Soul Bound

Chapter 30

Despite hours passing since their meeting with Darius, Grayson was still seething. He kept it mostly internalised, but there were moments when he looked at Jacob and wanted to strangle the life out of him.

He had warned him to keep a cool head--and what did he do? Lost his shit, and not only risked his life, he gave Darius valuable information and forced Grayson to expose himself. It had been the only way to stop Darius. He had to rethink his plans now, knowing who opposed him. It would buy them a little more time while they made plans of their own.

Grayson stood with his back to his infuriating partner now, hands braced on the mantle of the fireplace. The fire was hot on his thighs, mirroring his roiling blood, just painful enough to keep his mind busy. It was better to focus on the pain than to relive this afternoon's events.

He squeezed his eyes shut. Weeks of planning, of stressing, over the meeting--devolved into a few moments that changed his life. Again.

His identity was out. Darius would come after him--as he had promised. Grayson knew he couldn't have hidden away forever, but he wished he could have stayed in his bubble a little longer. He was free in his bubble. He didn't fear the shadows. He could be himself. Or, at least, work on being the man he truly wanted to be. Not the killer his father had made him.

Now the bubble was gone and he had to watch the shadows. Keep his guard up. Protect his friends.

Jacob hissed from the couch behind him. Leo was tending to his wounds, because Grayson was too pissed to use his magic properly. He'd probably accidentally kill Jacob trying to control his water; instead of making it form around his hands like gloves, they'd turn into ice shards and pierce his skull. Knowing his luck.

"Stop," Jacob grunted. "You're a terrible healer, Leo. I'll wait until Gray is feeling better."

Sighing, agitated, Leo dumped the gauze on the table and leaned back into the couch.

They were staying in an inn in Riverwood. Grayson intended to only spend the night, but Leo and Renkon would be here for a few days while they prepared the city for a frontal attack from Darius.

Renkon was in his room, tending a migraine, leaving Leo to "entertain" the Dragon Knights.

"What do we do about Eva?" Jacob asked thickly. Leo had cleaned the blood and mud from his face, but his clothes were still dirty and rumpled from his lapse of judgement in the meadow. "Darius knows where she is. He'll come after her."

"He will." Grayson didn't doubt it. If Darius got his hands on Hargin's scouts, then they told him all he wanted to know. They might have been trained to withstand torture, but Darius was different. He was always looking for new ways to get his victims to talk. Not even the strongest soldier could resist him for long.

Grayson pushed off the mantle and faced them, crossing his arms and leaning back against the fireplace. His eyes automatically went to the windows, the darkness outside, and to the door. Everything was locked, secured.

"But he's not going near her," Grayson promised. The hells had to freeze over before he let Darius lay a hand on Eva.

"He won't," Leo agreed. "It's time for Eva to go to the Desert Lands."

Grayson stepped away from the mantle, arms falling to his sides. "No, it's not. She needs to stay here." If she went to the Desert Lands, he wouldn't be able to follow her. He was needed here too much.

Leo stood and swivelled in his direction. "You don't think she can handle herself there?"

Grayson thought back to how she had taken down two Knights by herself and almost made it a third. She could handle a few criminals--but he feared what would happen if Darius found out she wasn't in Aboria anymore. There would be nothing he could do to help her.