The sun was low, casting long shadows across the training grounds. My hands itched to scrub the stone floors, to disappear, to be anywhere else. But the bond pulsed, constant, and inescapable, like a drumbeat in my chest.
I rounded a corner and froze.
Kael. Towering, rigid, practicing with his warriors. His movements were sharp, precise, terrifying. He moved like the world obeyed his commands—or feared them. My stomach clenched. I didn't mean to watch, but… curiosity got the better of me.
A trainee laughed, tossing a practice dagger carelessly. "Watch it, servant," he sneered. "Don't trip on your own feet."
Heat surged through me, equal parts fury and panic. I clenched my fists so tight my nails bit into my palms. The bond throbbed.
The trainee lunged forward, showing off in front of Kael. I didn't think. My body moved before my brain could protest. A wave of golden energy shot from my hands. It hit the dagger midair, sending it skittering across the ground.
The entire training ground froze. Gasps echoed. Warriors froze mid-step. Even Kael paused, his eyes widening.
I sank to my knees, heart hammering. No, no, no. This isn't happening. I can't control it.
Kael's gaze was sharp, piercing. Not just shock—something else. Fascination? Concern? I couldn't tell.
"You'll need control," he said, his voice low, almost a growl. "Or someone will get hurt."
I swallowed hard. "I… I don't know how."
He took a step closer. Every movement radiated authority, but not cruelty. Not entirely. "Then you'll learn. Quickly."
I looked away, cheeks burning. The golden glow around my hands dimmed but didn't vanish. My pulse raced. I wanted to shrink, hide, disappear. Yet beneath the fear, a spark of something stubborn, dangerous, alive stirred.
Lyra appeared from behind a row of warriors, smirking. "Looks like the servant can do more than sweep floors. Surprising."
I shot her a glare but said nothing. My hands trembled, my chest still pounding, and the bond throbbed between me and Kael, relentless.
He didn't speak to her. He didn't need to. The way he looked at me—calculating, sharp, measuring—told everyone he had noticed, and that he wasn't amused by her mockery.
I wanted to hate him. I wanted to curse him for noticing me, for pulling me out of invisibility. Instead, I clenched my fists, promising silently: If this power is mine, I will master it. And I will survive.
The sun dipped lower, shadows stretching across the grounds. Kael's eyes didn't leave me, and somewhere in that silent scrutiny, I realized the bond wasn't just a curse—it was a challenge.
And I wasn't going to back down.