. The golden glow of her mark still pulsed on her wrist, faint but insistent. Rion's silver eyes never left her. He was unnervingly calm, the storm outside no match fo

ont of her, hand outstretched. The shadows recoiled as if burned, hissing in frustration. Golden sparks shot from her mark, reacting to his presence. "You have power you don't understand," he said, his tone sharp. "And it's tied to me. That's why they're coming for you." Avalora stared at him, disbelief and terror mingling. "Tied to you? What does that even mean?" Rion's jaw tightened, his hand still hovering near hers, not quite touching but close enough to make her pulse stutter. "It means," he said slowly, almost reluctantly, "that wherever you go, I'm bound to follow. And if they take you...so will your life." Her stomach dropped. "Bound to...you? That's insane!" "Not insane," he said, stepping closer, dark shadows curling around his boots. "Necessary." A tendril of darkness lunged again, and this time Avalora didn't have time to react. Rion grabbed her wrist, his grip firm, commanding-but not cruel. The moment his hand closed around hers, a jolt of energy surged through her, hotter and mo