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Her hands settled on my shoulders.

I kissed her again.

The chain shifted behind me but didn’t tighten.

Holding her because I wanted to felt nothing like being controlled. She told me what she wanted and left me free to choose.

Her mouth softened against mine.

I held her until we were ready to test the far end of the garden.

The collar allowed me to reach the wall beside the service passage, although the final links lifted from the path when I went farther. I stopped without letting them close against my throat.

Bryony stood near the spring. The distance pulled at the awareness between us until I could feel each beat of her pulse too clearly. She must have felt my discomfort because she came towards me at once.

“Does it hurt?” she asked.

“It presses harder when you’re far away. The chain still has more length.”

She stopped close enough to put her palm over my chest. The pressure eased again.

“Then we stay together when we can,” she said. “That isn’t a command. It’s the current practical choice.”

“I can tell the difference.”

“Good.”

I covered her hand with mine.

A harsh scrape cut across the garden.

The sound came from the service passage.

Bryony turned towards the service passage. The roses nearest its gate snapped shut, and white light flared along the metal frame.

Another scrape followed, louder than the first. A steel tool was cutting into the warded iron.

I moved in front of Bryony and let my fangs drop. “Go back for the sword.”

She stepped to my side instead. “Who is it?”

The gate shuddered as the blade outside cut into it again.

Someone was breaking into the lower court.

24

BRYONY

The service gate shook again, and a thin split appeared beside the lock.

White light filled the gap. A metal blade pushed through from the other side, withdrew and struck lower. Each blow cut farther into the frame.

Stellan moved between me and the gate. The last chain slid after him until the links nearest his collar began to lift from the path.

“The sword is on the bed,” I said.

“Get it and come straight back. The royal ward is still holding.”