Semua Bab The Wilder Games - Savage Surrender 1: Bab 21 - Bab 23

Branwen POV The shadows of the inner cavern swallow us whole, thick and cool like a lover's breath held too long. Hadrian's hand in mine is an anchor, his rough palm and steady grip. The heat of him seeps through my skin like sunlight through storm clouds. My heart thunders, a wild drumbeat echoing off the stone walls, but it's not fear. It's hunger. The gods' words coil in my gut like thorns...Seal your bonds. And gods help me, I want to. With every fiber of my sassy, stubborn soul. He stops in the heart of the chamber, where the floor dips into a natural bed of moss. The air hums here, thicker than before, laced with the scent of damp earth and ancient secrets. A single shaft of moonlight filters through a crack high above, silvering the edges of his sandy hair, turning it to spun gold. His eyes, golden, fierce and reverent, lock on mine, and for a breath, we just stand there with our chests heaving, the space between us crackling like dry tinder waiting for flame. "Branwen," h

Branwen POVThe creek is cold, clean, and perfect. I float there, letting the water wash the heat from my skin and the last traces of sleep from my mind. The Wilds hum soft and alive around me. Birds chatter. A breeze stirs the pines.For once, there’s peace.I dunk my head under, come up gasping and laughing, and push my hair back. The morning sun slides through the canopy in silver threads, glittering on the ripples. I almost feel… normal.Then the forest stops breathing.No birds. No wind. No chatter. Just silence thick enough to choke on.I straighten, water sliding down my body. “Hadrian?” I call softly.No answer.The hairs on my arms rise. My magic stirs, whispering a warning. I take a step toward the bank, my eyes sweeping the treeline.That’s when I hear it, a deep, rumbling growl. Not hostile. Not yet. Just a sound that vibrates in my chest, low and heavy, like the ground itself is purring.“Bloody hell,” I mutter, sloshing toward shore. “Can’t even bathe without drama.”I r