Rykr cleared his throat. “So, you’re saying that if I go back to Pendara and someone figures this out … they could kill Seren in order to kill me?”
“Yes.”
“Fantastic.” Rykr narrowed his gaze at me.
“Your thoughts should not be on escape, but on how to survive the Skorn trial. You’ll both have to live, and if one of you is wounded, the other will feel it. That could cost you your victory.”
Dammit. The trial had been deadly enough without the added burden of feeling each other’s injuries.
Mother placed a bandage on his back and I gritted out, “Can the bond be broken?”
Mother’s normally steady hands faltered. “It’s beyond my knowledge.”
“Of course,” Rykr breathed.
I closed my eyes, trying to process my mother’s words. Her books hadn’t said anything about this being irreversible. Nearly all magic could be reversed.
What in Nyxva did I do?
“Is there anyone who knows how to break it?” My voice was quiet, uncertainty threading through my words.
“I don’t know. I’ve combed through all my books. The difficulty of the ancient oaths is that the gods and goddesses no longer intervene. Perhaps in another time, a human might have traveled to Eldris, the land of the Eldra gods, or Alvareth, the fae lands where Bryndis ruled, but now … those paths are closed to us. The Mathema in Doba might have ancient texts, or perhaps the High Magister in Ibarra may know.”
Places I couldn’t go. People I couldn’t speak to.
My arms folded around my stomach, sickness churning in my belly. “I need a few minutes. I’m going to wash.”
Fetching a few things from my trunk, I tried not to react to each burst of pain that surfaced as my mother bandaged Rykr.
I left the tent, but my mother followed close on my heels. “Seren, wait. Try not to worry. Given what he did for you at the council meeting, Rykr may not be an evil man.”
Easy enough for her to say. I kept my retort to myself. “I didn’t know how else to save him, Mother.”
“I know.” Mother kissed my cheek. “But you must guard yourself around him. Closely. Use only your mind. Let nothing else guide you, including your heart. Your body will yearn for his—that’s its nature. And Rykr is an attractive man. Be careful.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “I get it.”
“I don’t think you do.” Mother’s face darkened. “Don’t consummate this marriage. Rykr is powerful. Too powerful to be tied to you through magic alone.”
“I can handle myself,” I muttered, wishing she’d stop talking.
“Powerful men always believe they’re in control. But women can learn the art of wielding control with such men in ways they don’t suspect. Be careful, Seren. Bonds can be tricky to manage with someone like him. You’ll want to be his lover, but you must resist?—”
“Mother, please.” I stepped away. “I may not have your skill, but I’m hardly a child without training. Father and you taught me well.”
Mother’s chin ducked with resignation. But I also saw grief. Grief for losing one of her children. Fear for me. “Powerful, ancient magic is no trifle. You don’t know what you’re up against. And the Skorn trial is meant to be impossible. If your father were here, he might be able to help you prepare for it. As it is, you’ll need to begin training immediately. I can’t lose you, too.”
I left her, my frustrations mounting.
I can’t lose you, too.
Her words echoed in my mind, looping over and over.
I’d been fighting for my life since the moment that vuk attacked. Now all my hope hinged on surviving a trial meant to kill me … and working with a man who shared my distrust.
He didn’t have to like me. Didn’t have to trust me. But he needed me to survive as much as I needed him. Convincing him to work with me might be as simple as finding leverage.
If I could keep him close, perhaps I could learn more about what brought him here—and what he’s hiding. Maybe then, I could find a way to use that to get him to cooperate. If I was going to survive this mess, I’d need to find Rykr’s weaknesses before anyone else did.
