SERAPHINA’S POV
The words slipped from my lips with surprising ease, despite the heaviness they bore.
They didn’t tremble or catch in my throat. Instead, they settled between us with a gentle finality that surprised even me.
“I can’t accept the bond.”
Kieran didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Didn’t breathe. It was as if his body had locked itself in place to keep something inside him from shattering outward.
Ashar stirred—a low, dissonant ripple that brushed the edges of my awareness before retreating, wounded but restrained.
The café noise rushed back in around us. Cups clinked. Laughter rang out too loud nearby. The espresso machine hissed like nothing monumental had just happened.
Kieran’s gaze stayed on mine, and the sight of his pupils made my breath hitch.
They were dilated, blown wide in a way he couldn’t hide. His breath turned shallow as if the air in the café had thinned.
I braced myself.
