Page 291 of Blade of the Nightking

Saskia gave a single nod. "We'll remain with you as long as we can."

Rìan inclined his head. "Thank you."

The Bone Mother accepted the gratitude with a small nod. Saskia rose from her side, gathering the empty bowls before carrying them away.

For a long moment, the Bone Mother simply watched the two of us, her expression unreadable.

“A powerful union,” she said at last. “An Eidra and a Dreamwalker—united against the Fae. You will change the course of history.”

I felt my heart twist.

We'd never intended to stand together against Elantis. I'd never intended to stand beside the Dark Prince at all. Everything I'd done had been to get Aedric back. But now I didn't know if I could ever side with the Fae again.

Everything I'd believed had shattered. Calantha was cruel beyond measure. Thalassis was a scheming, power-hungry bastard. Almost every Fae I'd encountered had possessed a darkness I'd failed to see at first. Hamish had seemed good—but it seemed I was a poor judge of character.

Because I'd trusted Aedric. Trusted him above every other living soul. I'd given myself to him—body, mind and spirit—and chosen him as my mate, all upon a carefully woven web of lies.

I felt as though I were drowning. The harder I fought to find solid ground, the deeper I sank.

I glanced sideways at Rìan. He watched the dancers in silence, his expression drawn, one hand in his pocket, his fingers absently turning something over inside it.

Our bond had become a familiar presence inside me. Constant. Comforting. Somewhere along the way, I had stopped fighting the thread between us and begun to cradle it instead. What had once felt like a chain now felt like a part of me.

But soon the bond would be broken. No thread tying us together.

The thought was suddenly unbearable.

It had been easier when I hated him. Easier when the bond was something I wanted gone, when Rìan was a monster I could blame for every terrible thing that had happened to me. But I didn't hate him anymore. Gods, I didn't hate him at all. And now the thought of severing that last tether between us felt less like freedom and more like⁠—

I couldn't finish the thought. Couldn't sit here beside him and pretend the very thing I'd fought so hard for wasn't suddenly terrifying me.

I set my bowl aside and rose too quickly. “Excuse me.” I turned—and nearly collided with Saskia.

"Come! Dance!" She tugged me toward the nearest bonfire.

I slipped gently from her grasp. "I'm afraid I'm too tired."

Saskia looked ready to insist, but the Bone Mother intervened.

“Let her go, Saskia.” The Bone Mother inhaled another fingernailful of powder. “The road ahead will be hard, and she’s already weary from her travels.”

Saskia clapped me on the shoulder and turned back to the fire.

“Thank you for the feast,” I dipped my chin quickly, avoiding Rìan’s stare. The Bone Mother nodded and waved.

I turned and walked away. I didn't look back, but I could feel his gaze burning between my shoulder blades.

I wove between the smaller fires, ducking around clusters of dancers. Grinning skulls spun past me, bone ornaments clacking with every step. Someone looped a necklace of large, lumpy ivory beads over my head. A woman beckoned me toward the circle.

I quickened my pace.

My thoughts circled endlessly around what was to come.

When our bond was broken, I would go back. Of course I would. Where else could I go?

I reached for Aedric in my mind, trying to remember the familiar lines of his face, the feel of his golden hair slipping through my fingers, details of the male I'd loved so fiercely.

Another face answered instead.