Elaine barely made it back to Kael's chambers before her composure shattered. She leaned against the door, breathing hard, Marcus's words echoing in her skull.
*You need to be the one to kill him.*
Four months. Four months of this torture, this constant war between duty and desire. Four months of feeling Kael's love bleeding through the bond while she sharpened the blade meant for his heart.
She heard movement in the bathing chamber and quickly straightened, smoothing her expression into something resembling normalcy. When Kael emerged, his hair still damp from washing, she managed a smile.
"There you are," he said, crossing to her. His hands cupped her face, tilting it up to his. "I was beginning to think you'd run off."
"Just taking a walk in the gardens." The lie came easily now. T
