Page 21 of Blood Ties

Stellan’s gaze lifted to mine. He’d felt the response.

“Don’t say anything,” I warned.

“I value my remaining dignity.”

“That makes one of us.”

The corner of his mouth lifted, then pain pulled it tight again. The chain around his waist shortened another inch and forced him forwards.

I felt the pressure through the bond. Iron dug into my own wrists for one sharp second, although nothing touched them.

“How do I stop that?”

“You don’t. Harrowmere wants me down while its heir stands inside the cage.”

“I’m not standing over anyone.”

I lowered myself to sit against the wall, keeping the torch and the sealed gate within reach. The change put us closer to eye level without putting me closer to him.

The chain at his waist loosened.

Stellan looked at it, then at me. “Apparently that satisfied it.”

“Good. The haunted house and I have reached our first compromise.”

He shifted back onto one hip. His right arm trembled as he eased the twisted cuff. I felt the drag of metal against damaged skin again and rubbed my wrist.

“Can we stop sharing that part?” I asked.

“I’d stop feeling it myself if I knew how.”

The answer had no joke in it. I watched him breathe through the pain until the bond settled.

“Tell me what happens if we wait here for the people who know my location,” I said. “Give me the practical version.”

“They can enter the house, but they won’t find the stairs unless Harrowmere shows them. The court opened for your blood and sealed itself after you crossed the gate. It will keep us here while the Crown waits for you to claim it. The chains will continue tightening whenever the room thinks I’m resisting, and the bond will keep passing my hunger to you. Waiting gives the house more time to wear us down.”

“Then I collect Edith’s case, use whatever she left inside it to open the gate and take the stairs back up. You stay chained until I know freeing you helps with that plan.”

“That’s sensible. One problem remains. The gate needs the old key and the mark of the Blood King at the same time. I can’t reach the seal with both wrists fixed to the dais.”

I looked at the six separate restraints holding him. “So you need one hand. You can explain why after I have the case and you’ve stopped looking at my bandage like it contains fucking dinner.”

He turned his head farther away. “It does contain dinner. I’m agreeing not to treat it that way.”

The court stayed quiet around us. Red lamps burned along the pillars. The dark crown waited above the throne, and Edith’s metal case sat on its low plinth several metres away.

I needed the case. Reaching it meant crossing the room.

“Show me exactly how far the chains let you move.”

Stellan looked at the blood on my bandaged hand. “That demonstration may encourage them to change the answer.”

“Then move slowly. I’m not coming closer until I know the limit.”

He planted one foot and rose with surprising balance despite all the iron attached to him. He unfolded to his full height, at least a head taller than me, and the muscles across his stomach tightened as he tested his footing.

The bond passed a pulse of hunger and something warmer straight through me.