The Enemy Within the Bond
1237 Words
Something woke inside the bond.
Not Darius. Not Luna. Something else entirely.
The sensation lasted less than a heartbeat.
Then it was gone.
Darius staggered.
Luna caught him before he could fall.
“What was that?”
He shook his head slowly.
“I don’t know.”
His voice sounded normal.
His eyes were his own.
But she still searched his face, looking for anything that didn’t belong.
He understood immediately.
“You’re checking.”
“Yeah.”
“You should.”
He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Keep checking.”
The reflected Book stayed open on the library floor.
Its newest words glowed like fresh ink.
THE HOLLOW KING HAS LOST THE DOOR.
HE HAS CHOSEN THE BOND.
Selene slowly pushed herself upright.
Her face had some color back, but she looked wiped out.
“It changed targets.”
Gabriel helped her sit against one of the bookshelves.
“You sure?”
She nodded.
“It spent my entire life trying to enter the world through me.”
Her gray eyes settled on Luna and Darius.
“Now it doesn’t have to.”
Silence settled over the library.
Cassian looked at the Book.
“It can’t possess both of them.”
“No,” Selene replied.
“It doesn’t want possession.”
Luna frowned.
“Then what does it want?”
Selene hesitated.
Finally she answered.
“It wants permission.”
Darius’s expression hardened.
“It isn’t getting it.”
“You may not realize you’re giving it.”
The words lingered.
Luna looked down at their joined hands.
“The bond.”
“Yes.”
“The Hollow King can’t force its way through love.”
Selene’s eyes met hers.
“But it can wait inside fear.”
Darius immediately loosened his grip.
Luna tightened hers again.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“If I’m the risk—”
“You’re not letting go because you’re dangerous.”
“Luna.”
“You’re letting go because you’re afraid.”
He didn’t answer.
That was answer enough.
She stepped closer until only inches separated them.
“If fear becomes the reason we stop choosing each other...”
She rested her forehead against his.
“Then it already wins.”
Darius closed his eyes.
“I hate how often you’re right.”
“I know.”
“And you’re going to remind me.”
“Repeatedly.”
A small laugh escaped him.
The darkness pressing against the bond eased.
Selene watched them carefully.
“It didn’t grow stronger.”
Everyone turned toward her.
“It should have.”
Cassian frowned.
“What changed?”
Selene looked thoughtful.
“It expected fear to turn into distance.”
Luna smiled faintly.
“We’re stubborn.”
“I’ve noticed.”
Another cry echoed from the medical wing.
This time it wasn’t pain.
It was Kael shouting someone’s name.
“Ronan!”
The entire room moved at once.
Kael sat upright in bed.
The silver wards around him flickered violently.
His breathing came in ragged bursts.
Ronan stood frozen beside him.
Neither man looked away from the other.
Kael reached toward him.
“I remember.”
Ronan swallowed hard.
“What?”
“Our father.”
Gabriel stopped beside Ethan.
No one interrupted.
Kael pressed trembling fingers against his temple.
“The snow.”
“The attack.”
“He carried both of us.”
Ronan’s face changed.
Both of us.
Kael looked directly at him.
“He couldn’t outrun them.”
His breathing got uneven again.
“So he handed me to someone.”
Gabriel whispered,
“Elena.”
Kael nodded slowly.
“The healer.”
“She wasn’t Blackwood.”
“She wasn’t Vale.”
“She was neither.”
Memories kept breaking apart inside him.
“She promised she’d hide me.”
Ronan took one careful step closer.
“My father... chose?”
Kael’s eyes filled.
“He kissed your forehead.”
Then his own voice broke.
“And he kissed mine.”
Ronan closed his eyes.
For years he had believed his father had died protecting him.
Now he learned Gideon had died trying to save both sons.
Neither had been abandoned.
Both had been stolen.
Without thinking, Ronan crossed the room.
Kael looked uncertain.
“You don’t have to.”
Ronan ignored him.
He wrapped both arms around his brother.
The room stayed perfectly quiet.
Kael stood still for one heartbeat.
Then...
He hugged Ronan back.
Gabriel looked away.
Amara quietly wiped tears from her eyes.
Even Darius smiled.
“They found each other,” Luna whispered.
“Yes.”
Darius looked at the two brothers.
“So did we.”
She looked up at him.
“We’re getting there.”
He kissed the top of her head.
“One step.”
“One step.”
The peaceful moment lasted less than a minute.
Kael suddenly stiffened.
His arms dropped away from Ronan.
Black veins flashed beneath his skin.
“No...”
Everyone tensed.
Kael stared at Darius.
Not angry.
Not hateful.
Like he was listening to something.
“What is it?” Darius asked.
Kael frowned.
“I can hear you.”
“My thoughts?”
“No.”
“The bond.”
Luna’s heart skipped.
“You’re connected to us?”
Kael slowly nodded.
“The crown fragment...”
He grabbed the side of the bed.
“It tied me to your Command.”
Then he looked at Luna.
“And to your Choice.”
Selene’s face drained of color.
“No.”
Kael kept going before anyone could stop him.
“I can hear every time you choose each other.”
The room went silent.
Luna looked at Darius.
Their bond pulsed gently between them.
Warm.
Steady.
Private.
Or so they had believed.
Kael pressed both hands over his ears.
“I don’t want to.”
“You’re hearing us?” Darius asked carefully.
“Not words.”
“Then what?”
Kael looked almost embarrassed.
“I feel it.”
Luna blinked.
“You feel... our emotions?”
“Yes.”
“When you touched his face.”
Luna’s cheeks warmed.
“When he kissed you.”
Darius coughed.
Ethan looked at the ceiling.
Gabriel suddenly became very interested in the window.
Ronan failed miserably at hiding a grin.
Kael groaned.
“I don’t want to know that!”
Despite everything, Luna laughed.
The tension broke for a precious moment.
Then Selene spoke.
“The Hollow King planned this.”
Everyone turned.
“It couldn’t enter through the bond...”
Her voice dropped lower.
“So it created someone who could.”
No one laughed anymore.
Kael looked horrified.
“You think I’m spying on them?”
“No,” Luna said immediately.
“You’re not.”
“But it can use me.”
“Only if you let it.”
Kael stared at her.
“You really believe that?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
She smiled gently.
“Because I’ve stopped believing people are only the worst thing inside them.”
Kael lowered his head.
No one noticed the black fragment beneath his skin pulse once.
Very softly.
Very quietly.
Like it had just learned something important.
Across the room, the reflected Book turned one page by itself.
A final sentence appeared.
THE HOLLOW KING IS LEARNING TO LOVE.
Then, beneath it, in darker ink:
THAT IS WHY IT HAS BECOME TRULY DANGEROUS.
- Writer
