I've Watched You Die (Academy for Gods and Freaks Book 1) by Karina Banks

Author:Karina Banks [Banks, Karina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-TWO

Light from dozens of torches dances like a group of playful birds, waving and flickering at me from the polished silver and gold walls. The ornate domed ceiling of the Hall of the Ancients holds both light and shadow. Looking up somehow makes my feet feel as if they have sunk ankle deep into the earth. My body is heavy and locked in place, like I’m one of the statues, one of many carved faces among the ancient gods or their Valkyrie warriors. A strange shiver moves through me, like a ghost is passing through my flesh.

A sound draws my attention and I lower my head to discover the once empty seats are filled with people in formal wear. They are present in all ages, from elderly to infant, all dressed in dark suits and floor length gowns. All eyes are focused on three people in the center of the hall. The quaint table and chairs that once held myself and Attie are gone, replaced by two large pillows where two people kneel, facing one another. A chalice sits between them on the floor of the dais. A robed figure stands behind the cup.

I study these three people capturing everyone’s attention: a man in a gaudy golden robe, the skin on his hands wrinkled with age. He is wearing a mask and stands above two kneeling students that I recognize instantly.

Ryker kneels, facing Octavia, a fist over his heart. She is in an identical pose opposite him. Octavia is wearing a stunning green gown. She is beautiful. Ryker looks handsome as hell in a suit. A small gold crown sits atop his head and a thick cloak is draped over his shoulder, held in place by a gold chain across his chest, and secured by a gold pin in the shape of a raven. The dagger he used to cut off the draug’s fingers in the car is clearly visible, blade extended, hanging from his hip.

I’ve never seen him look like this, so perfect, handsome, and royal.

They grip each other’s forearms, skin to skin, staring into each other’s eyes. The moment feels electric, as if the entire world is holding its breath.

I have never heard such a large space be so quiet, not even in church. Then I know, the way one knows things in dreams; this is their bonding ceremony. This is the moment Ryker and Octavia will combine their power and seal their fates. They will be irrevocably bound together until one of them dies.

I hate watching her claim him. I feel like I’m losing him somehow, giving him away. Irrational thoughts cloud my mind, thoughts of shoving her aside and taking her place. I want him to refuse her, to get up and leave her kneeling there, alone. Which is stupid, I know. Without a protector, a trained warrior, he will be left to fight off draug attacks alone. What if I’m not there to heal him? What if I can’t figure out how to control my

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