My heart stopped.
The breath fell from my lips in utter disbelief.
The world shattered around me into pieces.
You were in pain.
Emotions flitting around.
Then back even further.
I felt your pain.
And in that moment, time stood still as all the pieces clicked together, confirmed when he said the last words I expected him to.
“Don’t even think about lying to me. I felt every second of it.”
Felt. Felt. Felt . . .
My gaze dropped to my left wrist as I studied the starbound mark in gold ink on my skin. Three interconnected triangles.
Flashes of memories raced through my mind as I continued staring at the mark on my wrist.
Callum at Brumalis when he said he’dfeltmy pain.
Callum, later that same night, wincing when I’d had an episode outside the court.
Callum, racing into my living room late at night when I’d gotten a nosebleed.
He’dknown. . . every single time I’d been in pain. Every single time he’d shown up for me. He had comforted me and knew what I had needed at that moment.
He.
Had.
Known.
He had been there for me.
He had helped me through the pain.
And he didn’t tell me.
He hadn’t told me that we werestarbound.
“Raelyna Kingsley.” Blackwood’s voice tugged me out of my memories, and I finally deigned to speak.
“I had another episode, that’s all. I’m fine now.” I could almost imagine him pacing the floor in worry, yet my anger spiked as I thought about how heknewwe were starbound and never once said anything to me.
“Are you any closer to figuring out how to free the markings?” he inquired, seriousness lacing his tone.
“I’ve finally got the pieces together,” I replied, my voice devoid of emotion. I took a deep breath, counting to four as I slowly exhaled, trying in vain to calm my heartbeat as I waited for the male—my starboundmate—to reply.
“You’ve figured it out?” he questioned, his words sharp. “That episode . . . it was worse than before. Did the markings break free?”
Markings. Plural. Because once again . . . he knew what would emerge.
“Yes,” I replied. “But that’s not what I want to talk about right now. There’s so much going on here . . . I’m worried about my sister. I need to get her out of the temples,” I confessed.
