Page 1 of The Pactbound Angel (The Soul Mirror Duet #1)

The enraged shriek echoed throughout the massive cavern long after the druid had departed in a flash of green light.

A derisive chuckle replied, “Well, at least she’s pretty.

She has that going for her.” Resa hoisted the bloodied great axe onto her shoulder and grinned wolfishly.

“I didn’t expect her to be such a sore loser. ”

Max nodded, though his eyes crinkled at the edges in amusement.

He put the second fist-sized glowing orb, its radiant golden light casting shadows on the cavern wall, gingerly into his pack.

“But we got what we came for, and not without a small amount of trouble for it. At least they’ll now be in safe hands. ”

Resa lifted her head as their priest, a heavily-bearded man wearing dusty robes, called out his report. “All are alive and accounted for, sir.”

“Thank you, Rhogar.” Max stretched his white wings as he stood, a few feathers ruffled from the brutal fight. “Alive. That’s all we could hope for.”

Resa sighed. “Wistran better keep their promise, Max. That greedy fey king agreed a little too quickly to house one of those orbs for my liking.” She scowled. “You don’t think he’ll sell it, do you?”

Max huffed a laugh. “No, love. He won’t sell it.

He’ll hoard it like a dragon with a mountain of precious gems. He’ll keep it close, if for no other reason than to be known as the one who has it.

Besides, Camlynn will have the other. I just hope that’ll be enough distance between the two halves of the relic.

” The protector kissed her on the cheek as he walked past, giving an absent rub to her still-flat belly.

Resa smiled at the gesture. “Good. Much as I like a decent fight, I don’t want to have to face her again. We have more important things to do now.”

Max stopped and turned to speak over his shoulder. Exhaustion dulled his golden eyes. “She was cowed. We’ll never see her again.”

Resa ambled up to him and slid her hand into his. “You don’t really believe that, do you?” she said quietly.

Max gazed down at her and paused before replying, “No.”

A flash of green light preceded the druid’s arrival into her small cottage.

She stood frozen, shaking from battle fatigue and worse.

Even the familiar scent of chamomile, hanging in small bunches from her rafters, failed to calm her.

Her fine robes were dirty and bloodied, her green hair tangled and wild.

She ached from bruises and barely-healed wounds, but none of them compared to the burning emptiness in her chest. None of them compared to the rage hanging in her throat like a heavy lump, nearly choking her.

The cheerful chirping of birds outside was the only sound until she hurled her broken staff across the open room into the cold hearth with another harsh, frustrated scream.

The staff hit with an unsatisfying clank against the stone of the fireplace and fell to the ground, as dead and useless as her plans now were.

The Twin Spheres were gone. And in the hands of meddling bastards who had no real idea what they held.

She closed her eyes and sucked in a calming breath. Letting it out slowly, she opened her eyes to a new world. A new plan. She just had to be patient and wait for her opportunity.

And, in the meantime, find out where the Twin Spheres were being taken next.