Todos os capítulos de Mated to Three princes: And I hate it: Capítulo 61 - Capítulo 70

Three weeks after they leave, the healer comes to me."We need to talk," she says. Face grim."About?""The rejected mates. Kieran and Caius." She sits. Hands folded. "I've been monitoring them from a distance. Tracking their vital signs through magic. They're not doing well."My stomach drops. "What do you mean not well?""Broken mate bonds are fatal if not properly managed. The rejected mates need distance. Time. Healing. But even with all that, some don't survive.""You're saying they're dying?""I'm saying they're declining. Fast. Faster than normal. The bond breaking was traumatic. They're not recovering the way they should.""How long do they have?""Weeks. Maybe a month. Then the damage becomes irreversible. Then they die."The room spins. No. No, this wasn't supposed to happen. The witch said exile. Said separation. Not death."There has to be something," I say. "Some way to save them. Some treatment. Some magic.""There is one way. But it's dangerous. Forbidden. Hasn't been a

"No," I say immediately. "We're not doing this. Mira, we're going home. Right now.""But Mama...""No arguments. Get back on the horse."Mira's face crumples. "But they need me. I can feel it.""I don't care what you feel. You're three years old. You're going home."The witch steps closer. Candlelight flickers across her face. "The child is correct. She's essential. Without her, there's no ritual. No restoration. No saving anyone.""Then they die. I won't risk her.""You already risked her once. To save her life. Now you'll risk her again. To save theirs.""That's different.""Is it? Or are you just scared of making another choice? Another sacrifice?"I want to hit her. Want to scream. Want to grab Mira and run.But Kieran makes a sound from inside the cabin. A wet, rattling cough that sounds like death.Mira pulls away from me. Walks straight past the witch. Into the cabin."Mira, stop!"She doesn't stop. Goes right to Kieran's bed. Stares up at him with those big eyes."Hi," she say

"They want what?" I'm out of bed before Damon can answer."To break the bonds. By force. The council claims they're unnatural.""The Moon Goddess herself blessed these bonds. How is that unnatural?"The guard shifts uncomfortably. "The council disputes that claim, Your Majesty. They say the witch lied. That true blessings don't require blood rituals and dying children.""Get out," Damon says coldly. "Tell the council we'll be there in ten minutes."The guard leaves. Fast.Kieran's already dressing. "They're scared. Threatened. A permanent triple bond changes everything. Every law. Every tradition. Every power structure.""So they want to destroy it," Caius finishes. "Destroy us. Before we become too powerful to stop.""Can they break the bonds?" I ask. "Is that even possible?""With enough magic and enough force, anything's possible," Caius says grimly. "The question is whether we let them try.""We don't let them do anything. These are our bonds. Our lives. They don't get a vote.""T

Damon's at the window before I can blink. Kieran and Caius flank him."I don't see anyone," Damon says."There was someone," Mira insists. "Right there. Looking at me.""What did they look like?""Tall. Dark. Scary.""That describes half the kingdom, baby.""No. Different scary. Like... sad scary. Lonely scary."I pull her out of the crib. Hold her close. "You're safe. We're all here. No one's going to hurt you.""I know. But they looked so sad. I wanted to help them.""Help them? Mira, if someone's watching our window in the middle of the night, we don't help them. We call the guards.""But what if they need help?""Then they can ask for it during daylight hours. Like a normal person."Damon signals to the guards outside. They search the grounds. Find nothing."Probably just a shadow," he says. "Or a tree branch.""I know what I saw," Mira says stubbornly."I believe you. But whoever it was, they're gone now. Back to sleep.""I'm not tired anymore.""Of course you're not."We all end

The bonds feel wrong.Not broken. Not gone. Just quieter. Like someone turned down the volume.I wake up and can barely feel Damon next to me. Have to focus. Concentrate. Search for the connection.It's there. Just fainter."You feel it too," he says. Not a question."Yeah. It's like trying to hear through water. Muffled. Distant.""Will it get better?""I don't know. Maybe. The spell didn't say."Kieran sits up. Rubs his face. "I can barely feel either of you. It's like you're in another room instead of right next to me.""Same," Caius says from the chair. He didn't sleep. Just sat there all night. "The bonds are damaged. Weakened. We knew this could happen.""Knowing doesn't make it easier."We get through breakfast. Mira chatters about something. I can't focus enough to follow.The Queen Mother notices immediately. "What's wrong? You all look terrible.""We're fine.""You're lying. What happened?"Damon explains. The spell. The sacrifice. The weakened bonds.She goes pale. "You did