Bound To The Goddess

CRACKS

CHAPTER 18: CRACKS

The bond was different after the painting.

It wasn’t just thoughts anymore.

It was feelings.

Lithia woke up at 3AM.

Heart racing. Not her heart. His.

Nightmare.

*Small hands. Blood. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.*

She sat up. Whispered:

"Drayk?"

No answer. But the nightmare stopped.

Morning. Training yard.

Lithia was forced to watch. Court tradition.

All the lords watching how "the human key" moves.

An arrow flew wrong. Straight at Lithia.

Drayk moved.

He wasn’t even near her. He was 20 feet away.

But he blurred. Caught the arrow. Bare hand.

Blood dripped.

Silence.

He looked at his bleeding hand. Confused.

He didn’t plan that. It was instinct.

"Are you insane?" Lithia grabbed his hand.

Her golden blood healed him instantly.

Gold light. Too bright.

All the lords saw it.

Drayk pulled his hand back like it burned.

"Don’t do that again."

"Do what? Get shot?"

"Make me—" He stopped.

His eyes were too red. Too wild.

"Just stay out of the way."

He stormed off.

That night, Lithia found him on the balcony.

Alone. Drinking. For the first time.

"You’ve been in my head all day," he said. Without looking.

"All day. Your fear. Your heartbeat. It’s loud."

"Then block it."

"I can’t." He laughed. Bitter.

"I tried. Since the painting. I can’t block you anymore."

Lithia stepped closer.

"What did you see? At age 12?"

Drayk froze.

"Serena has a big mouth."

"Did you really—"

"Yes." His voice was dead. "I killed them.

And I didn’t cry. That’s why I’m king and they’re dirt."

He finally looked at her.

For a second, he wasn’t the ice king.

He was just a boy. Tired.

Lithia reached up. Didn’t think.

Touched his cheek.

Drayk didn’t move. Didn’t breathe.

His hand came up. Covered hers.

A c***k so loud the bond screamed.

He dropped her hand. Like it burned.

"Go inside, Lithia."

"But—"

"Now."

She went.

Behind her, Drayk shattered the glass in his hand.

Blood and wine.

*Don’t look at me like that. Like I can be saved.*

**TO BE CONTINUED...**