The Warrior’s Broken Mate novel Chapter 129

The cavern shook as the sorcerer’s shadows poured toward us, a tide of claws and teeth. The Ash Queen’s fire blazed brighter than ever, holding them back in bursts, but even her strength was beginning to fade. Elias’s wolf tore through the creatures, his golden eyes wild, but still they kept coming.

The heart pulsed at the center of the chamber, its light flickering under the sorcerer’s grip. The glow was raw, alive, its power pressing against my skin like fire and lightning all at once. I staggered closer, drawn to it, even as fear coiled inside me.

“That’s the only way.” I said, breathless. “The heart–it’s the only thing strong enough to destroy him.”

The Ash Queen snapped her head toward me, her face grim. “If you take it into yourself, girl, the realm will bind you here. You’ll never leave.”

Elias slashed a shadow beast in half, his chest heaving. He shifted back, looking at me then, his eyes burning with both love and fear. “No.” He growled. “Not her. There has to be another way.”

The sorcerer’s laughter rolled through the chamber. “Yes, wolf. Let her try. Let her burn. The heart will consume her before it ever harms me.”

I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the bond pulsing between Elias and me. The sorcerer’s words dug sharp, but for once, I didn’t falter. The bond was alive, strong, unbroken despite everything. And in that moment, a thought struck me.

“What if…” My voice shook, but I forced the words out. “What if we don’t face it alone? What if we take it together?”

Elias’s head snapped toward me. “Lyra-”

“No, listen.” I said quickly, my hands trembling but my heart steady. “The heart binds whoever claims it. That’s what the Queen said. But our bond–it links us. If we share it, if we let the heart flow into both of us… then neither of us will be tied here. We’ll carry it together.”

The Ash Queen’s eyes widened. For a heartbeat, she looked almost shaken. Then she gave the smallest nod. “It could work. If your bond is strong enough, the heart may divide itself between you. It will make you protectors of the realm–but it will not cage you.”

The sorcerer snarled, shadows writhing around him. “Fools! You think love is enough to claim the heart? It will tear you apart.”

But Elias was already moving toward me, blood streaking his skin, golden eyes burning brighter than ever. He cupped my face with his trembling hands, his breath hot against mine. “If it means saving you–saving us–I’ll risk everything.”

My throat closed, tears stinging my eyes. “We do this together. Always.”

He pressed his forehead against mine. “Always.”

The Ash Queen’s fire surged behind us, holding back another wave of shadows. “Do it now!” She shouted. “Before he corrupts the heart completely!”

Elias grabbed my hand, our fingers locking tight. Together, we stepped into the glow of the heart.

It was like walking into a storm.

The light seared through my skin, flooding into me, into us, like fire poured straight into our veins. I screamed, my body trembling, but Elias’s grip held me steady. His presence in the bond burned bright, wrapping around me, grounding me.

I’m here, his voice whispered through the bond, strong and steady. Hold on to me.

I clung to him, our souls pressed together, our love blazing hotter than the fire that threatened to rip us apart. The heart pushed, wild and furious, trying to tether itself, but it couldn’t decide. Not one vessel. Two.

So it chose both.

The light split, half flooding into me, half into Elias. Our bond flared brighter than ever, weaving us together with golden fire. The pain became something else–something sharp but pure, like the birth of something greater.

The cavern exploded with light. The sorcerer staggered back, shrieking, shadows writhing like they were burning alive. “No! You cannot wield it! It’s mine!”

I lifted my hand, light blazing from my palm. Elias mirrored me, golden fire sparking from his claws. Together, our powers merged, a torrent of searing light and flame.

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