Page 192 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

She could feel the sun warming her skin.

And… there was no undertone of fear.

She felt truly… home.

Lessia started walking to the house when it appeared to call for her.

She must be dead.

She remembered riding on Ydren, the determination within her as they swam to avoid Rioner’s waves, the certainty that she was in the right place at the right time.

Somehow, she’d known she’d succeed. Even when she first met Rioner’s eyes and he’d grinned at her—too sure of his abilities—she’d known he was about to die.

She’d felt a moment of pure relief when her dagger found its way into his heart. Relief that shattered when the dagger he’d thrown—the one her father had once gifted her—settled in her flesh.

Lessia had fought with every nerve and cell within her to stay alive until Ydren did what Lessia silently begged her to do: bring her back to Merrick.

To see his eyes one final time.

Tears threatened Lessia again as she walked the familiar path, but they weren’t of sorrow.

She couldn’t have asked for a better goodbye.

Every person she loved had been there, and while she knew they would be hurting now, she’d done whatever she could to protect them—to let themlive.

A smile broke through the tears as she stepped over the threshold and the scent of her favorite vegetable soup washed over her, but Lessia’s brows narrowed when she realized it wasn’t her mother standing by the stove but another woman.

A very short Fae with long white hair and eyes as dark as Merrick’s but without the silver swirls, which lit up as she turned to face Lessia.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she chirped as she skipped to Lessia and pressed a goblet of rich red wine into her hands. “I’ve waited for you forever! Come, sit down!”

Still confused, Lessia did as she asked, her hands moving the cup to her lips before she knew what she was doing, and she groaned as the flavors exploded within her mouth.

“Good, right?” The Fae grinned at her before taking a swig from her own glass.

Lessia only nodded, her fingers moving across the cup as she eyed the female before her.

“You’re probably wondering who I am.” The smile brightening her features only seemed to grow as the woman tilted her head to study Lessia.

“I am.” Somehow, Lessia wasn’t worried, though. Not just because this woman was maybe a head shorter than her, so she’d hopefully be able to take her in a fight, but because she felt… familiar.

“Oh!” The woman wiggled her brows. “I think I’d take you. After all, I trained with Raine and Merrick far longer than a few weeks.”

Lessia slitted her eyes again. “And so you are?”

“Solana.” The female showed off all her white teeth. “I know Raine has spoken of me.”

Even with the smile, something glossy glinted in her dark eyes, and Lessia couldn’t help but jerk at the sharp tug in her chest as she stared into them.

This was Raine’s mate.

“He misses you,” Lessia said softly when the Fae remained quiet, watching as Lessia took in what she’d told her.

“Oh, I know.” Solana’s eyes moved to the window for a moment. “Even if this place is lovely, it’s been torment watching him slowly kill himself. I… Some days I would just do what he did and drink myself into a stupor to make the time pass.”

Lessia played with the rim of the cup, swirling her finger across it. “I don’t blame you.”

Solana shrugged. “Time holds the power to both mend and wound. We were lucky. We had years together.”