The heat from the branding iron shimmered in the stagnant air of the dungeon, castingdistorted shapes against the damp stone walls. Elidra felt the weight of the metal in herhand, the handle vibrating with a heat that threatened to blister her skin despite the leathergrip. Her heart was a frantic bird trapped in a cage of ribs, slamming against the walls of herchest with a violence that made it hard to breathe.Silas stood behind her, his presence a heavy, suffocating blanket. He leaned down, his lipsbrushing against her ear, his breath smelling of peppermint and cold steel.Do it, Elidra, he urged, his voice a low, hypnotic purr. Show him that your memory is the onlything you have lost, not your spine. This dog needs to know his place before the moonreaches its peak.Elidra looked at Cassian. The bond was a physical cord pulled tight between them,thrumming with a frequency that made her teeth ache. Up close, she could see the depth ofthe trauma etched into his skin. His scar
Last Updated : 2026-01-14 Read more