Chapter 34 · Blood Oath

-Lyra-

The crown sat on the altar between us like a loaded gun.

Kade's hand hovered over it. His jaw was locked tight. I could feel his wolf pushing against his skin, all teeth and rage, and I knew mine was doing the same thing. The curse-mark on his throat pulsed black. We had maybe an hour before Morgana's deadline ran out.

"You don't have to do this," I said.

His eyes snapped to mine. Gold bled into the gray. "She'll come back with an army."

"I know."

"She'll burn the border. She'll take you."

"I know, Kade."

He sucked in a breath through his teeth. The altar stone was cold under my palms. We were alone in the old temple ruin—Silas was holding the perimeter, buying us time. The moon sat fat and white through the broken roof. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears.

"Blood oath," Kade said. His voice scraped. "Bond now. She can't touch a claimed mate."

"She can if the bond's not recognized by both councils."

"Then we make them recognize it."

I laughed. It came out sharp and wrong. "You're going to force a two-clan treaty with a mating bond? That's insane."