Page 70 of Zenith Tower

Caspian lowered his voice. “I felt you last night.”

Heat rose into my face.

“Not details,” he said. “You. The bond opened before I understood what was happening.”

“Caspian, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for wanting him.”

“You shouldn’t have had to feel any of it without choosing to.”

“No.” He said it without accusation. “We’ve always been able to hold parts of the bond back. Last night I tried to hold back everything that wasn’t mine.”

“Did it work?”

“Not completely. It gave me some distance.”

I reached carefully toward our bond. It remained present, cool and familiar, with Caspian’s restraint drawn around it.

“What did you feel?”

Caspian looked toward the steward before answering. “I knew you weren’t afraid. After that I pulled away.”

My face burned.

His hand closed around mine. “Astra.”

I raised my eyes.

“I knew you wanted Kieran. We spoke about it before the bond formed.”

“Knowing isn’t the same as watching it happen.”

“No.” His thumb moved over my knuckles. “It hurt. That does not mean I doubt you.”

“Does it change what you want?”

“No.” His gaze dropped briefly to our wrists. “But next time, if there is time, tell me. I can quiet the bond before either of us has to wonder what is crossing it.”

“There will be time.”

The words caught in my throat. Kieran had time now. I was going to have to learn how to believe it.

“I’ll tell you,” I said.

Caspian lifted our joined hands and pressed his mouth to my fingers. The gesture was brief, but the bond warmed around it.

Footsteps approached from the crossing behind us.

Hale came around the bend, his expression unreadable until he saw us together. Some of the tension left his shoulders.

“Marrow is making another round,” he said. “You need to be inside before he reaches this corridor.”

“How is Kieran?” Caspian asked.

“Asleep. The Mark is still holding.” Hale looked at me. “Did the administrator tell you why she came without him?”

“Marrow left Kieran’s consent out of the report.”