Page 7 of A Curse of Breath and Blood (The Mind Breaker #1)

6 CAIDEN

Before

“Do you love my daughter, Caiden?” Queen Isadora gazed out the window. Her dark hair fell in soft waves over her narrow shoulders.

“Yes,” Caiden answered.

The queen did not look back at him. “Good. She will need you in the future.”

Caiden kicked the air aimlessly. “She has a king to take care of her now.”

“She still loves you, and you love her more purely than I could have hoped for.” Isadora faced him then. Her heavy ballgown dragged on the stone floors.

“What are you playing at, queen?” Caiden arched a brow.

Isadora sighed, rubbing her head. “I need you to promise me something.”

Caiden swallowed hard. “Anything for Aelia.”

“Good.” Isadora pulled a dagger from the folds of her dress. “I want you to swear you’ll protect my daughters.” Dragging the blade across her palm, blood dotted her pale skin .

“The laws of this land bind me to my word. Why all this?”

“Because the laws of this land can be broken, but blood is forever.”

Caiden pulled a dagger from his bandolier and slit his palm.

Magic buzzed between them, heating their palms and fizzling out.

“What are you?” Caiden looked at his palm where a scar had already formed.

Isadora ran a hand through her silken hair, twisting the end around her dainty finger. “A mother who loves her children.”