Moonbound: The Rejected Healer

de had teeth tonight, ripping across the valley with a rage that felt almost sentient, as if the heavens themselves were fu

dn't

ods arguing in tongues, but it could

ject

t. Sharp. Final. And yet, every time he replayed them, they landed like a blow to his gut. At the

nce the moment he'd poured it. A poor man's apology. His hands still bore the stains of battle, no longer from blood, but fr

knees, hands clasped before him like a man i

e unra

like dusk chasing the sun. Fa

p. "Was I ever who

lence. The old warrior moved like smoke and steel, quiet, but never soft. His hair was silver now, bound

said, glancing at the untouch

idn't

the corner. He dropped in another log with a practiced motion,

l murmured, voice barely more than

rp green eyes aglow in the f

torn her apart. Blamed her for the sickness. Called her a curse. They

s. "And your rejecti

hair screeching behind him as it toppled. He

cracked. "You think it didn't tear so

softly. "I thin

uld've been a target. The bond would've marked her. My enemies

ed him. "Rejecting her didn't change that

wallowed

into fists at his sides. "You think I don'

He didn't need to. T

eath the archway of the keep, the world shaking around him. The rogue faction had come in whispers and then in steel

Kael in her

the Nightfang amulet to his che

for you next. You

e way his father had torn through walls trying to get to her, only to lose his mind in the bond's fury when s

ecy had b

th his mate shall lo

had com

uttered, eyes hollow. "They had to put him down l

"Yes. But you are

voice crackin

ond consume him. You, you're le

as brittle. Like a thread s

snow. In moonlight. I knew what she'd smell like. How her voice would sound. And when I finally

Ryven said, the quiet edg

. "Because I woul

by fate. You didn't ruin

eeper than

isper. "You think she

r, rough, calloused, grounding. "S

ce in his expression. No pride. Just a man

ll ha

sho

t carry malice.

yven added. "Not when love

The fire cracked.

s, and she will, it won't be the healer you cast aside. It'll be the

gone, swallowed

g around him. The storm outside was n

, Kael wished, truly, deeply wishe