Page 30 of Infernal Bonds

Rae glanced at me.

“No. I wonder how she feels about your pact. Do you know they are soul-bonded?”

I swallowed, rubbing the pads of my thumb and forefinger together at my side. I didn’t like the direction this conversation was heading.

“A Phalinos Pact?”

“Oh?” Cornaith sat back, stroking his goatee. “You know then. And do you accept this?”

We’d let Rae know Lymsrana had told the council we’d formed a Phalinos Pact, binding our souls together while stranded in Moicae to save Cyn’s life. She’d used it to excuse our unnatural closeness to one another when Cornaith started showing his disapproval.

I didn’t know why she’d made up the excuse so that we could keep our friendship. I wondered if she would have done it if she’d known just what I really felt for her son.

Rae looked from me to Cyn. “Of course.”

She didn’t elaborate, and Cornaith didn’t look happy about it. Ezra had advised her against speaking more than was strictly necessary to his father. Something we’d all learned the hard way.

“Still. I expect compliance,” Cornaith said with a sneer. “Last year we attempted to encourage them to mingle with eligible women from the far reaches of Elyrdin in hopes they’d find their Nyrith, but they stayed glued to one another the entire night instead.”

Ezra cleared his throat, drawing Cornaith’s attention away from us. “I will make sure our guests receive adequate attention that meets the standards of the council.”

“See that you do.” Cornaith stood. “If you humiliate your Nyrith and this council while more eyes are watching than ever before, expect the consequences to be swift and proportional.”

I took a long breath through my nose and held it, puffing my chest out. I couldn’t break down here, not in front of him.

Cornaith descended the steps and stopped in front of me, his cold eyes meeting mine. His nose wrinkled before he turned and walked away.

I jerked when slender fingers slid into my palm, loosening the tight grip of my fist. Rae took my hand in hers and squeezed as Ezra’s parents left the room.

Only when the heavy doors slammed and the sound echoed through the room did I breathe again.

Rae looked from the door to me. “Are you okay?”

Cyn turned to me and pulled me into a hug, pressing my face into his neck where the scent of his skin soothed me.

Ash rolled his shoulders and closed the distance to Rae, putting his arm over her shoulders. “He’ll be okay. This is why we told you we try to avoid him being around Cornaith if at all possible.”

“It isn’t always like this,” Ezra said.

I stepped back from Cyn. “It really isn’t. He’s not always throwing his weight around, but when he wants something…” I shrugged.

“I still don’t understand why he seems to target you,” Rae said.

“He’s been on Zeke’s ass since he was a child because of his powers,” Cyn said.

Rae looked at me.

“He wants to keep Zeke under his control,” Ezra said. “Unfortunately, he believes he needs to resort to unorthodox methods to do so.”

I needed to tell her.

If I ever expected to have anything with her, she needed to know where I came from—that I was broken.

I sat down on the steps and dragged both hands over my face. “Sit down.”

“Zeke, you don’t have to—”

“No, Cyn. She needs to know. She’s my mate.”