Page 175 of Ashborne Forged

‘I promise! That isn’t what I meant! I only meant you—Voski! I only meant that you’re my One. My only one. I would give you my vow! Every one—all my pieces! My heart, my womb, everything—I give it to you, not them!’ I pressed both hands to his chest to stop him advancing—but the moment I touched him, something crackled. An electric snap that zipped through my palms, into my veins, straight to my heart, so it stopped beating… then raced forward with painful speed.

I gasped, and in the same blink, Voski’s grip on my arms tightening convulsively, and a small, broken cry tore from his throat. His eyes went round behind the black tines of his hair that had fallen over them as he shuddered and shook.

His knees gave, and he tumbled forward, throwing his arms around me.

“Voski!” I caught his weight, staggering, clawing at him—for a moment convinced his heart had given out, or I’d done something to hurt him.

But, as he pitched forward, his face landed against my neck, burrowed under my jaw. He threw his arms around me, his fingers clawing into the back of my neck, my shoulders, and his chest convulsed.

We almost fell together as he stumbled—but then he inhaled deeply, sharply, caught his own weight, and clung.

And as he clung, he began to shake.

A chill, like cold hands on the back of my neck, shuddered through me.

“Voski, what’s—”

“Wh-who t-told you?” he hissed, dropping to his knees, hands still clawing at me as if he tried to cling, but didn’t have the strength.

“Told me what? What’s happening?!”

“The v-vow… did he tell you? Did she?!”

A darkness entered his gaze that I hadn’t seen since those first days of the bond. Since his outbursts of anger and accusation, that I’d once found so confusing. But now, I thought I was beginning to understand the source of his mistrust and fear. But a vow?

“What vow?” I breathed, reaching for his face and holding up his chin as he twitched, and his eyes darted wildly, searching mine, back and forth.

“You j-just surrendered. You offered all of it. G-grace… you gave me your womb. Who t-told you about the Cruor’s b-binding?”

“No one!” I was confused. “That wasn’t a spell, Voski. I just spoke the truth. I told you, I give myself to you willingly. Everything. I’m telling you, you don’t have to worry about another vow—I’ll never vow myself to another. I’m yours. And I meant it, Voski. Please, stand up. Don’t be afraid. That wasn’t a—”

His breath stopped, and he flinched, like I’d punched him.

“Voski!” I gasped, reaching for him—but his hand shot out and caught mine, and I froze, watching, as his eyes first widened, then closed. He coughed, and mouthed something. I wanted to weep at the fear in his eyes—as if he thought he were dying. But his grip never weakened

“What is happening?” I sobbed. “Please—talk to me!”

He made a strange, hollow sound in his chest, and his lips peeled back from his teeth. His breath rushed out of him, but hissed because his jaw was clenched.

He grabbed for me, his hand clawing to the back of my head and pulling me down, down, until I dropped to my knees as well—grabbing for him, trying to make him see me, because his eyes were glazed, and hooded.

“Voski… Voski!” ‘Koa, what is happening? I don’t understand!’

My dragon chittered and shrieked, then a barrage of images overwhelmed even my sight of my tortured mate—Voski, Kham, me, and Koa. A kiss. A baby in a swaddle. Dark shadows, then sunlight in a room. First one, then the other, around and around, faster and faster, as if the sunlight chased the dark whenever it appeared.

I blinked out of the vision, gasping for air, and found myself on my knees, pressed tightly to Voski as he huffed and panted, his chest heaving under my cheek. I threw my arms around him and clung on.

‘What’s happening to you? What’s wrong?’

‘The vow.’

‘There was no vow!’

‘Your words… Grace… you vowed to me. You gave me the Cruor’s vow.’

I sucked in a breath and tried to push out of his arms, to meet his eyes, to reassure him, but he wouldn’t let me move. ‘I didn’t! Voski, I don’t know that vow and I never—’

‘You gave it in ignorance. You gave it willingly… you surrendered. Grace, the old blood is awake in you. And in me. We’re… We’re tied, now.’