Page 76 of The Other Side

“I…did.”

“You promised to come willingly.”

“I am willing.”

Leaf’s gaze lifted. “Are you?”

“I’m willing,” he repeated, “to come back when I said I would.” I’m not.

“The magic doesn’t care about intentions.”

“It should.”

“It doesn’t.”

Silence settled between them again.

Osian hated this tricky magic. Not the little things. Not coaxing seedlings from the earth or asking water to find thirsty roots. That felt honest. This… This was contracts and blood and words that trapped you long after you’d forgotten speaking them. At nineteen, he thought he was invincible.

“I know you don’t intend to come back in a couple of weeks,” Leaf said.

He should have known he couldn’t fool his brother.

“So if I stay…”

“The blood-bond will begin pulling. You’ll stop sleeping. Your dreams will turn into nightmares. You’ll feel ill. You magic will fail. Your lifeforce will diminish. Eventually, you’ll have no choice but to come home or die.”

Osian frowned.

“I’ve seen it happen.”

“To someone you cared for?”

Leaf’s mouth twitched. “No.”

“You know someone.”

“I did.”

The way he said did made Osian decide not to ask another question. Instead, he said, “You could have led with that.”

“I was hoping you’d come without needing convincing.”

“So either I go now and never see Drum again. Or I wait until I’m forced back by one means or another.”

“More or less.”

“And if I refuse to come back?”

Leaf met his eyes. “You’ll die unless Belem releases the bond. He’s not going to do that.”

The certainty in his voice was infuriating. Osian stood and paced.

“Come with me now before Drum returns.”

“No. I’ve only just found him. I won’t leave him. You can tell Belem I won’t be coming back at all. I’d rather die with Drum by my side than live without him.”

“No!”