ANMELDENThe hardest part of pretending Valeria meant nothing to me was remembering not to look at her.We sat at opposite ends of the Solas table during breakfast. She discussed the upcoming assessment schedule with a mid-ranker while I reviewed Dominion's training rotations with Ronan. We were professional, focused, and entirely convincing.Two housemates with no bond between them.That was what everyone saw.Unfortunately, Maren Solace was sitting at the Moonmarked table, and she was watching us."You're doing it again," Ronan murmured beside me.I didn't lift my eyes from the schedule. "Doing what?""Pretending that something is not there.""You're supposed to be discussing training rotations with me.""I am. Your inability to look at Valeria is interfering with my concentration."I finally glanced at him. "Would you prefer I stare at her across the table?""That would be worse. Look at her twice. Naturally. Then stop. The absence of all looking is the tell."I stared at him for a moment.
"I need us to be honest about what this is."I finally managed to finish the sentence without changing my mind halfway through it.Cassian sat across from me in the Den Library, his hands resting on the table between us. We'd chosen this room because Cain had never runed its walls."All right," he said.I frowned. "That's it?""What would you prefer?""Something that suggests you understand how difficult this conversation is.""I understand.""Then perhaps you could look slightly less comfortable."He glanced down at his hands, then back at me. "Would you like me to pretend I'm uncomfortable?""No.""Good. Because I'd be terrible at it."I almost smiled, which was irritating because I was trying to be serious."What do you think this is?" he asked.I took a breath. "Something I'm choosing. Deliberately. Not because the bond requires it.""Agreed."His immediate answer unsettled me more than an argument would have.I leaned forward. "You don't have anything to add?""Would you like me
Ronan nearly fell on his back, and I laughed.He landed on his feet, staring at me as if I'd grown a second head. "What?"I lowered my training blade. "What what?""You laughed.""People do that.""Not you. Not at six in the morning. Not while we're training." He pointed his wooden sword at me. "What happened to you?""Your footwork is terrible. I found it amusing.""My footwork put you on the ground twice yesterday.""And yet here you are, struggling to keep up."Ronan narrowed his eyes before lunging at me. I blocked his strike, stepped aside, and caught his wrist. One turn later, his sword was pointed at the dirt.He looked down at it. "You're enjoying this.""Perhaps you're finally becoming entertaining.""That's it. I'm telling everyone you've been replaced by a cheerful impostor."I released him and stepped back. "You should focus on your defense.""I am focused on my defense. I'm also focused on the fact that you haven't looked like you've wanted to kill the world for three str
I woke before Cassian and reached for my suppressant compound before I did anything else.Ten doses left.I counted them twice, then set the container on the bedside table and looked across the room at him.Cassian was still asleep, one arm resting above his head. His face looked relaxed in a way I rarely saw during the day. Then the bond stirred.I went still.It felt warmer than it had yesterday. Last night, I had kissed him because I wanted to.Not because of the bond. Not because fate had decided we belonged together. I had made that choice with a clear mind, and Cassian had understood what it meant to me."Stop staring at me."I nearly knocked the suppressant container off the table.Cassian hadn't even opened his eyes."I'm not staring.""Of course not." His mouth curved. "You're conducting a security assessment.""Someone has to make sure you're not secretly dangerous while you sleep.""That's considerate of you.""Don't get used to it."He opened his eyes, and we looked at e
Eleven days.That was how long I had before the suppressant compound needed to change, before another cycle began and I had to decide what came next.The academy was quiet that night. Lyra was herself again, Cain's override had been dissolved, and Ronan had evidence that could strengthen the informal council review. We finally had something to work with.But none of it answered the question keeping me awake.What was I going to do about Cassian?I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, when the door opened. I didn't need to look to know who had entered. I recognized his footsteps, the familiar pause before he closed the door, and the quiet way he moved around the room.He set something on his desk before turning toward me.For several seconds, neither of us spoke.Then I sat up. "Eleven days.""I know.""Not because of the eleven days.""I know that too."I studied his face, searching for something I couldn't quite name. He looked tired, but his attention was entirely on me."I'm afra
The ward dissolution attempt on Lyra happened three nights after Val's conversation with her.Ronan needed time to prepare the technique. None of us knew exactly what would happen when Ronan tried to break Cain's construct, and we couldn't afford to make a mistake.We met in the herb garden at midnight. Val, me, Ronan, and Lyra, who sat in the center of Ronan's prepared ward circle.The garden was quiet, with only the rustling leaves and the occasional distant howl breaking the silence. Ronan had cleared a space between the herbs and drawn the circle himself. Small stones marked its edges, each carrying a faint magical glow.Lyra looked nervous, but she hadn't changed her mind.Val knelt beside her, holding her hand. Ronan checked the markings one last time before turning to face us."Before we begin, I need everyone to understand something," he said. "This isn't a simple cleansing. I'm dissolving a construct that has been attached to Lyra's mind. We don't know how deeply Cain embedde
The training grounds were alive with tension. Everybody seemed uneasy on the field. They were about to be introduced to something they've never undertaken so their worry was expected. But weakness was not tolerated.Dominance challenges weren’t just a tradition at Dominion Academy—they were law. I
The great hall buzzed with conversations. It seemed everybody was curious about who they were about to be sharing a room with.And from the look of things, I wasn't the only fresher. There were some people with bags. Obviously they didn't have to run away from their homes to be here.Students gathe
The night swallowed me whole.The moment my feet hit the dense forest beyond my father’s estate, I forced myself not to look back. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to put as much distance between myself and my former life as possible. But I couldn’t afford reckless speed. Not yet.I kept my st
The grand hall was suffocating.Rows of wolves in formal attire stood along the edges of the large room, their whispers moving through the air like a curse I couldn't shake. My father, Alpha Rhen, stood tall at the head of the room, his sharp gaze scanning the gathered pack members before settling







