdom rushed back to me. ‘I’m so sorry that I hurt you and your mate too.’

‘I forgive you, Voski. I wish you’d never been wounded as you were. The Creator has brought us here to face it, and to heal you. I’m certain of it.’

It was reflex to flinch, to deny, to turn away from that thought. But, I knew he was right. And now I had a reason to face all of this, once and for all.

And she was worth it.