The suggestion stung worse than any physical blow. "It felt real to me."
"Did it? Or did it feel like magic?"
Lyra stared at him, trying to understand how they'd gone from the most intense connection she'd ever experienced to this cold stranger who was acting like what they'd shared had been some kind of supernatural accident.
"Get dressed," Cade said, his tone carefully neutral. "I'll drive you back to the B&B."
"I'm staying here," Lyra said, lifting her chin defiantly. "This is my inn."
"Not tonight. Not after—" He gestured vaguely at the space between them. "Not until we figure out what the bond means and whether it can be broken."
"Broken?" The word came out sharper than Lyra had intended. "You want to break it?"
"I want to make sure we have a choice about it," Cade said, but he still wouldn't meet her eyes. "Founder bonds are... complicated. Binding. I won't trap you in something you didn't choose freely."
With that, he was gone, leaving Lyra alone in the cellar with the fading glow of the rune and the devastating realization thatthe most perfect moment of her life had apparently been nothing more than supernatural manipulation.
At least, according to the man who'd just walked away from her like she meant nothing at all.
9
CADE
Lyra woke up in her lonely bed at The Moonbeam Lodge feeling like she'd been emotionally hit by a supernatural freight train.
Four days had passed since the cellar incident, and Cade had managed to avoid her so completely that she was starting to wonder if he'd left town entirely. No morning appearances at the inn. No concerned texts about her magical stability. No gruff offers to help with repairs. Just radio silence and the growing certainty that whatever had happened between them had been a mistake of catastrophic proportions.
At least according to him.
Her founder's mark had settled into a steady, warm pulse that felt less like a brand and more like a heartbeat she couldn't ignore. The inn itself seemed more responsive to her presence now—doors opening at her approach, lights flickering on without switches being touched, the old building humming with contentment that suggested it approved of recent developments even if its former protector's descendant had fled like she carried the plague.
"Bastard," Lyra muttered into her coffee, which was probably unfair since she'd known Cade for less than a week and he didn't actually owe her anything beyond basic supernatural politeness.
The problem was, the bond she'd felt forming between them hadn't faded. If anything, it had grown stronger, like a golden thread connecting her heart to someone who was doing his damndest to pretend she didn't exist. Every time she thought about him—which was embarrassingly often—she felt an answering echo somewhere in her chest, as if part of him was still with her whether he wanted to be or not.
Her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number: "Meet me at the bookstore. We need to talk. - N"
"Finally," Lyra said, downing the rest of her coffee and grabbing her jacket. If anyone had answers about founder bonds and ancient magical responsibilities, it would be Nico.
The Gossamer Grimoire looked exactly like what would happen if someone gave a bibliophile unlimited resources and a complete disregard for conventional retail practices. Books were stacked in towering piles that defied physics, hanging plants created jungle-like corners perfect for reading, and the air smelled of old paper and laced with something literal magic. A sign by the register read "Cursed Books - Second Floor - Browse at Your Own Risk."
Nico was waiting for her in what appeared to be the store's consultation area—a cozy nook with mismatched armchairs and a tea service that had clearly been designed for serious conversations. He looked up from an ancient tome when she entered, his pale eyes holding the kind of sympathy that suggested he already knew why she was there.
"You look terrible," he said without preamble, gesturing for her to sit in the chair across from him.
"Gee, thanks. Really know how to make a girl feel special."
"I'm fae, darling. We're not known for sugar-coating unpleasant truths." Nico poured tea into a cup that appeared to be made of crystal and starlight. "Earl Grey with a touch of calming herbs. You look like you need it."
Lyra accepted the tea gratefully, immediately feeling some of the tension in her shoulders ease. "Is there anything in this town that isn't magical?"
"The tax collector," Nico said solemnly. "Completely mundane, unfortunately. Now, shall we discuss why you're radiating the kind of emotional turmoil that's been making every empath in a five-mile radius avoid downtown?"
"Cade's been avoiding me," Lyra said, deciding there was no point in pretending this was about anything else. "Ever since what happened in the cellar."
"Ah." Nico's expression grew knowing. "The bond finally snapped into place, did it?"
"You knew that was going to happen?"
