Chapter 5

For the next week, my comm feed was flooded with rumors.

Livia’s social media was on fire.

A picture of her lying in bed at the luxury Seattle estate, Darius sitting beside her, feeding her his own blood from his wrist.

A picture of her undergoing a strengthening rite in a blood pool, Darius at the edge, watching over her with a focused gaze.

A picture of her during a bond-strength test, Darius holding her hand tightly.

And the captions, dripping with false sweetness: “My Darius takes such good care of me. I’ve never felt safer.”

I didn’t need to read the comments.

“The Prince is so good to her.”

“This is what eternal mates look like.”

“Where’s Isolde? We never see her.”

“I heard she’s busy with her career.”

I turned off the comm and went back to packing.

On the third day, I drove to my parents’ estate.

“Isolde?” my mother said, surprised, as she opened the door. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you both.”

In the living room, my father put down his ancient tome and looked at me.

“What is it?”

“I’m going to Europe.”

“For a trip?”

“For work. The Vienna Coven Academy invited me to join a research project.” I took a deep breath. “I might be gone for a long time.”

My mother’s face fell. “What about your ceremony?”

“It’s been postponed.”

“Postponed?” My father frowned. “Why?”

“Darius has some things to take care of,” I said, feigning calm. “We decided it would be better to hold it later.”

My parents exchanged a look.

“Isolde.” My mother’s voice was gentle, but her grip on my hand was firm. “We’ve known you for five hundred years. Don’t lie to us. We can see the fracture in your soul from here. Tell us what he did.”

I closed my eyes. “It’s nothing, Mother. I just want to learn more while I’m still young.”

“Does Darius approve?”

“He’s very supportive of my career.”

Another lie.

My father was silent for a long time before finally nodding. “If it’s for your career, we support you.”

“But you must stay in touch,” my mother said, her eyes glistening with tears. “And take care of yourself.”

After leaving my parents’ house, I sent a message to Chloe.

“Can you help me pack?”

An hour later, Chloe appeared at the door to my chambers.

“Gods, what happened here?” she asked, staring at the empty living room.

“I’m moving.”

“Moving where?”

“Austria.”

Chloe sat on the sofa, studying my face. “Okay. Now tell me the truth. What the hell happened?”

I told her everything.

From Darius’s demand to forge the bond, to the defiled sacred sigil, to the cancelled Crimson Fountain rite.

When I finished, the room was dead silent.

Chloe’s face grew darker and darker.

“That bastard!” she suddenly exploded. “How could he do this to you?”

“He has his reasons.”

“What reasons? A life debt?” Chloe shot to her feet and began to pace. “Even if he owes her his life, he has no right to trample all over you like this!”

“Chloe—”

“No, I won’t accept this!” she whirled to face me, her eyes burning. “Five years ago, on the night of the Blood Moon, you reversed your own life force—nearly burned your soul to ash to save him from a hunter’s blade! And he has the audacity to forget that, all for her supposed ‘favor’?”

I turned my face away and said nothing.