The wounded kept coming long after the gates closed. Mira moved among them with steady hands, though nothing inside her felt steady. Blood stained her palms, her sleeves, and the hem of her dress, yet she worked with calm precision because panic would cost lives.
Every time another warrior was laid before her, the bond flared. When Ryker struck an enemy, she felt the impact in her bones. When he took a blow, a sharp ache cut across her ribs or shoulder as if the wound were shared.
It had not always been this strong. Something had shifted during the challenge with Rowan, the bond had deepened. She pressed a cloth to a warrior’s side and tied the bandage tight. As she worked, a sudden rush of heat poured through her chest, followed by a flash of fury that was not her own, but Ryker's, he w
