The weight of the air felt like it was pressing in on me, my chest tight, and my legs weak.
I would have liked to have said it was because I learned that I was tied to Erick like one of those tropes where you're handcuffed to your enemy.
But no, believe it or not, this was worse than that.
I clutched my stomach, trying to hold myself together, but the dizziness was overwhelming. Luke gathered me into his arms, holding me with surprising gentleness. His warmth helped steady my nerves, but it wasn't enough to quiet the storm brewing inside me.
Luis's angry voice cut through the haze. "She's sick," he growled, stepping toward Luke. "You did this. Hand her over; I'll take care of her."
Luke's hold on me tightened, though his voice remained calm. "She collapsed after the bond. I didn't hurt her, Luis. If anything, we were all caught in itâwhatever this is." He looked down at me with guarded concern in his eyes. "I'm not sure what's happening to her, but fighting isn't going to help."
Luis clenched his fists, but he backed off. His protective instincts were still sharp, but even he must have sensed that this situation was beyond what any of us could understand. I didn't need him starting a fight.
"I'm fine," I managed to whisper, my voice trembling, though I wasn't sure who I was trying to convinceâLuis, Luke, or myself. "Just... give me a second."
The dizziness was subsiding, but my legs still felt like jelly. I wasn't ready to stand on my own just yet. The flickering torchlight in the dungeon cast strange, shifting shadows on the walls, making everything seem more surreal than it already was.
Erick stepped forward, his face pale, his voice hesitant. "Shouldn't we be focusing on what happened in that room? The ice, the rootsâwhat does it mean?"
"Later," Luke said tersely. "But right now, Madeline needs to recover."
Luis let out a frustrated breath but didn't argue. Instead, he reached out, his hand hovering protectively near me as Luke carried me toward the exit. Behind us, Dominic, Erick, and the others trailed in silence, their faces reflecting the same mix of confusion and unease that I felt.
As we emerged from the dungeon into the dimly lit hallway, I could feel the cold weight of the bond between usâlike a tether pulling at the very core of me. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't comfortable either. It was as if all of their emotionsâLuis's anger, Erick's shame, Luke's guarded concernâwere threading through me, blending into my own.
"Matt," Luis said quietly, walking beside me now, "this bond... do you feel it too?"
I swallowed hard, nodding. "Yeah. I can feel... everything. It's overwhelming." I paused, trying to steady my voice. "It's like we're all tangled up in each other, and I don't know how to fix it."
Luke glanced at me, his brow furrowed. "We'll find a way to manage it, My Lady. But for now, we need to focus on stabilizing you." His words were calm, but I could feel the current of unease running beneath them.
When we reached Luke's study, he gently lowered me into a chair, and I leaned forward, pressing my hands to my temples, trying to block out the steady hum of emotions that weren't mine.
Luis crouched beside me, his hand resting on my knee. "I'm here, Matt. We'll figure this out."
I managed a weak smile, but inside, I felt like I was unraveling. How could we figure this out when none of us even knew what we were dealing with? This bond, this sudden connection, had turned everything upside down.
Luke moved toward the door, his posture tense. "I'll call the healer to check on you," he said, his voice soft but firm. "We need to make sure you're not in any immediate danger."
My head was spinning from the way I didn't want Luke to leave.
I didn't want any of them to leave, even Erick, which was just awful to consider.
"I can feel all of you." I glanced at Erick, Dominic, and Luis. "It's like I'm inside your headsâor you're inside mine. I don't know how else to explain it. I feel like I need you all by my side at all times."
Dominic, who had been unusually quiet until now, finally spoke up. "I've felt it too. It's like we're connected in a way that goes beyond... well, beyond anything normal." His usual carefree demeanor was gone and that just made everything feel heavier.
Luke stepped back into the room as the healer, dressed in flowing white robes, entered behind him. Her serene expression contrasted with the tension in the air. She approached me cautiously, her eyes filled with concern.
Without a word, she knelt beside me, placing her cool hands on my temples. The touch was gentle, soothing even, and I found myself leaning into it, despite the uncertainty gnawing at me.
"How do you feel, My Lady?" she asked, her voice calm but clinical, like she was used to treating people who had far more composure than I currently had.
I struggled to answer, my voice weak. "Like I've been hit by a train... or maybe two."
The healer's lips tightened into a small frown. "You've experienced a magical shock. Your energy is imbalanced, and your body is trying to recover. It's not uncommon after something like... an attack." Her words were careful, and though I could tell she didn't know the full extent of what had happened, I wasn't about to volunteer the information.
"Can you help?" Luis asked from where he stood, his protective stance never faltering. His eyes never left me, and his tone was tense, still full of suspicion toward Luke.
The healer nodded. "I can provide some relief. She needs rest and time to allow her energies to realign." She moved her hands from my temples and placed one on my back, sending a slow, gentle wave of healing magic through me.
I relaxed as warmth spread through my body, easing the dizziness and nausea. The storm inside me calmed, if only a little, and I felt like I could breathe again. But the bondâthe tether that linked me to the othersâremained, lurking beneath the surface.
"Thank you," I murmured.
The healer gave a small smile. "You'll need to rest for a while. Don't push yourself too hard."
Luis cut in again, his suspicion still sharp. "And what about the rest of us? We were caught in that mess too."
The healer glanced at him briefly before shaking her head. "The shock may have affected those around her, but she bore the brunt of it. You should all be fine with some rest. If any symptoms linger, call for me, but I don't sense any lasting harm."
Luis didn't look entirely convinced, but he didn't press further. The healer rose gracefully and gave Luke a small bow before exiting the room.
As soon as the door closed behind her, I felt the atmosphere shift again. The healer's calming presence had faded, leaving us to face the mess on our own.
My three banmuinen entered the office and Beth approached Erick and laid a hand on his arm. "What happened?".
"We believe someone tried to assassinate Madeline from the outside, and her powers activated in self-preservation." Erick frowned down at her hand on his arm.
Luke was still pacing, clearly trying to wrap his head around the situation, then Erick distanced himself from Beth and approached Luke. "What about Emerlee?"
The name hit the room like a stone dropped in water. Luke froze mid-step, turning sharply toward Erick. "What about her?"
Erick looked hesitant but pushed forward. "She's a naga."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "She's not an ice naga," he said, as if that settled the matter.
Erick shook his head. "No, but she has connections. Nagas aren't solitary creatures. Emerlee comes from a long line of them. If anyone had the power and influence to summon an ice naga and breach the mansion's wards, it could be her."
Luke frowned. "You're suggesting that Emerlee was behind the attack?"
"She's had her sights on power for a long time," Erick said, his voice tight. "Her betrothal to you, Luke, was meant to secure her place, wasn't it? Now that Madeline is here, she's lost her opportunity. If she wanted to eliminate her competition, sending an assassin like the ice naga would make sense."
A knot formed in my stomach. The idea that she might have sent the ice nagaâwhether out of jealousy or ambitionâwas terrifying.
Luke's expression darkened as he came to terms with the possibility. "Emerlee is ambitious, yes. And ruthless. But even if she didn't send the ice naga directly, she could have easily influenced someone to do it on her behalf."
Luis's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. "So what now? Do we confront her?"
Luke shook his head. "Not yet. We can't risk tipping her off. If Emerlee is involved, she's already on edge. If we make a move without solid proof, we might force her to act even more recklessly."
I swallowed hard. "But if she sent the ice naga, what's stopping her from trying again?"
Luke's eyes softened, though his expression remained resolute. "She'll be watched closely now. I'll make sure of it. Emerlee may be cunning, but she won't get another opportunity without us knowing."
Dominic leaned forward an idea sparking in his gray eyes. "Maybe we can use the bond to our advantage. If we can feel each other's emotions, we might be able to sense when something's offâor when Emerlee tries to make another move."
The idea sparked something in me. The bond might have been an unwanted complication, but it could also be a toolâif we learned how to control it.
Luke considered Dominic's suggestion for a moment, nodding slowly. "You might be right. If we can harness the bond, it could give us an advantage."
"But how?" I asked, the exhaustion creeping into my voice. "I don't even know how this bond works. It just... happened."
Beth had been standing quietly in the corner, her usual composed demeanor slipping slightly as the conversation unfolded. She shifted on her feet, her expression tight with guilt.
Luke was still focused on the matter at hand, nodding at Dominic's suggestion, but I caught the way Beth's hands fidgeted with the hem of her sleeves, a sure sign that something was wrong.
"I'm sorry," she blurted out, her voice trembling just enough to draw everyone's attention.
Luis, who had been pacing near the door, stopped in his tracks, turning toward her with a sharp glare. "Sorry for what?" he demanded, his tone already accusatory.
Beth took a shaky breath, wringing her hands together as she avoided everyone's eyes. "I didn't know it would go this far... IâI didn't thinkâ"
"What did you do?" I asked, my voice quiet as I fixed my entire attention on her.
Beth flinched at the question, her face paling. "I let her in," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Emerlee. I let her access the mansion."
The room fell into a stunned silence.
"You what?" Erick's voice broke through the stunned quiet, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You let Emerlee in? When? After Luke kicked her out?"
She flinched again, then nodded.
Luis stormed forward, his anger flaring like wildfire. "You betrayed us! You almost got us all killed!" He was trembling with fury, and for a second, I thought he might actually strike her.
But it wasn't Luis who spoke next. It was Luke, his voice cold and cutting as he stepped forward. "What were you thinking?" His eyes bore into Beth, his usual calm nowhere to be found.
"I wasn't." Beth's voice was tight and filled with jealousy as she locked eyes with me. "I was upset. Emerlee... she lost Luke to you. And I, I lost Erick." Her lips twisted, "Even though he's been promised to me in marriage since childhood. Even though I hold his geas."
I stared at Erick, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. A geas was a powerful, unbreakable magical bondâone that compelled the person bound by it to fulfill their duty, no matter what.
"Is that true?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Erick's silence was all the confirmation I needed.
"You... you lied to me?" My voice shook as I took a step toward him. "All this time, you pretended to care, but you were bound to her? Was anything you said real?"
Erick's eyes met mine, and for once, I saw real shame in them. "It wasn't like that," he said, his voice hoarse. "I did care about you, but the geasâ"
"I don't want to hear your excuses!" I cut him off, my voice breaking.
"Stop, Madeline," Dominic cuddled me close to his chest. "It's not worth it. Let's just figure out how to keep you safe."
Luke nodded in agreement. "The first thing we must do is arrest you, Beth."
Erick stepped forward, placing himself between Luke and Beth. His expression was conflicted, torn between his loyalty to Beth and his guilt toward me. "Master Luke, wait. I ask for you mercy for Beth. She's not been stable for years."
Luis let out a snort of disbelief. "Don't try to protect her now, Erick. This was her doing. She knew what she was doing."
"She'll be confined to her quarters," Luke finally said, his voice sharp with finality. "Under guard. Until we figure out what to do with her."
Beth let out a choked sob of relief, sinking to her knees as if the weight of the entire world had been lifted off her shoulders. But Luke's glare didn't soften. He turned to the guards standing near the door. "Take her away."
She didn't even look at me as she was led away. I watched her go, then I stared at Erick. Even now he was a traitor, standing up for the girl who had ruined my life.
"She was the one that led the assassins to my home," I whispered, the fact becoming clear to me.
Erick looked down, his silence once again confirmation.