Page 15 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

Before it all ran out. Before something happened on this ship that she couldn’t control. Before her family or friends were harmed because of her.

Lessia had already suspected back on Ellow that Rioner would somehow figure out she was the one the curse was about.

The king wasn’t dumb.

But she hadn’t told anyone her suspicions because she knew she needed to be close to him if she was to fulfill the gods’ prophecy—if she was to kill him. So she’d let them all believe she’d trusted their plan to confront the king, all the while knowing it was quite likely Rioner would take her away.

If her friends had suspected what she expected to happen, even Merrick might have locked her up in one of Loche’s cellars to keep her away from King Rioner.

Especially if he’d known the entire prophecy…

But now… she was only a few feet beneath Rioner if, as she suspected, some of the thumping footsteps above them belonged to the Fae king.

Lessia had prayed that her father and Frelina might be out of the king’s claws when she had to do this—that they wouldn’t be put in harm’s way.

But that wasn’t her reality now.

So she would need to act quickly.

Alone.

Ensure no one, not even the people in this room, knew her plan.

It wasn’t the best one.

Perhaps it was onlya plan,as Raine had once so rudely stated.

But she knew the king underestimated her.

He still believed she was the broken Faeling he’d dragged out of his cellars, and she’d make sure that was precisely what he continued to think.

That Elessia was only a broken, weak halfling that the king could drive to the brink of absolute despair—that he could break and shatter and snap.

Because if she didn’t convince him of that, Rionerwouldensure she truly broke. He’d kill or perhaps even trick her into killing one of the people in this room.

There was no more time to lose.

So when her father demanded “Lessia, please answer me,” she forced the guilt out of her mind and began screaming.

Given everything, it wasn’t too difficult to make her body shake, each scream that left her more heart wrenching than the next as she thought of her mother, as she made herself think of never seeing Merrick again, as she thought of the risk to the rest of her family.

“Lessia. You’re all right! You’re not there.”

She ignored Kerym’s urgent whisper, ignored her sister’s small hand trying to lace with her own, ignored her father’s panicked question, “What’s happening?” and she definitely ignored Kerym’s answer: “She believes she’s back in Rioner’s cellars.”

“Fuck!” Kerym swore as she heard what must be his chains clinking. “Didn’t think I’d miss Merrick so quickly. Lessia! You’ll make all the guards on this ship come down here.”

That’s exactly what she hoped for.

Lessia continued wailing, shaking off all loving touches, and even when a creaking door opened and heavy footsteps movedthe planks they sat upon, she let her cries reverberate around the ship.

“Stop that!” someone ordered.

Lessia screamed louder.

“Enough, halfling!” Hands grasped her shoulders, shaking her.

She filled her lungs and put every pent-up emotion behind the next scream.