Page 16 of Salt Between the Wolves

This was exactly why he had kept his distance after the ravine.

Why he had avoided being alone with her whenever possible.

Every encounter seemed to strengthen the bond rather than weaken it. Proximity sharpened awareness, and awareness fed instinct until ordinary moments began carrying more weight than they should have.

Tonight, that loss of balance had nearly become visible to everyone.

The memory of Riven kneeling in the dirt while Soren advanced anyway settled heavily in his chest.

He swore quietly and reached for his cloak before fully realizing what he was doing.

The movement stopped halfway.

For several seconds he stood motionless, staring at his hand wrapped around the dark fabric.

He knew exactly where he wanted to go.

The realization settled heavily. Distance had been his answer for weeks, the one boundary that still allowed him to believe he had some control over what was happening between them.

Soren released the cloak and stepped back.

The bond stirred anyway.

The pull beneath his ribs was quiet and familiar, so woven into his thoughts now that he could no longer tell where one ended and the other began. He could feel her somewhere deeper inside the fortress, still awake, and the simple awareness tightened something low in his chest.

Soren closed his eyes briefly.

When he opened them again, he reached for the cloak anyway.

The corridor outside her chambers stood empty beneath the dim torchlight.

By the time he reached the door, snow had already melted from his shoulders and dampened the edges of his dark hair, though the cold still clung faintly to his skin beneath the heavier heat gathering under it.

For several seconds he simply stood there.

He had come without deciding what he intended to say. Realizing that should have been enough to make him turn around and leave.

Instead, he lifted a hand and knocked once against the wood.

Silence stretched in the corridor before footsteps sounded on the other side.

The door opened. Eira stopped when she saw him. Neither of them spoke.

The room behind her glowed softly with firelight, warm enough to catch gold against the loose strands of pale hair falling over one shoulder. She had already changed for the night, dressed simply now, without the heavier outer layers she usually wore through the fortress.

The sight of her like that — unguarded, unwaiting — struck through him with dangerous immediacy.

Surprise flickered briefly across her face before caution settled over it.

“You’re here,” she said quietly.

The words held neither accusation nor disbelief, only something softer that tightened unexpectedly in his chest.

Soren’s throat tightened unexpectedly.

He had come to say something precise. Necessary. Controlled.

Standing there now, he could barely remember what it had been.