Soulbound by Heather Brewer Page A

as an unexpected storm rolled in. Lightning flashed, lighting up the night. Suddenly, the sky opened up and rain poured down on us in sheets. I lifted my face, closing my eyes, enjoying the cool water on my skin. After a moment, I looked at Trayton, who was smiling at me. “Promise me that you’ll always be so open with me, Trayton, that you won’t change once we’re Bound.”
    Trayton leaned close and my heart was completely still. My rational mind knew that he was a virtual stranger to me, but I comforted myself with the fact that he was also a completely gorgeous, highly kissable stranger. His lips were incredibly close to mine, and I could feel his whisper on my skin. “I promise.”
    A cough, almost indistinguishable from the rain, gave his actions a pause. Maddox spoke from several yards away. She didn’t sound happy. “Three minutes until curfew, you two.”
    Trayton frowned. “It takes at least five minutes to walk back to our quarters.”
    “What’s the matter, Trayton? Out of breath?” I grinned, egging him on.
    His grin returned. “Maybe if you’d stop stealing it away…”
    Maddox practically shouted. “Two minutes! I suggest you run.”
    We took off running through the rain and reached thedoor of our dorm building dripping wet and breathless, with about ten seconds to spare. Trayton didn’t leave my side the entire time. He smiled brightly. “Thank you, Kaya. I haven’t had this much fun in a long time. Maybe we could talk more tomorrow, go for a walk after our binding?”
    “I’d love that.” I meant it. I wanted to spend time with Trayton. I wanted to get to know him. Even if the idea of being Bound forever with no choice did leave me a little nauseated and a lot terked off.
    Trayton had just reached for the door when the headmaster opened it from the other side. “Ah, just the man I wanted to see. Trayton, if you would accompany me to my office. We have a few things to discuss before tomorrow’s festivities.”
    “Of course, Headmaster.” He threw me a smile and departed with the headmaster, leaving Maddox and me alone.
    Maddox grumbled. “There better not have been any touching, Kaya.”
    “No touching. Promise.” A light caught my eye and I turned my head. The upstairs window of the cabin was open. Darius was standing in the window, his shirt partially undone, leaning on the frame with both hands. Something in his expression looked haunted, sad. Then suddenly, his jaw tensed and anger returned to his eyes. He slammed the shutters closed.
    I jumped at the sound of it.
    Maddox shook her head. “What is his problem?”
    But the answer seemed obvious. It was me. And I had no idea why.
    Yanking open the door to my dorm, I huffed inside with Maddox right behind me.

C H A P T E R
Eight
    I woke early, just as the sun’s light had pierced the window glass, to the scent of roses. Light, airy, beautiful roses. A dozen of them—in rich, glorious red—were sitting in a vase atop the table near the door, a small piece of parchment tucked neatly between their leaves. Slipping out from under my down-filled covers, I plucked the note from the bouquet. In swirling, elegant script, it read simply
Yours, T
. A smile touched my lips then and I couldn’t help but wonder just how Trayton had managed to get the flowers past Maddox. After all, he owed her after our alone time. Did his charms know no bounds? I rummaged in my trunk for something to wear. Something comfortable, with maybe a hint of pretty. I still didn’t have a uniform, but I wagered that the headmaster would insist on it soon. Especially once…
    Something in my chest clenched my heart.
    …once Trayton and I were Bound. Which happened to be in about an hour.
    I’d forgotten. I’d completely forgotten that I was about to be forever Bound to a boy I hardly knew.
    Dragging my feet, I slowly made my way into my washroom, bathed and got ready—my thoughts never far from Trayton and what our binding meant exactly. It meant that there