Page 10 of Traveler (Soulbound #1)

Barrett

The fire crackle s low in my office hearth, its warmth doing little to ease the tension coiled in my shoulders. I adjust the stack of reports on my desk—Aly James, unstable magic, high potential —but the words blur. They mean very little. Aly is a Traveler and has never done magic in her life. It’s normal to not have control over all the elements right off the bat.

A knock.

“Enter.”

She slips inside; shoulders hunched like she’s bracing for a blow. Her storm-gray eyes dart to the star charts on the walls, the obsidian relics, everywhere but me.

“Sit,” I say, voice softer than I’d ever use with anyone else.

She perches on the edge of the chair, fingers twisting in her lap. A pull yanks at my chest. What the fuck is that?

Then she looks up.

Gods.

The air leaves my lungs. Heat floods my veins, sudden and relentless, as if my blood has turned to wildfire. Mate. The word slams into me, raw and undeniable. Her eyes widen—she feels it too— “Oh god, already? Just found one. Why—?” She cuts off her thoughts, and her worried eyes lock with mine.

“You found a mate already?” My voice is tight. I understood I’d be sharing her, but gods, it’s her first day.

She nods.

“Who?” I soften my voice, though my grip tightens on the edge of the desk.

“Professor Jacobs,” she Mumbles, dropping her eyes.

Relief and irritation war in my chest. Saul Jacobs. Of course. The man’s a good friend of mine—loyal, competent, annoyingly patient. But the thought of him touching her, even in a world where bonds are shared, sends a possessive snarl clawing up my throat. I swallow it.

“Aly, you’re going to have multiple mates. It’s normal. No one is upset by that.” I force a smirk, leaning back in my chair. “But between me and you, I don’t think Saul would enjoy hearing you refer to him as ‘ professor .’ Unless that’s something he’s into.”

Her cheeks flush crimson. “I didn’t—it’s just… he’s, my teacher. Isn’t this… complicated?”

“Yes.” No lies. No platitudes. “But it’s not a problem unless you make it one.”

She tugs at the sleeve of her academy uniform, magic flickering around her like static. “What if I can’t handle this? The bonds, the magic, the… expectations ?”

I stand abruptly, circling the desk. Her breath hitches as I stop in front of her, close enough that the bond thrums between us, insistent and hungry. “You’re a Traveler. You were born to handle chaos.”

“Wait you know? Vivianne said- “

“That no one can know? Usually that’s true but when travelers arrive at the academy, they usually have no idea how to use magic, so they do poorly in classes, and people notice. The gods have a system in place to ensure that people don’t catch on. We usually require all travelers have a tutor to help catch them up. We will do the same with you.”

“But I’m not good at this stuff. I don't like pressure.” she whispers. “I don’t know how to be… this.”

I crouch, meeting her eye level. The gesture feels foreign—I don’t kneel for anyone. But for her? For this? My knuckles brush her wrist, and the bond flares, molten and sweet. “You don’t have to be anything but what you are. The bonds will guide you. We will guide you.”

Her gaze flicks to my hand. “We?”

“Saul. Me. Others, eventually.” My jaw tightens. “Whether I like it or not.”

She huffs a shaky laugh. “You don’t seem thrilled.”

“Thrilled?” I rise, retreating to the hearth to put space between us before I do something reckless—like pull her into my arms and dare the gods to take her from me. “I’ve waited centuries for a bond. Now I have to share it with a man who lectures about water. ”

A startled giggle escapes her. “He’s not that boring.”

“He says ‘be fluid’ like every five seconds. Aly.”

She covers her mouth, shoulders shaking. The sound of her laughter loosens something in my chest. Mine. Ours.

I rise, retreating to the fireplace before I do something reckless—like pin her against the desk. Shit now I’m hard. “You’ll have a tutor. And this.”

I pull the platinum card from my desk, its surface gleaming under the firelight.

She stares at it like it’s a live serpent. “I don’t need your money.”

“You might not. But you'll take it anyway...” I scratch the access code onto a Post-it. “Clothes. Books. Weapons. Whatever you need or want.”

“Weapons?!” She all but screeches.

“You’re a Traveler in a realm of power-hungry assholes. Assume everything wants to kill you.” I tuck the card into an envelope and hold it out. “Take it.”

She doesn’t move.

“Aly.” Her name is a growl. A plea.

She snatches the envelope, cheeks flushed. “This isn’t over.”

I smirk. “Yes, it is.”

I toss her a small, leather-bound journal from my desk. “Write down every time your traveler magic surges. Times, triggers, sensations. Saul will want data, want patterns. It is different than elemental magic so we need to know what triggers you so we can figure out how to hide it.”

She catches it, brow furrowing. “And you? What do you want?”

A drink.

“I want you alive,” I say, tone hardening to steel. “Which means you’ll train with a tutor on any subjects you are having issues with. I need to know you can manage your magic. Your professors noticed your lack control today. Obviously, they don't know what you are, so they have no idea this is the first time you've tried any of this.”

She stands, clutching the journal to her chest. “Yes, sir.”

A groan threatens to leave my throat. This girl… trouble. “And Aly?” I brace a hand against the mantel, the firelight shadowing my face. “Tell Saul he owes me a drink. For the emotional turmoil.”

Her lips twitch. “I’ll… let him know.”

The door clicks shut. I stare into the flames, the bond simmering under my skin like a second heartbeat.

The council can’t know what she is. They’d leash her, weaponize her, break her.