A Promise so Bold and Broken (Compelling Fates Saga, #2)

by Sophia St. Germain

But the longer she kept Merrick’s gaze, the longer his whispers traced her skin, the trembles racking her body softened, the overwhelming emotions were soothed, and her

🥹🤏🏽

eyes widened when she realized what she’d almost done.

Something in the intense silver-sprinkled darkness made her trust he understood her completely, and her stomach flipped when Merrick continued to keep her eyes hostage.

He looked into her eyes for the first time back in the cellars and hasn’t stopped since 🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽😩🥹

“There is more to the little rebellion your friends think they’re heroes for being part of. I don’t know the full extent, but Alarin—your father—does,” Merrick responded.

I knew it ? I felt like her dad was kinda in on it, I’m thinking he wants to overthrow Rioner to protect his family ? And speaking of that, I need a reunion moment with Lessi and her sister and father or ima kms

“Then let’s hope he never does,” she said quietly before boring her eyes into Ardow’s. “You’ve stalled long enough.”

Right like this is not about her and her fucked up family 😭

Lessia tensed when Loche’s name left his lips, and Merrick’s eyes slitted as they followed her raised shoulders down to the shaking hands in her lap.

I wonder what he really thinks about that whole relationship.

“I suggest you stop talking now.” Merrick’s voice was soft, but whispers began to reverberate between the walls of the cramped cabin, layering over her skin as they intensified. “I don’t care who you are! You don’t tell me what—” Ardow started.

He’s so quick to protect her 🥺

“None of you will talk unless I say so.” She let the magic brimming under her skin shine through, her golden eyes casting bright shadows across the dark wood as they darted between the three males. “Otherwise, I swear I will break all promises I’ve made and use my damned magic to make each and every one of you tell me your deepest, darkest secrets and use them against you.”

I know that’s right. It’s about time she start throwing her weight around.

“Your father has seen foreign ships when he’s traveled from your home, but since he can’t say exactly where… Rioner seems to believe it’s L… it’s the regent who somehow wants to intimidate him.”

Aw Merrick doesn’t want to hurt her by mentioning his name

“You have power, Lessia. More than you think. You just need to learn how to harness it.”

Type shit like she tripping.

“Lessia.” Merrick took a step toward her. “The gods gifted it to you for a reason. You do not need to be frightened of it. It’s not evil or good. It’s nothing but a power to be molded by its wielder. A power to be used carefully, yes. But not to be suppressed or forgotten about.”

“If you believe that, you’re not as clever as I thought,” he said quietly as he lifted a hand and used his thumb to brush away another treacherous drop. Merrick watched it for a moment before he let the tear fall into the dark waves.

“Enough with the apologies. And… I’d say you’ve had a rough few years.” Her eyes flew to his, and her heart leaped when a crooked smile brightened his features. Pulling at her hand, he led her back to the railing. “While I won’t pity you, I told you—you are entitled to be angry.”

🤏🏽😩

“What?” She slipped on the wet planks as she spun around. “He wouldn’t do that!” Her father was nothing if not loyal to those he loved. He’d rather die than hurt them. “He would if someone more dear to him was in danger.” Merrick placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her, and his grip tightened as he continued.

OH SHIT WAIT

She sniffed as Merrick picked up a lock of her bronze hair, twining it between his long fingers. “You are a mirror of your sister, Lessia. Alarin isn’t dumb. He knew something was off the moment he met you.”

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY.

“It’s me,” he whispered into her hair, and as his low voice wrapped around her, her coiled muscles softened. He held her closer, and his hair tickled her cheek as he continued. “I promise you, you’re never going back there. I will never allow them to hurt you again. Do you hear me?”

🥹🤏🏽😩

Freezing, Merrick glanced back down, and whatever he found in her eyes made his nostrils flare as he nodded once. “I’ll stay here while you sleep.”

😩😩😩😩🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽💚

Merrick moved again, and she could feel his eyes on her, the warmth of his gaze traveling down her face as he sighed. “Time will tell. For now, I suggest you stop riling her up, or you might find yourself in a dangerous situation. I certainly won’t stop her if it comes to that.”

TYPEEEE SHIIIIT

“She doesn’t need to get better,” he snarled softly. “If she decides to break apart this whole ship to deal with what happened, I’ll help her. If she wants to kick your lying ass into the depths of the sea, I’ll take your legs. If she decides to rip the world to shreds for what it’s done to her, I’ll cheer her on. And if you were a true friend… you would as well.”

You know why hell yeah. Yeah.

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Venko’s voice jarred her, and she sliced her gaze to the side, finding him clenching the table so hard his knuckles drained of blood. When Ardow dipped his chin, she sucked in a breath. “Was it you?” Lessia got out.

Yo Ardow is a flat out murderer omg he just going around murking everybody 😭

“Like they listened to you when you told them Lessia was off limits?” Merrick prowled down the stairs, a thunderous look on his

RIGHT.

face.

“Right now,” Merrick snarled back. “And rein in that attitude of yours if you care for your life. I’m much more forgiving than Raine, and I’m already this close to ripping your damned head off.” Lessia couldn’t stop the small snort that left her, and when Merrick turned to her and his dark eyes twinkled, the anger that had clawed so sharply at her lessened.

🤏🏽🥹

“I don’t know,” Merrick muttered, and they were perhaps the most terrifying words she’d ever heard. A slight tremor worked its way into Merrick’s usually hard voice, and she held her breath as he leaned over the side to stare into the water.

See when Merrick gets scared that’s when you just gotta lay down and await death fr 😭

Lessia whipped her head to the side, and when two huge violet eyes met hers, she let out a scream that was immediately swallowed by the water.

I would immediately die

When the wyvern was a few feet away, her magic roiled inside her, more strongly than it ever had before, and she didn’t care about what Merrick had said about magic not working on magical creatures. Stop! she screamed in her mind. You will not hurt me! The wyvern halted so fast that Lessia gulped down a few mouthfuls of water in surprise.

I KNEEEEEEEEW THIS GIRL WAS POWERFUL IDC. MY BITCH IS TEA PERIOD 🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽💚

“Please, stop hitting me.”

Merrick’s face came into view, and his eyes hardened as he growled, “Stop fucking dying, then.”

Type shit 🤏🏽😭

A growl roared through Merrick, so loud it felt as if the beach should shift with it. “Perhaps you are! Do you know what it was like, watching that beast carry you up from the sea? We thought it had chewed you up and decided to taunt us with your dead body!” Lessia stiffened when his hand landed on her shoulder. But he didn’t throw her down the way he liked to in the training ring, as she’d expected. Instead, Merrick slammed her into his chest, his arms enveloping her as he crushed her against him.

😩😩😩😩🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽💗

His eyes collided with hers, and apprehension whispered over her skin when she didn’t understand what was swirling within the silver-flecked darkness as Merrick shook his head at her. “Don’t do that to me again.”

😩😩😩😩😩🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽this is it.

How had Ardow become such a stupid bastard? She’d saved his life.

THATS WHAT IM SAYING LIKE WTF???

Her eyes turned inward, almost as if they peered out of her soul, and when she met the hazel ones in her mind and a golden sheen reflected in them, a low laugh left her. Get the fuck out, she purred.

TYPEEEEEEEEEEEEE 😛🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽

Especially not her. Do you hear me?”

😛

Her lips curled back when a laugh bubbled out of Raine, but before she could slam a dagger into his stupid face, Merrick lifted her and threw her over his shoulder. “Let. Me. Down,” she snarled when he started walking after Raine, Venko and Ardow cautiously following. “I swear, Merrick, I will kill you.” “No, you won’t,” he said

🤏🏽😛🤏🏽

Her eyes collided with Merrick’s, and hers widened when she realized blood dripped from his hand, staining the shards of glass beneath him. And her heart beat even faster when Merrick continued to stare at her, his full lips parting as his eyes trailed down her body, and an urge to hide swept through her.

OMG HE BROKE THE GLASS 🤏🏽🤏🏽🤏🏽😩 he said she bad period.

Tearing her eyes from his, she met Raine’s gaze, and heat crept up her cheeks when she found his eyes glossed, the hand holding his cup trembling.

Raine fucking with the new look too period

“It was his mate’s,” Merrick whispered as he took a seat in the chair beside her. When Lessia frowned, he continued. “The clothing you’re wearing. It was Solana’s.”

😩💔💔

Ardow’s face flushed. “I have a high standing with them. I can convince them to spare her.” Venko laughed hollowly. “Such a high standing that they left you to rot in Loche’s cellars.”

Right like are you forgetting they literally saved your ass like where tf were your rebels then???

Clenching her fists, she continued. “We need to see my father. He might be the only one who can convince Rioner. And… and when we’ve done that, we need to return to Ellow.” Reaching out to grip her hand, Merrick dipped his chin. “Then that’s what we’ll do.”

He’s so supportive 🤏🏽😩

“She’d have liked you, I think.” Raine walked up to the chair, sat down, and poured himself another glass. “She always fought for what she believed was right too.”

I actually like Raine

“Was it worth it? Meeting her just to lose her?” When Raine remained quiet, Lessia wondered if she’d gone too far, but then he cleared his throat, tears glistening in his own eyes. “I will never regret meeting her. Not for all the pain in the world.”

🥺💔

A sad smile pulled at Raine’s lips. “Sounds like Merrick. Ever the martyr.” “What do you mean?” Raine leaned back in the chair, the low scrape of the legs dragging against wood reverberating through the room. “He swore that blood oath because of me. Well, me, Thissian, and Kerym.”

See this is the backstory we been needing.

he took it upon himself to try to set them free. He swore that damn blood oath right in front of us for Rioner to release them.” A growl rumbled through the room. “Rioner couldn’t resist having the Death Whisperer at his beck and call. The strongest Fae in Havlands bound to him?” A bitter scoff escaped Raine. “He kept his promise of setting them free, only to hunt us all down a few days later… He doesn’t take well to anyone turning their back on him. So Solana and Thissian’s and Kerym’s mates paid the ultimate price.”

MERRICK 💔🥺🥺

“While a vile name, the Death Whisperer rings true. Those whispers you hear? It’s your mind opening up to the other side. It’s the souls of those who passed before you speaking while they prepare to bring you over—to claim you as one of their own.”

I’m intrigued. Slightly aroused. Carry on.

Her brows snapped together when she glanced around, finding lanterns placed every few feet of the short walls, and two in the windowsill.

Merrick was there 😭 be brought her light

Something that made Lessia swallow audibly as the pressure she’d gotten so used to in her chest tightened, driving some of the rage away and replacing it with the same feeling reflecting in Ydren’s eyes. “You’re lonely,” she whispered. Ydren blinked, her head dipping for a moment.

😭😭😭😭💔 come on emotional support animal. I needed this actually.

Ydren’s warm breaths mingled with the mild breeze blowing through Lessia’s hair, and the wyvern’s eyes were glossed, a sheen covering the deep purple as she cocked her neck. But as the wyvern’s snout nudged her, it didn’t fill Lessia with fear. Instead, her own eyes misted with tears. Clenching her jaw to stop them from spilling down her cheeks, Lessia got out, “I am lonely, too, sometimes.”

I’m actually gonna cry.

“Are you trying to get me undressed?” she taunted, ignoring the small voice in her mind warning her that she’d just decided not to agitate him more.

A vein throbbed by his temple. “If I were, you’d already be splayed out on the sand beneath me, begging me to join you.”

😮🫢🤭

Lessia opened her mouth to say something—anything—but no words left her lips as Merrick’s eyes snapped back to hers. The air grew heavy, the wind dying down around them, and the intensity of their locked gazes became too much. She didn’t understand the indignation swirling in his darkness, why a crease formed between his pearly brows, why his jaw locked and unlocked.

They are literally meant to be idc