All Chapters of Bound by Darkness: Shadowborn: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

The Mistress’s POVThe portal closed behind me in a whisper of light, leaving the echo of its magic humming faintly in my veins. The scent of the training grounds still clung to me — sweat, steel, and that faint trace of Therrin’s magic that had lingered in the air after her first session. My lips curved into a slow smile. It had been… illuminating.The girl was raw power, unshaped and untamed, but she had the instincts of a predator. Even now, hours after the exercises had ended, I could still see her stance in my mind, the way her fingers flexed on her weapon as though she had held it a thousand times before. She was dangerous, yes, but only to those who could not bend her will. And I had no intention of being one of them.No, I would make her my most obedient piece.The branding between us pulsed faintly beneath my robes, that quiet, invisible tether that tied her life to my command. It was a delicate thread now, but I would weave it into a cha

Therrin’s POV The cabin was quiet except for the steady crackle of the fireplace, each pop of flame resonating through the wooden walls like a heartbeat. Outside, the night pressed in, dark and hushed, with only the whisper of wind through the trees to break the silence. Inside, warmth radiated from the fire, curling around me, but it was Ciaran’s presence that anchored me more than anything else. I sat close to him on the thick, woven rug, knees brushing against his, the faintest spark of heat passing through that simple contact. The way he watched me, with those dark, searching eyes, made the air feel heavier, as though every sound, every movement, carried weight. I could feel my pulse in my throat, a rapid drumbeat that seemed to echo his own steady rhythm. Ciaran reached out slowly, his hand brushing against mine, tentative at first. The touch was gentle, deliberate, a tether that pulled me closer without demanding anything. A shiv

Therrin’s POVThe woods were quiet, the fading light of twilight spilling through the branches in fractured shafts, painting the forest floor in mottled gold and gray. I had deliberately come here alone, seeking space where the Mistress’s influence could not crowd me—though, in truth, her lessons lingered, wrapped around my senses like smoke. My palms still tingled faintly from the previous day’s training, the heat of exertion simmering under my skin, and I felt my chest rise and fall in a rhythm dictated as much by anticipation as by exhaustion.I crouched low, feeling the earth beneath my fingertips, grounding myself. The shadows between the trees beckoned, and I responded, whispering the incantations the Mistress had drilled into me. My magic flowed reluctantly at first, hesitant, like a wild river trying to find its course. And yet, the deeper I reached into myself, the more alive it felt—curling along my veins, searing and soothing in equal measure, demanding

Ciaran's POV The forest was quieter now. Not just in the absence of sound, but in energy. With Dion gone and his bond with Therrin severed, the air no longer trembled with tension whenever Ciaran was near. Still, that didn't mean it was calm. Not exactly. Therrin moved differently now. She was still fierce, still sharp as broken glass in the moonlight, but there was a new weight to her steps—something hidden beneath her skin. She'd return from short walks alone, claiming she needed air, but Ciaran could feel it. Something was changing inside her. And yet, despite the pulse of shadow magic he sometimes caught lingering faintly around her, she was more open with him than she had ever been. He sat on the mossy ledge outside the hollow they'd claimed as temporary shelter, sharpening one of his curved blades out of habit rather than need. The rhythmic scrape of stone against steel soothed the risin

Ciaran’s POVThe air outside was cool with the tang of damp earth, the faint whisper of distant waterfalls echoing through the forest. I led her carefully, hand brushing against hers, feeling her small, warm hand tense and relax under my touch as we walked. There was a stillness in her I hadn’t seen before—a softness, a tentative trust, the kind that didn’t require words. Today, I wanted more than just her presence; I wanted to show her a world she hadn’t experienced, a place that was dangerous, beautiful, and ours to explore together.The entrance to the cave system was unassuming, a jagged seam in the earth masked by moss and ferns. As we stepped inside, the cool dampness enveloped us, a soft echo of dripping water filling the chamber. The first room was ordinary for a cave: rough walls, uneven floor, faint streaks of mineral glinting in the dim ambient light. I watched her closely, noticing the way she instinctively touched the walls, ran her fingers across the