Unbroken Bonds (The Bonds That Tie #6)(25)

For once, Atlas doesn't seem so worried about it either.

We sit through the meal together, Atlas and I watching Oli as she watches Sage who is watching Wick and Felix bicker with one another.

It’s exhausting just to see.

Riley had grabbed a plate for himself and then disappeared into one of the bedrooms, still looking like a corpse, but everyone else seems less worried about it now, so I'm sure he's not about to drop dead. We make it through the entire meal and are about to start doing dishes when Nox's voice cuts through our heads.

Don't react. Don't panic or make a scene. Excuse yourselves and slowly make your way over to North’s offices.

I place my hand on Oli's back as I take her plate, putting it in the dishwasher with my own as I try not to look concerned or rushed. Atlas meets my eye with a nod, moving over to Oli as we smile and make excuses for leaving already.

He checks his phone and quietly moves Oli out of the room after she gives Sage a quick squeeze and promises to call her later.

We do all of this in a matter of minutes, but it feels like hours before I'm able to take a deep breath and shoot Atlas a look without worrying that anyone else will see it. Oli ignores us both completely, reaching out to Nox within all our hearing as she finally lets the panic she’s feeling show.

What's happened? I know no one's hurt, but what is it?

North sends through a soothing feeling to her, but it's Gryphon who answers the question.

Someone has arrived at the gate.





CHAPTER SEVEN





Oli



The Sanctuary hasn’t been a secret for months now, not since the Resistance had attacked, so it's not exactly a surprise that someone has once again come calling. The surprise, however, is that when I arrive at North's offices, instead of being greeted by my Bonded, I find all three of their bonds standing there waiting for me.

Three sets of black eyes, three blank faces, and three robotic voices. All of them are beings that I am equally obsessed with, but Atlas and Gabe react to their presence about as well as can be expected.

“Oli, get behind me,” Atlas says as he tries to wrestle me back, but even though he is invincible and strong enough to move a car, I'm determined. He would never do anything that could unintentionally hurt me, so I win the fight.

“Something's clearly happened if they're all out, especially North's bond. Just let me speak to them!”

Gabe looks a lot more healthy now that he has half a chicken coop and a gallon of barbeque sauce in his belly, and he merely tilts his head to the side as he takes them in. “We were just talking to the others a moment ago, why aren't they here now?”

That's a good question.

Gryphon’s bond, I really need to get used to calling it the Soothsayer, answers for all of them. “We recognize the newcomer. This is best dealt with by us.”

Well, that's disturbing.

I check in with my own bond, but it has nothing but joy to give me. Joy at the sight of her beloved Bonded here and ready to make war on our behalf, ready to shed blood and destroy any Gifted dumb enough to consider being a threat to us and the life that we are building here.

“Did the vessels let you come out, or was this more of a coup?” Gabe asks carefully, and North’s bond, the Crux, answers him, though his eyes stay fixed on me.

“There is no letting. There is a god-bond outside of the gate. It's requesting entrance into this place. It is not for the vessels to deal with.”

“That sounds like a ‘no’ to me,” says Atlas with a drop to his tone, and I wave a dismissive hand up at them.

“My bond doesn't seem too interested though. Shall we all go down there together?”

I take a step, but the Corvus stops me, a large palm fitting over my chest. I can see Atlas’ reaction to this from the corner of my eye. He hates Nox, but he trusts his bond even less. It seems a little silly to me. If anything, he should trust it more.

It was always devoted to me and eager to covet and protect me.

“You might still be tired, Bonded. Maybe the Eternal should take care of this.”

I hate that word coming out of Nox’s mouth. I have to remind myself that it’s not him saying it. I also refuse to get huffy at the Corvus for thinking such a thing. I'm sure it comes from a good place, but I shrug.

“I feel fine. And until I need it to come out, the Eternal is happy to leave it to me. We're on very good terms, you know.”

The Corvus cocks his head to one side as it looks me over. I smile, reaching out for a hug, and am delighted when it lets me. Both of the very human Bonded behind me make unhappy noises at all of the touching. I pull back for just a moment instead, using the opportunity to get some more information.

“Which god-bond has come to see us? Is there anything I need to know before we go down and face it?”

“We should kill it,” says the Crux, and the Soothsayer shrugs.

“It's not happy that I broke the connection and it's been forced to come crawling on its own two feet instead of using what belongs to us.”

Even though the words might be a little confusing, it all snaps together in my head slowly. “It’s the possession one, isn't it? The one that took over Sage. It's here because we wouldn't listen to it.”

All it takes is a single nod of the Corvus’ head before I'm off, stalking over to the elevator and jabbing at the button. I’m ready to run down and open the gates myself to punch this god-bond square in the jaw before I rip its soul clean out, and no one will stop me from doing so.