Page 41 of The Immortal’s One (Bound to the Immortals #1)

Des has said I’m not his One . Multiple times.

He promised .

The song's final notes swell around us, and as the violin plays its last chord, I step back, eager to put distance between us.

His fingers flex for a brief second before he releases me.

Did he not want to let me go?

Who cares?! Get out of here.

“Thank you for the dance.” I force the words, barely hearing them above the pounding of my heart. “Excuse me.”

“Darcie, I?—”

I lift my skirt and hurry away, my eyes locked on the open patio doors ahead.

Air… I need air.

I move quickly, desperate for distance from the man who confuses me more than I care to admit.

The weight of Des’s gaze presses into my back, but I don’t turn around.

The stone patio beyond the open doors is blessedly empty.

I step outside, grateful to be alone. I reach the railing, my fingers trembling as I rest them against the cool surface.

With a deep breath, I press harder into the stone, the chill grounding me as I tilt my head back to stare at the endless stretch of the night sky.

A soft breeze brushes against my warm cheeks, but it does little to quell the fire blazing inside me. My chest tightens, my mind spinning in circles. I exhale slowly, wishing I could just exhale all the confusion and frustration within me.

What in the world happened back there?

Des called me beautiful. He compared me to his lost love.

I whisper into the night, my voice a quiet confession. “Why does that bother you so much?”

The leaves in the trees below rustle. They don’t have an answer to give. They’re not burdened by human emotions or the strange pull of a brooding Immortal who won’t let me figure him out.

I’ve only known the Immortals for a short time.

Once I got over the shock of accepting they exist, I can’t deny that I’ve enjoyed my time here.

It’s exciting to hear details about the history from people who experienced it firsthand, and it’s intriguing to learn about their pasts and the magical world I had no idea existed.

And, dare I say, I consider Bella and Lome friends. Even Eshe, though a bit standoffish, has shown me kindness.

I care about them. I hope whatever rebellion is brewing will not cause them too much trouble. I don’t want them hurt. I’d help them if I could.

But my reaction to Des’s remark convinces me I need to get away from the Immortals before I become too attached to them and entangle my life with theirs so much that it can’t be separated.

Or I do something supremely stupid… like catch feelings for the broody Immortal who is more likely to scowl at me than smile. Whose touch sends shockwaves through my entire body. And whose penetrating gaze makes me feel alive while at the same time burning me from within.

What about Kevin ?

I haven’t thought about him once all night. Not with Lome. Not with Des…

That doesn’t mean anything.

Does it?

“There you are,” a suave voice interrupts my guilty thoughts. I jolt and turn, startled when a broad figure steps from the shadows. The light catches his silhouette. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Music spills from the open doors behind the approaching Immortal. The golden glow from the light hits him just right, obscuring his features, but I know exactly who he is.

Adir moves with an effortless swagger, his steps confident as he crosses the empty balcony. As he gets closer, details become sharper: the dark tuxedo, the gleam of his blond hair beneath the fairy lights, the way his eyes trace over me. Slow, appreciative… unsettling.

“You disappeared,” Adir says, his voice smooth. “I feared you'd change your mind.”

About our plan.

It’s almost time.

“No, sorry.” I glance over my shoulder to the gardens below.

We’re the only people on the patio, but several Immortals meander through the blooming flowers. They might be able to hear us, but I don’t think they’d be able to see us if we kissed here. We need to wait until we have more of an audience.

“I just needed some air,” I add, turning back to him, my words coming out tight .

Adir doesn’t seem to notice. He leans on the stone railing beside me, his gaze flickering across the garden as if taking in the night in its entirety.

“Understandable.” His eyes slide back to me, a flicker of something dangerous in their dark blue depths.

“You’ve created quite the stir among lesser Immortals this evening. You and Des.”

I wince. “That’s… not ideal.”

Adir makes a low sound in his throat, neither agreement nor disagreement.

There’s a shift in the air around us. It's subtle but unmistakable how the tension thickens. “How do you feel now, after your little… reprieve?” he asks.

“I’m fine,” I answer, though my pulse betrays me. “Just a little overwhelmed.”

“Not about our impending rendezvous, I hope?” His voice lifts with a flirtatious lilt, playful and smooth—but the smile that follows falters at the edges, never quite reaching his eyes.

I force my breath to stay even, trying to ignore how my skin prickles under his attention. I know this game. I know the plan. But without an audience, his presence is unnerving.

I glance at the garden again, debating how to respond.

“They can't hear us,” Adir says, misreading my actions. “I’ve ensured it.”

I blink, unsure whether to be impressed or terrified. I didn’t even know Immortals had that kind of power. Despite spending most of my days questioning Bella about them, there’s still so much I don’t know.

I nod, but it’s a distracted motion. My eyes fix on the stone fountain below, focusing on the steady bubbling water as if it might calm my nerves.

“That was quite the show you and Desmond gave on the dance floor.” His casual tone carries an underlying question .

I squeeze my eyes shut and groan. “Was it really that bad?"

“On the contrary. It seemed… intimate. Right before you ran off, that is. I bet tongues are still wagging about it.”

I open my eyes and shake my head. “It wasn’t a moment. We were just talking.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear it.” A smirk pulls at his lips. “Otherwise, it could make our performance a little more... challenging.”

“Speaking of our performance, should we go inside?” I ask. I’m ready to get this evening over with, but we need Immortals to witness our kiss before I can escape to my guest room.

Then, gossip will work its magic and discredit the idea that I'm Des’s One . Once the Immortals are convinced of that, I can finally go home.

Is that what you really want?

Of course, it is!

“That depends.” Adir tilts his head, considering me, his eyes narrowing.

A pit of dread forms in my stomach. “On what?”

He steps closer, closing the distance between us in a way that makes me instinctively want to back away, but the stone railing blocks me. “On whether Des lied to me.” His voice lowers, a dangerous edge slipping between his teeth.

I stiffen. “Lied? About what?”

His smile is too bright, too sharp, like a predator ready to strike. But that’s not what unnerves me. It’s the way his hand suddenly grabs mine, holding it with an iron grip that sends a jolt of panic through me.

“What are you doing?” I gasp, struggling to pull free. “Let me go! ”

He doesn’t. “Tell me the truth, Darcie,” he growls. “Are you Desmond’s One ?”

“No,” I grind out between clenched teeth. “Of course not.”

His eyes flash with something wild. “You're lying,” he hisses.

I try to yank my hand back, but the pressure on my wrist intensifies, sending another jolt of pain up my arm. “You’re hurting me!” I cry out.

His grip only tightens. “Tell me the truth .” The heat in his gaze burns like fire, like he's trying to burn a hole in my head to find the truth. And I’m terrified.

I force the words out, every syllable tasting like ash. “I am not Des’s One . I swear.”

For a second, Adir’s grip loosens. I almost manage to break free, but then he tugs hard, pulling me forward so abruptly that I lose my footing and crash into his chest.

I try to push away, but my wrist—my stupid, aching wrist—is still trapped.

“Please,” I beg, the word slipping out in a hoarse whisper. “Let me go.”

Adir doesn’t even blink. He’s looking at me like I’m some puzzle he’s determined to solve. His face, once handsome, now twists into something ugly. The smirk has gone, replaced by a sneer of disbelief.

He releases the pressure on my wrist. I stumble back, the railing hitting my side, hard enough to bruise.

I cradle my hand against my chest, trying to wiggle my fingers, but the pain is unbearable. I want to cry, but I hold it back, settling for a glare as sharp as a knife.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I spit, my voice pitched high with anger and fear.

Adir doesn’t acknowledge my question .

“Interesting.” His eyes assess me, calculating and analyzing me like some experiment.

My heart hammers against my sternum.

I don’t know what to do.

I need Adir to complete Des’s plan, but I honestly don’t want to be anywhere near this lunatic.

I want to walk away, but how long will it be before there’s another opportunity to prove to the Immortal community that I’m not Des’s One ?

How long will I be trapped in this web of Immortal intrigue and lies?

How long will it be before I can go home?

Those questions and more spin around my head, distracting me from my injured hand and the aggressive Immortal in front of me.

I don’t notice Adir closing the distance between us again. Not until his fingers grip my upper arm, yanking me so roughly into his chest that I lose my footing, the world tilting as everything blurs around me.

No!

I open my mouth to scream for help, but before the sound can escape, his palm slams over my face. His eyes are stone-cold.

“Don’t,” he orders, his voice as hard as iron.

A rip in space and time opens.

My vision warps, and I’m dragged away from the safety of the Grecian mansion.