The Forth Ring: SoulBond [Legolas Love story]

He was still watching me. Not openly, but with the kind of attention that felt like touch. I could almost feel it tracing the space where the morning light met my skin.
"Try not to look so lost," he said. "Rivendell has a way of seeing through pretense."
My brows lifted. "Is this you trying to be civil, or is this just how you talk to everyone you meet?"
His mouth curved - not quite a smile, but close enough to make it worse. "You think this is me trying?"
"Well," I said, tilting my head, "if it is, you might want to try harder."
That earned me a flicker in his expression - surprise, quickly masked by amusement. The kind that said you shouldn't have said that, but I'm glad you did.
"You mistake me, Lady Moriel," he said at last, eyes glinting like silver drawn thin. "I try when it's worth the effort."
The words hit like the brush of a blade - polished, but meant to cut. Heat crawled up my neck before I could stop it, burning through the fragile calm I'd been clinging to. Embarrassment, irritation - I wasn't sure which came first. My heart stuttered, traitorous, and I told myself it was anger.
The air between us tightened, humming like a bowstring drawn too far. My breath caught, and I hated that he noticed. His gaze flicked to the pulse at my throat, then away, as if he hadn't.
He stepped past me, close enough that I caught the faint scent of rain and steel - clean, sharp, impossible to ignore. The space between us narrowed until even the air seemed to hold its breath.
"With that being said," he murmured, voice low, steady, dangerous in its calm, "learn quickly. Keep pace, or you'll find yourself underneath me."
His words lingered like smoke - quiet, deliberate, and far too close. Silver eyes met mine, unflinching. "And understand this," he added softly. "If I pull you under, I won't be gentle."
For a heartbeat, the world stilled. Only the heat of his words remained, sinking into me like a brand.
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