Page 49 of Before the Bond
Caleb drummed his fingers against the table. I didn’t think I ever saw him do anything like that before. Was he nervous?
“The bond isn't one-directional," he said. "It goes both ways. It's more like a tether. Something that exists in the body."
I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. After a moment, he finally took his coffee mug again.
"When we're close, it strengthens us both,” he explained. “It's the reason I healed faster last night than I should have. And it’s the reason you felt what you felt the morning you found me in the yard.”
I recalled the strange voice in the back of my head, and how I felt more panicked than I usually did in an emergency situation.
I realized if the bond was a two-way street, then that meant there were things I couldn’t fully control either.
That explained the kiss last night. I didn’t know if that made it better.
I continued my questions. "And when you're far apart?"
A flash of uncertainty crossed his face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
"The bond… isn’t the same.”
I frowned. I couldn’t tell if it was vagueness or a literal inability to express what happened.
I wanted to pry at it, but I chose to file it. Mostly because I didn’t want him to clam up before I could get anything more out of him.
Finally, I asked the biggest question I had. The one I didn’t want to ask. The part about Stella had already touched on it.
"How much of this was… a lie?" I asked, a prickling sensation spread across my chest.
“Do you mean your job here?”
I shook my head.
“Not just my job,” I said. “I mean everything. The way everyone acts around me. You already mentioned Stella, but what about everyone else? Jake, Donovan, Maureen… you.”
My chest tightened. I didn’t know the answer yet, but the more I elaborated on the question, the scarier it became.
This time, Caleb’s silence was accompanied by a smile.
“Olivia,” he said. “There are some things we couldn’t lie to you about even if we tried. Your job here was ‘convenient’, yes, but that doesn’t change how much Jake admires you. I don’t think he’s ever expressed that kind of joy since…”
Caleb hesitated, then added. “Since our mother died.”
Memories of taking care of Jake, our little garden walks, our readings when his pain became too harsh resurfaced. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Donovan cares about you, too,” Caleb said.
I tried not to laugh. Caleb followed suit.
“I’m serious,” he insisted. “He knows what you mean to people here. That’s why he’s careful. It was for your own benefit as much as it was for us.”
That explained why Donovan’s guardedness never felt antagonistic, and also why Stella seemed to have mixed opinions about him.
“Stella…” I murmured.
Caleb grinned even wider.
“I don’t think I have to tell you that,” he said. “She truly does see you as a friend. You know, she never visited the manor asmuch until you were here. And her egging you to go on outings? All her.”
I thought back to every encounter Stella and I had. Our texts. Our chats.
