Chapter 57 — Bonds Tested
The aftermath of the betrayal lingered like poison in the veins of the Obsidian Throne.
Liora spent three long days confined to their private chambers, her body still healing from the brutal suppression field and the strain of maintaining the containment ritual. Bruises bloomed across her ribs and back. The heart shard pulsed with a dull, persistent ache, as if Korthrax's hungry presence had left a permanent scar inside her soul.
Cairis had become her constant shadow.
He refused to leave her side for more than a few minutes. He tasted every meal brought to their chambers, personally reviewed every guard rotation, and hovered with a fierce protectiveness that bordered on obsession. The soul bond, once a source of comfort, now carried the heavy weight of his fear and barely contained rage.
On the evening of the third day, the tension finally snapped.
