AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Or your true father’s name. Gorlois Le Fay.”
Morgan Le Fay. It sounded even more wrong than Morgan Venator to me.
“How did your mother do it?” Draven asked suddenly. “Youaren’tone hundred and fifty years old. That much is clear, even if you were born then. So how did she do it?”
I gave a sardonic chuckle. “Stop time? You mean that isn’t a common Siabra power?”
Draven’s lips turned up in a wry smile. “Not that I’ve ever heard. Though I’m sure there are many who would envy such an ability.”
“I don’t know how she did it,” I said truthfully. “Not exactly. But I know...” Should I tell him? “I think it involved an arch.”
“An arch?” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Incredible.”
“Does the court have more shielders?” I changed the subject abruptly. “Why weren’t they up there, with Beks and Javer?”
“Sephone has two in reserve. They manage the wards on the palace. Perhaps they were trying to repair them when...” His voice drifted off.
“Sephone,” I said bitterly. “At least she won’t be in charge much longer.”
“Does that mean...” Draven began.
“No. I’m not doing it, Draven. Dream or no dream. I don’t know what crown you saw on my head but no one is placing one there.”
“Youareour empress. With or without the crown, Morgan. Make no mistake.”
“No, it’s you who has made the mistake. And now you’re going to stay here and fix it. You should be ruling this people. You never should have left them in the first place. Someone needs to clean up this mess. All of it. Your palace is in shambles. The people in the city are scared. You’ve just been attacked by a group of Valtain hunters. Your sister is gone. Rychel gave them the grail. You have a lot of problems to deal with.” I stepped forward, jabbing him in the chest with my finger, claw and all. “You. Not me.”
I looked up at him. Memorizing every detail, as if it wasn’t already embedded in my brain. Then I turned and started walking across the white marbled rotunda.
“We’re bonded, Morgan. I know you hate that, but it’s a fact.”
“What happens if we’re separated?”
“Separated?”
“What happens if we’re not near one another?”
“You’ll still feel the bond. At first, the tether was weak. But you’ve already glimpsed how strong it can be. Our powers are shared somehow.”
“Yes, you took advantage of that nicely with the harpies.”
“As did you,” he pointed out. “When you climbed that wall. And every time you dream.”
“I’m stuck with you. Got it.” Stuck with him inside me. Always. And me in him. “So we won’t die if we’re not together or anything like that?”
“No, we won’t, though it could grow... painful. Why do you ask?”
“Because I’m leaving.” I paused. “I don’t know what this could have been. Whatever this was between us.” My eyes locked with his. There was a lump in my throat. I choked it down. “But doing what you did? It ruined it, Draven. We may be bound to one another. And yes, you may have saved my life. Forgive me if I can’t say I’m completely grateful. But if you saved my life, you also destroyed my trust. This isn’t a marriage. I’m not a Siabra.”
“I would never want you to be.” He took a step forward. “Morgan, please. Just wait. Just listen. Give me more time.”
I held up a hand. “Stop. Please. Just stop.”
A whirlwind of emotions was descending upon me. This was harder than I'd thought it would be.
Grief weighed upon my heart. Grief for Beks, yes. But also, grief for the shattered trust between Draven and I.
I fuckingneededhim. I needed him more than I could ever say. It had been so long since we had been apart, I wasn’t sure I could be without him.
