*MATURE FANTASY*
Bound by fate, torn by betrayal.
Their souls are intertwined.
She is his mate, and he is hers, whether or not this is something they want.
Elara has spent her life hiding from the oppressive forces of the Light, a powerful cult th...
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I woke with a start, jolting violently as I realized I was being carried by Rylan. Instinctively, I jerked away from him, and he allowed for it, releasing me. Landing on my feet in a crouch, my muscles tensed. Something about my weight was off—my blades were missing, both the ones strapped to my thigh and the ones tucked into my boots. Still, my hands instinctively drifted towards where they should have been.
"I disarmed you," Rylan said casually, his voice betraying no hint of remorse. He stood there observing me as I tried to find a way out of whatever this even was.
Ignoring his comment, I searched for the tether that connected me to my mist, but I couldn't grasp it. Panic swirled as I struggled to regain control of my conjuring. Rylan had cut me off from my power, the block holding firm. I could almost feel it, just beyond my reach.
My eyes darted around our surroundings as I cautiously rose to stand, keeping Rylan constantly in my line of sight. We were at the edge of a forest, surrounded by the earthy scent of pine and greenery, a stark contrast to the salty sea air I was accustomed to. The sky was quickly growing dark with the sun plummeting below a distant horizon.
"I used a teleporter," Rylan explained, meeting my gaze steadily. "Maybe a few teleporters."
Everything felt unfamiliar, and I couldn't shake the sense of disorientation that clouded my thoughts. I had never been so far from the sea since joining the crew, and now I found myself in an unknown location. My best guess placed us somewhere between the Silver Blades and the Dunes Clans, but the specifics eluded me.
"You plan on staying silent?" Rylan asked, watching me with a disturbingly comfortable casualness. As if I was no threat to him. Yet he, was pure lethal danger. His head tilted, the movement more predator than man.
I wordlessly viewed him, my expression cold, tainted by his betrayal and my resentment. What more was there to say? He deceived me, and there was nothing left between us. I was seduced by an ancient bond that blinded me, even though I knew he was dangerous. I knew I should have kept my distance.
"This is a small inn," Rylan continued, nodding towards the house to his right, as if this was normal. "We are going to stay here for a couple of nights and then continue on our journey to the Silver Blades."
My gaze narrowed as I regarded him, wondering why he felt the need to share his plans with me. Did he think I would cooperate willingly? Conjuring or not, I had no intention of complying with his wishes. Just because he took my abilities, didn't mean he took my will. There was a fight within me, I just needed to be smart about it.
I glanced towards the window of the inn, catching sight of two figures who quickly retreated out of view as soon as our eyes met. Two males, from what I could tell, and they appeared formidable.
Rylan sighed, evidently noticing them, too. "Let's go," he said, stepping towards me. I mirrored his movement and he stilled. "I am in no mood to chase. If you run, I will catch you and..." He lifted an arm, showing his wrist and the double golden cuffs there. "I will be forced to use this again." The cuffs had no visible key or way to open them, and for being so slender, they were ridiculously strong. I had not the slightest idea as to what they were made of or how they worked.
