Bound (Bound Trilogy) (45 page)

“Please don’t interrupt me.” She waved her hand toward the door. “The problem is this. Not her. She seems like a sweet girl, and we’re happy to help her. If what you’ve told Ernis about her is true, she’s the sort we’d take as a student under normal circumstances, though she would have started at a much younger age. She can work to pay her tuition, and I know Ernis will be interested to learn from her experiences. But she seems quite attached to you.”

She drummed her fingers on the window sill. “Ernis and I spoke this morning when he came to tell me she was awake. He thinks that for now it would be best if you stayed. He says it’s for her, but I know he has a personal interest in your situation. He’s left the decision entirely to me.” She turned to face me straight-on. “Tell me, are you sorry for the things you’ve done?”

It’s none of your business.
“Yes.”

“Were you sorry when these things happened, or only now that it matters to me, someone who has every intention of separating you from the only person who seems to be important to you? Though I doubt you care as much for her as she thinks you do.” Contempt dripped from her voice.

I wasn’t going to open up to her or beg for forgiveness, and I certainly didn’t owe it to her to explain what Rowan meant to me. Still, I pushed my pride aside and answered as I had to.

“I wasn’t sorry at the time, but I am now. For all of it.”

Her lips tightened. “If only I could believe it. I can’t know for certain, can I? I lack your gifts.” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter. Nothing you say will bring my sister back, or any of the others.”

She went to the door and looked in on Albion and Rowan, and her expression softened. “I’m doing this for him, not for you,” she said softly, and looked back over her shoulder at me. “You can stay. Not in this house, and not for long. If you want to be here, you’re going to work. Goodness knows there’s enough to be done around here, especially once the rest of the students return. You will have no unauthorized contact with the students, you will follow the rules as I give them, and you will not use any form of magic on any living creature on this island. I expect that if your presence becomes a threat to any of us—”

“I’ll leave before that happens.” It took a moment for my mind to process her words. Had she really just said that I could stay? The strict conditions troubled me—not because I couldn’t follow them, but because they were obviously a way for Emalda to try to control me. I didn’t know how much of her contempt and disrespect I’d be able to take. I was already feeling the pressure of it. But still, I’d be with Rowan. My heart leapt at the thought.

“I’ll accept your conditions.”

She nodded and turned back to the other room. “I think it’s best for her that you be here for now, until she’s more comfortable and we know what her situation will be. I hope you understand that she’ll have some decisions to make that may be difficult for both of you.”

I had already considered the fact that we’d been pushed together by extraordinary circumstances. It was possible that she wouldn’t see me the same way when our surroundings changed, that she’d see who I was more clearly, that she would realize that she didn’t need me. “I’ll stay for as long as she wants me, and as long as I’m permitted.”

“I suppose that’s settled, then.”

I followed Emalda back into Rowan’s room, light-headed with relief. Rowan sat in one of the soft chairs laughing at something Albion was saying. She stopped when she saw us.

Emalda pursed her lips and busied herself with organizing the herbs on her tray. Rowan watched her, then turned to me. “Are you… I mean, can you…”

“Yes. For now.” Rowan gasped and jumped up from her chair, almost falling over as she tried to run to me. She laughed when I caught her in my arms and pulled her close.

“And none of that, miss,” Emalda said over her shoulder. “I’ll have no bad example set for the students, especially if you become one.”

Rowan just grinned and held me tighter.

#

Albion and Rowan exchanged a seemingly endless stream of questions as Emalda carried out her tests, which involved checking Rowan’s strength while she held different plants under her tongue, then having her taste different mixtures from the kitchen. Though the teas probably tasted terrible, I thought that this testing was vastly preferable to the merfolk’s experiments.

I sat in the corner beside the window, joining in the conversation when invited, but staying silent most of the time. Emalda’s fists clenched every time I spoke, and it annoyed me.

I felt as though I hadn’t slept at all. My eyes kept drifting closed, and my muscles ached as though they’d actually pulled me through a storm. My mind raced, though. The realization that we’d never be safe as long as Severn was alive began to overshadow my elation at being allowed to stay, and I started planning again.

I wanted nothing more than for Albion and Emalda to leave so that I could be alone with Rowan and talk through my ideas with her—an exciting notion, now that I’d accepted it. But there was no chance. They held her attention all afternoon.

In spite of her insistence that she’d never want to sleep again, Rowan grew tired and began yawning well before sunset. Emalda hurried through the last few tests and said she’d send someone up with enough supper for both of us. “But just for tonight,” she added as she hoisted her tray and left the room. “Then he’s out.”

I moved to the sofa, and Rowan lay down and rested her head on my lap. Birds twittered in the branches outside of the open window, and a few younger students yelled as they played outdoors. Otherwise, all was quiet. I thought Rowan had fallen asleep, but she opened her eyes and took my hand, winding her fingers between mine and resting them on her stomach.

“So what happens now?” she asked.

“Hmm?”

“After the handsome prince wakes the girl. Isn’t that the end of the story? The happily ever after part?”

It hardly seemed like it. She still had a lot of work ahead of her to get her magic back and learn how to use it. As for me…

“I think life just goes on,” I said. “Severn is going to come for us. You might be his worst enemy, now.”

“So what do we do?”

“I’ll stay while you get settled, but then I leave.” She winced, but had obviously been expecting this. “But I’m not going to run away from Severn this time. I’m going to destroy him.”

“I’ll help you.”

“I think you’ll have work to do here. If your magic comes back, you’ll have to work hard to learn to use it. Ernis and Emalda will help you, but it’s not going to be easy.”

“No, I suppose not. But if you’re going to need me to save your ass again some day, I might as well be prepared.” She smiled, but worry creased her brow.

“Not the happy ending you were hoping for?”

She shrugged. “There’s always more to the story, right?” She struggled to sit up, then pressed her lips to mine. I tangled my fingers in her wild hair and pulled her closer still, and for a brief moment felt the tiniest spark of her magic. She pulled back, rested her forehead against mine, and sighed. “We can have happily ever after later.”

“Of course,” I said.

I didn’t believe it, but I wanted to.

The End

Dear Reader

Thank you for taking this journey with me! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you had a good time, please consider leaving a review on e-book purchasing sites and/or on Goodreads—they’re so important. Tell your friends, if you think they’d like it. Tell your family. Tell your dog’s previous owner’s girlfriend’s little sister. Word of mouth is life for a new book, and your support helps me continue producing stories for you to enjoy.

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And on that note…

Watch for the story to continue in Torn, coming Winter 2015.

Much love,

Kate

About the Author

Kate Sparkes was born in Hamilton, Ontario, but now resides in Newfoundland, where she tries not to talk too much about the dragons she sees in the fog. She lives with a Mountie, two kids who take turns playing Jeckyll and Hyde, three cats with more personality than most people she meets, and the saddest-looking dog on the planet. She’ll keep writing and sharing stories as long as her imagination lets her, and assuming the dragons don’t eat her.

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Special Thanks

To my early readers— Shannon Andrews, Hayley Morgan, Mike Lowden, Katelyn Lowden, Kat Armstrong Nicholson, and Scott Holley: your encouragement has been the difference between this book going up for sale or going in the trash. Thanks for the support and love, guys. And to Jennifer Cousteils and Alana Terry, thanks for the last-minute typo spotting in early ARCs.

To my critique partners— KL Schwengel and Linda Washington: your tact and honesty pushed me farther than I knew I was capable of going, and your faith that I could pull this off encouraged me to throw my whole ass into it (not just half, which was so tempting, so often).

To my editor, Joshua Essoe— You are the master of the shit sandwich. Thanks for the encouragement, the kind words, and the tough love when the manuscript needed it. You made this book better than I ever hoped it would be.

To my cover designer, Ravven— Thank you for your patience in the face of my indecisiveness, and for the beautiful artwork you’ve created for this book.

To my family, Andre, Simon and Ike— I know this process hasn’t been easy for any of you. Living with a person with her mind in another world 78% of the time is a challenge, but you all rose to it. I love you so much.

To God— Thanks for getting me through the tough times and blessing me with an imagination that just won’t behave.

And to my parents— None of this would have been possible without you. I mean, literally… I wouldn’t be here. But also for your love and support. Mom, if you ever get through this book and read this page, I’ll give you a medal.