Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 702(@200wpm)___ 562(@250wpm)___ 468(@300wpm)
I flinch when he touches my shoulders, because he deserves so much more than what I, the last disgraced blood the Goldweeds, can offer. But then he’s close, pushing his chest against my face, and I cannot deny myself the comfort of his presence. That new note in his scent—like hot rock and fresh air—soothes my tattered soul, and I let him cradle me.
His heart beats even faster than mine, and I relish its comforting rhythm, which is already so familiar, even though we made the shadow bond only three days back. I jerk my head up, staring into the pots of black his eyes have become, and relief loosens some of the knots inside me. I feared our bond would be gone along with his shadow, but I still feel his presence at the core of my being.
I don’t know how, and I don’t even know if it’s a good thing, but I still grab onto it like a lifeline. Its presence means I can never have another Dark Companion, and I will never know power again, but I won’t say it out loud to avoid hurting Hawk again. He is my forever Companion for better or worse, and the only way our bond can be severed is through death.
“Don’t say such bad things about yourself,” Hawk tells me in a tight voice. His palms slide up my neck and clasp my face in a tender gesture.
I shake my head, but look into his eyes, no longer ashamed of my tears. “It’s true, and I have never been one to deny reality. You are bound to an elf of very little value, and because of the mask, you will have a target on your back. You could have gone to Canada and started a new life, but I dragged you here.”
I mourn the loss of his deep green eyes too, but his face remains expressive, twisting into a scowl as he gives me a gentle shake. “That’s for me to decide, isn’t it? I did not get together with you because you’re a prince. You’re still the same guy.”
I shrug, then wince in pain. At least the physical discomfort is there to distract me from the hole in my heart. “I just don’t have much to offer you now. I promised you a place at court, protection, and position. I can provide none of that as a vagrant with barely any shadow.”
Hawk rubs his face with his injured hand and laughs. “Well, at least now I won’t feel guilty over being wanted myself. We’re officially in the same boat. And, by the way, you’re still much smarter and more knowledgeable about this world than I could ever be. Your value to me isn’t in what you can provide.”
I remember the marroweed flowers and pull them out of my bag. “At least we can heal your finger now.”
Hawk shakes his head. “No, we should start with your shoulder. If there’s any of that flower left, we’ll use it on my finger, but you are my lifeline here, and you need to be okay.”
With Hawk’s help, I take off my shirt and jacket. I can’t believe I got married in those just days ago.
“You now hold the power of the Sunwolf,” I say. “I am a burden with a bit of useful knowledge and barely any survival skills.” Still, I gently tug on our bond, hoping he can sense it too. It’s still like a thread of my darkness, but now, in some mystical way, instead of being tied to his shadow, it feels attached to his very soul.
Hawk lets out a wolflike huff and rubs his cheek against mine. “I wouldn’t have that power if it wasn’t for you. Hell, if it wasn’t for you, I’d either be rotting in a cell by now, or dead! It doesn’t matter to me at all that you don’t have much shadow magic, or that you no longer are someone at court. Your family’s taught you to hate yourself, and I will make you unlearn it,” he says, stroking my cheeks with both his thumbs, as if he’s trying to wipe away all my worries. “I knew I wanted you the moment I saw you, and the more I knew you, the more urgent the need to stay together became. You’re smart, and different, and speak so beautifully I can just listen for hours. You’re so strong but also so gentle. You’re sweet, even if you don’t want people to know. You’re funny, and brave, and so determined. You chose me. No one’s ever chosen me. When I’m with you, everything seems so fucking bright, even when there’s no light. I never want to lose that.”
It’s as if he’s sending heartbeats down our bond so I can feel just how much he means it. I’ve never been this soothed. Not even as a baby.