Bound by Duty (Bound Series Book 1)

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Book: Bound by Duty (Bound Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Stormy Smith
even talk about who and what the Elders used to be. I understand that Queen Julia and her Hunters have scared the crap out of every Immortal out there, but there has to be somebody that can tell us what’s happening to you.”
    Cole looked defeated. His eyebrows were drawn together and his scowl deepened the longer he thought about it.
    “I know Cole, I’m frustrated, too.” I tried to sound reassuring, “But, you’ve been asking questions for years. I know that has to be part of why you moved around so much while you were gone. Maybe we should stop pushing. I’m going to have to do this no matter what. The queen wants a magical puppet for her prince and I drew the short straw.” It was just the reality of the situation, no matter how much we both hated it.
    “No, Amelia. I won’t. I won’t stop until I figure out how we can either get you out of this betrothal or at least get you prepared to handle it. We’ve talked about some of what I’ve learned, but there are a lot of things I’ve never told you; things I didn’t want to have to tell you. It’s probably time. You need to understand what you’re up against and the deadline is only coming closer. The queen will come to collect.”
    There was a different emotion in his voice this time — fear. Just the edges of his irises were turning green and I could feel the change in the air around us. I grabbed Cole’s hand. “Hey. Hey, Cole. Not here.” He was lost in his own thoughts and I wondered what it was he was seeing behind those eyes. What memories were replaying in his mind to take him out of our conversation and somewhere else entirely? I gave him a few more seconds, but when I couldn’t seem to get his attention with my hushed whispers, I kicked him under the table. I hadn’t thought it all the way through and my Cherry Pepsi was almost upended as my foot not only connected with his shin but also the table leg. Cole came out of his trance and reached out faster than he should have to stop it from tipping over. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching and then scowled at me. I shrugged. “What’d you want me to do? You just disappeared over there.”
    Shaking his head, Cole gestured for me to continue eating. We ate in strained silence as I continued to wonder what he wasn’t telling me, and Cole maintained a look that told me his mind was elsewhere. Finally, he paid the bill and led me outside. We walked silently along the beach for a few minutes until he plopped down in the sand and gestured for me to join him. After a few more moments of silence, he finally spoke.
    “You know that when I left and told you that I had to get away from Dad, it was really so I could help you, right?”
    “Of course, Cole. I mean, no, I didn’t know that right away, but eventually it made sense. And, I knew Dad was too much for you. After knowing him and Mom before…well, before me, you knew what you were missing. I never did,” I said.
    “Don’t do that. Just don’t,” he said, turning to me to make his annoyance clear. “We aren’t going there today. I left because Dad was never going to help you and you were finally old enough to keep yourself together while I was gone. I knew that Ryn would be there, too. I thought there had to be people out there — our people — who knew what you were going through. It wasn’t right that he handed your future off and then refused to teach you what to do with what you had.
    “I started out young and stupid and way too obvious. I knew that some of the larger Mage populations in North America were in the North West and the upper Midwest. It wasn’t hard to find them once I got close — I could feel their power like I do yours. But, when I outright asked other Immortals about the Elders, they would just turn and walk away from me, refusing to acknowledge the question. So, I got a little stealthier in my approach. I had to give myself time to become part of their community and not just some stranger
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