Forced Bonds (The Bonds That Tie, #4)(74)

Gabe shrugs as he directs Atlas where to stack boxes. “A lot of the TacTeam personnel on Gryphon's team aren’t Bonded yet. Most of them are hoping that Sawyer’s work with the blood bank will figure out why they haven't been able to find their Central Bonds yet.”

I nod and sigh, it makes sense. My mind is still drifting to all of the terrible things that could be happening to my Bonded right now. It's irrational because there's no way that any of them could hide grievous injuries or anything too dramatic from me, but my brain can't stop going over all of the ‘what ifs’.

North had been so adamant that I stay behind because the Bond was so fresh between his brother and I, but Nox had refused to stay as well. And as often happens, North and Gryphon would both rather give in to his demands than argue with him. I don’t necessarily disagree with them, but it still grates on me that I’ve been left behind.

I can't stop thinking about if they need me and my power. North had been handling the situation with the Resistance attack really well before Atlas and I had arrived, but there’s no denying that the power boost I gave him meant that he could wipe out much larger numbers at a time. I’d like them to get in and out of that place as quickly as possible. And a power boost would definitely help with that.

If I gave one to Nox as well? Game changer, I’m sure of it.

Gabe nods and sits down on one of the stacks of boxes, unscrewing a bottle of water and offering it to me before draining half of it in one go. “You should know by now that North is all about risks and rewards. Everything that he does is a calculation of what we can afford to risk. It's one of the biggest things that he does as a councilman. The risks of moving to the Sanctuary too soon were too great; it's why we stayed at Draven for so long, even after we did have some livable properties here. He had to get Gryphon to screen as much of the population as possible to ensure we weren't bringing anybody in who was a risk. The same as when it comes to you and Nox.” He glances at Atlas for a second, knowing that this is a sensitive topic to him more than anyone else, but I want to hear what he has to say.

When Atlas doesn’t immediately kick off, he continues, “He’s constantly trying to figure out how to bridge the gap between the two of you, but the risk of setting Nox off again is too great, at the moment.”

Atlas scoffs and kicks his toes against the concrete on the ground, a little plume of dust billowing around his shoe. “So he's fine to just sacrifice Oli?”

I shrug. “No, he trusts that I am not lying when I say that I'm fine and I can deal with him… which I am, by the way.”

Gabe shrugs. “I think if you were handling Nox differently, North would have stepped in by now. We were all around for the last time that Nox was sent off the deep end and, to be honest, you don't understand, Atlas. You can't understand, because you weren't here and you didn't see it. I'm not willing to sacrifice Oli, but if she’s fine figuring this stuff out for herself, then I'm happy to leave it up to North. He’s never led us astray before. For someone that everybody insists has to be a monster because of his Gift, he is awfully good at doing everything he can to help his community.”

There's a warm glow in my chest at hearing one of my Bonded speak so highly of another. Even though I already knew that Gabe had a great relationship with them all, it still brings me comfort to know that they look out for each other in some way.

Knowing that Atlas is also finding his place in the group, even with his incessant questions and picking things apart, is also a huge relief. I know that it’s his own response to his childhood and his parents that has him being a pain in the ass to the rest of them. He has to question everything and get to the root of every issue just to make sure that we're both safe.

Maybe someday, if I can convince Nox that I’m not an evil, manipulative Bonded who wants to take over his life and control him, I'll also be able to convince Atlas to give him a break.

Asking for two miracles at once isn't such a big deal, is it?

After an hour or so, we've cracked open all of the boxes that we need to, and Gabe and I have shifted to the tiling work itself. Gabe is good about letting me pull my own weight, and Atlas watches us both for a little while until he is sure that there's nothing left for him to do in the room before he moves on to put up Sheetrock in another room. He's much better at that than the fussy work of tiling, and I find myself comforted by the repetitive motion of laying the tiles.

Gabe is happy to work in silence, the two of us getting lost in our own heads and the work as we move together across the room. We’re almost to the door when I feel it, a sharp pain in my shoulder that can only mean one thing.

One of my Bonded has been injured.





“The last time I let you convince me to take you on a little adventure, Fallows, I almost lost my job, all of my friends, and my life, so no, I don't think I'm going to take you anywhere.”

I have to physically hold my bond inside of my chest with every inch of my willpower as I convince it that I can get this situation sorted out and get us to our Bonded.

Both of my Bonded can feel this war happening internally, and Gabe gives Kieran a look. “You're about to get your soul sucked out if you don't do what she asks, because her bond is not happy with you right now.”

Sage glances between them nervously, her brows dropped down low over her eyes, and she glances up at Kieran. “I mean, this time you're at least taking her to North and Gryphon. They can't be that mad about it, right?”