AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I almost bolt for Sammael. He was right when he told me that the mate sickness would go away completely once we were bonded so it’s not a need to rub myself all over him like a cat in heat that has me drawn to my mate. It’s knowing that that’s exactly what he is… that we’re fated for each other… that has me eager to hold him, to hug him, to touch him again and prove that he’s real.
Two things stop me.
First?
I went through hell—literally—to get this flower for Duke Haures. If I smoosh it because I hugged Sammael and the flower got caught between us, I’ll never forgive myself.
And the second?
The glowering shadowy figure with the narrowed green eyes who has his wispy black claws digging into Sammael’s shoulder warns me with just a glance against coming any closer to my mate.
I remember him. Green eyes. I didn’t get that good of a look at him when it was Loki who had most of my attention in my bedroom, but those green eyes… I haven’t forgotten them.
He’s the soldier that ordered Loki to put Sammael in chains. Glaine, I think he’s called. Me, personally, I’d prefer ‘Asshole’, but I’m pretty sure his name was Glaine—and he’s still standing guard over Sammael.
Everything from his stance to his expression makes it obvious. If I try to go near Sammael, he’ll stop me.
So I don’t. For now, I stay where I am, protecting the flower in my arms.
The last thing I need is to have made it this far only for the ashbalm flower to become a casualty now.
As though Duke Haures knows exactly what I’m thinking—and, honestly, hemight—he clicks his claws together. “Good. You’ve returned, and so quickly, too. Now bring me the ashbalm.”
Gladly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice that Sammael is watching me unblinkingly as I tiptoe my way across the floor. Again, I’m holding my breath, and I force myself to keep my gaze forward so that I don’t trip or something at the last moment.
As soon as the duke uses his claws to snag the flower, I allow myself to exhale before I scurry back to where I was standing by Loki.
There. I have no idea why he needed me to get it, but I did—and now I want Smmael freed.
Again, Duke Haures proves that he must be some kind of mindreader because he tilts the ashbalm flower in my direction before I can ask about Sammael’s chains. “Do you know why I had you retrieve this?”
No. I don’t. Know why? Because the duke didn’t tell me. All he said was that, if I wanted to see Sammael again, I had to bring him this stupid flower. I did it, Sammael is right there, and I’m ready for the two of us to go home and pretend none of this happened.
Hey. If Shannon and Malphas can make it work, living in the human world without anyone finding out about him, why can’t me and Sammael? I have a house of my own without any roommates, and if Johanna comes by unannounced and sees him, I already know he can justpoofhis existence out of her brain.
Too bad it doesn’t seem like a quick escape is like. Not until Duke Haures is willing to release Sammael and send us on our merry way.
He’s watching me, waiting for my answer. Since I can’t do anything else, I shake my head.
The duke searches out Sammael. “What of you, my mage? What do you know of the ashbalm flower?”
Sammael gulps. “Only that it blooms for those in need of it. I learned of it at the School of Mages. It’s the only substance in all of Sombra that can interfere with a mate bond.”
Itwhat?
I didn’t know that. How could I? When Duke Haures asked me how far I was willing to go for Sammael, I thought getting the ashbalm flower was some kind of weird test.
But if it only blooms for those in need… well, that explains why it smelled like Mom’s chocolate chip cookies. The ashbalm flower really was meant for me, but what about our mate bond? And what do they mean, ‘interfere’?
“Exactly,” agrees the duke. “And the only one that can use its magic is a bondmaster. Someone who can sense bonds—and someone who canbreakthem.”
Sammael’s forehead furrows, the ridges on his brow standing out. “There hasn’t been a bondmaster in Sombra in millennia. Definitely not during my existense.”
“And that just goes to show that the professors don’t teach their pupils everything in the School of Mages, do they? Because if course there’s been a single bandmaster all along. How else would a demon like me take over the capital?” He grins, showing off his sharp tusk-like fangs. “There are worse fates than being banished to the shadows. Sometimes, just knowing it’s possible is enough to keep an entire realm in line.”
Oh my… oh myGod. Unless I’m wrong, the demon duke is basically admitting that one of the ways he tortures demons who rise up against him is by threatening to take their bonded mates from them.
