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

by Sophia St. Germain

“Don’t,” he whispered, eyes filling with that confusion again as they met hers. That heartbreaking confusion the lethal ruler of Ellow, the feared and respected and loved leader, shouldn’t have.

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💔

When she dared to glance at Merrick, his eyes appeared unseeing as they lay on the hand resting over her own, and the urge to pull away, to crawl into his lap to get that starry darkness back—perhaps even draw another smile from him—nearly overwhelmed her. But she couldn’t bear it when Loche opened his mouth to speak again.

THIS IS TUFFFFFFF

I refuse to be like the leaders before me—like the council—and take the fleet to protect myself. I will fight. And when I die… it will be for the people who elected me—for the world I promised them. If the decisions I made caused me to fail… then death seems like a fitting punishment.”

😫😫😫💔 oh loche 😭

Loche’s hand tightened over her own, and her head whipped back to his. “He will kill you, Lessia. But that doesn’t mean this will end. The rebels are not under his command. And the Oakgards’ Fae coming here still need a place to live. The curse is merely an excuse for Rioner to keep Vastala as he prefers it.” “He is right,” Merrick gritted, although Lessia could tell it was somewhat grudgingly.

Man FAWK

Something else was driving that primal Fae rage to the surface. Something that perhaps had to do with the dark-haired ruler who still had her hand in a firm grip, whose eyes seemed never to leave her face, that sense that he wanted—needed—to figure her out tracing over her skin like curious fingers.

😭😭😭

She thought the weight might splinter her ribs when Merrick called out after her, not in the cold, demanding voice he used in training but in one tinged by worry. But she didn’t turn around. She needed to fix this. Now.

BRO PLEASE

“What has you frowning like that?” Loche stared at her, his keen eyes following her every movement, eerily similar to how they’d tracked her all those weeks of the election. Lessia shrugged as she moved her gaze out back over the sea. “Painful memories.”

😭😭😭😭😭😭

“I can still feel it.” Lessia stiffened when Loche moved closer, one of his legs swinging over so he straddled the railing, his body now turned fully toward her. “I keep watching you, and I know it shouldn’t stir any feelings. I remember you removing them—I still feel them being ripped

😭😭😭😭😭😫😫😫😫😫😫😫💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

from my mind. But for some reason, your voice snakes its way into here when you speak.” Loche tapped his heart. “And those eyes…” He sighed. “It’s like lightning strikes me when they meet mine, and I think… I think my body remembers, even if my mind doesn’t.”

HFDJJD DRY IJTEFUJ SPAIN NO S. PLEASE. OUCHIE. 😭😭😫😫😫😫💔

His voice was like ice, but those eyes… They were filled with sadness. “No.” Lessia reached out to grip his hand. “I came back for Ellow. For you.” Loche’s eyes softened, and he took another step—right into her space. “You came back for me?” he rasped, tilting his head down. “I—” Well, shit.

😫😫😫😫😫😫😭 BRO PLEASEEEE PLEASEEEE

“Can you give me my memories back?”

LOCHE YOU CANT JUST 😫😫😫😫💔💔💔💔💔💔💔😭

Understanding filled his grays. “You won’t.” Releasing her hand, Loche stepped back, fighting to put on the mask of indifference they both liked to wear.

😫😫😫😫😫

“Do you love him?” Loche had reached the balcony door, one of his hands resting on the knob as he waited for her answer. Her silence appeared to be answer enough because Loche forced one of those smirks to overtake his features as he nodded. “I think I’ll hold on to that stone a little longer, if you don’t mind. Don’t need you all to take it and run should something better come along.”

Loche 😫💔 you can’t even be like that fr pls

Some of the massive weight on her shoulders lifted as she made her way back to the dining room, and she had to hold back her feet from falling into a run when she turned the final corner. She wasn’t sure how much time she had left in this realm—not after what she’d found out today—and she was not wasting another moment of it avoiding life. Avoiding love.

GOING TO GET HER MAN YES? 😭

“Hurting?” Lessia’s brows furrowed. “Who is hurting?” “Merrick, of course!” Raine stalked up to her, forcing her to bend her neck to continue meeting his furious hazel eyes. “This will be the one and only time I break a promise to him.” Lessia’s mind spun as she stared up at one of the deadliest Fae in their realm. And when he leaned in and snarled “Merrick is your fucking mate,” she had to grip the chair not to let her knees give out.

😩😩😩 bye

“Merrick tried to hide it, but once that scent reaches your nose… it’s pure instinct… primal. We have no control over it, and he fought for his life to get to you in those cellars… but he was bound by the oath, and Rioner threatened to make him kill you if he didn’t back down.”

Bro wtf

“He thought it was an even better punishment for Merrick to have to be near you. But to never fully lay eyes on you—to have to hurt you, make you scared of him! Did you never wonder why the strongest Fae in the realm was sent to watch over you? A half-Fae already blood-sworn to him.”

Crying

“And… imagine Rioner’s joy when you went and fell in love with someone else.” Her heart shattered.

😫

“He didn’t want to, Lessia.” Raine took a step toward her. “He wanted to ‘fight fair.’ Win your heart without using the bond, so you made the decision, not fate. But that’s not how the bond works… you are affected as well—it’s not one-sided! So after you bit him…”

I am about to freak the fuck out.

“I don’t want you because of the stupid bond!” she screamed. “I want you because you make me feel alive! Because you believe in me when I don’t believe in myself. Because you try to make dumb jokes to make me happy. Because you make me fires to keep the darkness at bay. Because you hide your smile when I’ve made you proud in training. Because when I fucking stab you, you lecture me about missing your heart!” She shoved him back again. “You knew there was something deeper, something even stronger, pulling us together! And you fucking reject me when I kiss you! What is wrong with you!”

Crying

“The fucking truth, Merrick.” She shoved him once more. “I want the truth and not you trying to spare me from fate or whatever else you might think to take upon your own shoulders. I want it all! I want to fucking share it with you.”

“Do you want to hear how I can barely be in the same room as you without losing my mind from your scent invading my every fucking sense?”

“Do you want me to tell you that every time I helped you up from the floor when we trained, I had to physically restrain myself from pushing you down again and having my way with you? From claiming your fucking perfect lips and ripping those damned leathers off, making you scream from something other than frustration?”

GOO D HEAVENS 😭

Raw, primitive need that she knew reflected in her own eyes. A rough breath left him before he cursed “Fuck it” and ripped the jacket to shreds.

😩🤏🏽🤏🏽

“Do you want me to tell you every instinct inside me is telling me to kill him? Not because he loved you or because you loved him. But because he fucking hurt you?”

Type shiiiit

“Do you want me to tell you I’ve loved you since you stood up to Rioner and me on that cliff?”

“Do you want me to tell you I’ve fallen more in love with you every day, watching you fucking fight for your life?”

“Do you want me to tell you no one—mate or not—has loved anyone the way I love you? That I would laugh as the world fell apart as long as you stood by my side? That even if I could only have one fucking night—one night pretending you’re mine—I’d take it?”

😫😫😫😫😫😫

“I love you,” she breathed back when she came up for air, the heat within her becoming almost unbearable as it rushed through her blood. “And one night is not nearly enough. I told you. I want everything. I want to be your fucking mate, and I don’t know the right words, but I accept our bond—I welcome it—I’m proud of it.”

SCREAMING

“I need you to know,” Merrick whispered into her mouth, and she stopped her writhing when the pain in his tone broke through the need. “I wish to die every time you hurt. And when it’s because of me… Fuck, I nearly jumped off a cliff when they made me torture you. I—” His voice broke. “I can’t say how sorry I am for what I’ve done to you.”

😫😫😫😫💔

She couldn’t. Not when she realized it wasn’t anger distorting Merrick’s face, but… Relief? Relief mixed with the tiniest bit of gratitude. “Merrick?” she demanded, but when her eyes lifted to the other two Fae and they watched her and Merrick with sorrow-filled but knowing looks, a thought flickered to life within her mind. No.

BRO HUH

But the anger that had taken root seemed to burst through every pore, and she took a step back when Merrick reached out for her hand. “You’re on his side?” she hissed between her clamped-shut teeth. “We’re all on the same side.” Loche moved so he stood next to Merrick. “We want Rioner gone. And you’re the key to that. I banked on Merrick not letting you go without the protection of the three of them, and without their magic…”

BRO WAIT 😭

threw his head back. “I do not decide what she does or doesn’t do. She is her own person, and she makes her own decisions. While I am hers and she is most definitely mine…” He emphasized the last word by sending a death glare Loche’s way. “I do not own her. No one owns her.”

😫😫😫😫😫😫😫🫶🏽

Merrick bowed his head—that awareness flashing in his eyes—and his lips lifted again. “You’ll have that again.” He pulled her to him, and after placing a whisper of a kiss on her lips, he rasped, “Better. I’ll make sure you have it all. If you’ll let me.” She smiled against his mouth. “I’ll let you do anything you want.”

😩😛💚💚

It was the crossed daggers—one with rubies decorating the hilt and the other with amber stones—carved into the bottom of the spine that had her sucking in a breath. As she grasped the book, something ignited within her.

😭😭😭

Surrendering it all, they will choose to perish with them. For only in their ultimate sacrifice can a new world be born—the world they have dreamed of, battled for, and wept over.

WAIIIIT PLEASE 😫😭😭😭💔

Merrick held on to her as they both came down, and while he didn’t say a word when tears slid down her cheeks as she stared up at him—only swept them off with his thumb—she could tell he knew that she was hiding something. That it hadn’t just been pure lust driving her to this.

😭😫😫😫😫💔

After all, the curse had mentioned a new world. A world she’d dreamed of. A world she’d wept for. A world she’d fought for. Lessia looked down at the wild sea. It would be worth it. Even if she wouldn’t be there to see it, it would be worth it.

😫😫😫😫😫💔

“I know you’re keeping something locked up within you, and I won’t push you… but Lessia, I’m here. I’m with you. I’m always with you.” Merrick’s gaze drifted out toward the sea, and as she followed it, she realized they were facing east, the way Amalise and the others would hopefully soon come.

😭😭😭😭🤏🏽💗

“This was a mating gift, wasn’t it?” The corners of Merrick’s lips lifted higher. “It was.” “But…”

And she didn’t even even know back then 😫💔

Well, damn. She hadn’t given him anything. “You have given me everything.” Merrick leaned his forehead against her own, his eyes refusing to let hers break away. “Everything, Elessia. If I die tonight, I’ll do so having everything I ever asked for and many things I never thought to.”

😫😫😫😫😫💔 PLEASE

Lessia attempted to follow, her brows flying even higher when he held up a hand to stop her, such a thunderous expression on his face it didn’t take much for her to falter. “What is going on?” Her head whipped back and forth between Merrick and the others until her gaze snagged on Raine’s flared nostrils. Oh. Lifting the collar of her jacket to her nose, she breathed in. Merrick’s scent was so strong that she almost swayed.

OGMGGGGGGGGGGG RIONERS GONNA KNOOOOOOOW

“I forgot how possessive you become.” Raine shot her a sorrowful smile. “I’m honestly surprised the regent is still alive.” “Merrick!” The sound of Kerym slamming into Merrick danced across the sea, and Lessia watched with wide eyes as the former tackled him to the floor, vicious snarls ripping from their throats as they each got hits in. “M— Fuck!” Kerym panted. “You k-know we…” “No! He. Won’t. Touch. Her.” Kerym crashed into the floor as Merrick overpowered him, blood trickling from his nose as he glowered at the feral silver-haired Fae.

Bro merrick pls 😫😭😭😭 (this is so hot tho wtf) 😫😫😫🤏🏽

“My turn, Golden Eyes.” Kerym wiggled his brows, ignoring the rumble in Merrick’s chest as he swept her off her feet, cradling her like a babe and nuzzling his nose against her neck. “Whew, you really smell like Merrick.” Kerym winked at her. “Must have been some trip to your house.” “Kerym,” she hissed between her teeth. “Set me down.” “Or what?” Kerym spun around with her still in his arms, his face coming so close she wondered if she’d have to slap him. “Don’t worry.” He grinned at her, a wild, reckless edge to the smile. “Merrick would throw me off the boat if I kissed you.”

He’s funny but I’m too nervous to laugh rn 😫😭

His face was bent down, the lines so hard she hoped he wouldn’t chip one of those sharp canines, pressing his jaw together. She had to look away. Seeing him like this was too much. Too similar to those months during the election. Too painful now that she knew the hatred tugging at his features wasn’t because of her… But because he couldn’t be with her.

😭😭😭😭😭😭💔

And when his chest jerked again, her arms snaked around his waist, and she hugged him back—holding him as he fought the shakes racking his body and closing her eyes when a near-silent sob, one that even the Fae around them wouldn’t pick up, escaped his lips. They clung to each other as the words they hadn’t had time to speak, that might never leave their lips but were thought all the same—the sorrow, the guilt, the grief, the friendship, the understanding—the bond they’d always share softening until the sharp edges that had jabbed at them rounded.

This literally broke me. I wondered how they’d reconcile everything that came between them and I really hoped it wouldn’t be through a conversation. This is exactly what they needed AND ME TOO 😭 they just needed to hold each other one last time. Even though it’s literally breaking my heart. I’m not a fan of love triangles but this one has been done SO FUCKING WELL my heart is HURTING 😫💔

Loche’s smirk broadened when her eyes flicked back to his. “Get that mask of yours ready, little liar.” Lessia bowed her head as she gave him a final look.

Bro we’re so fucking back 😭😫

Especially when Rioner’s laugh pierced the air. “You truly are a Rantzier. Absolutely ruthless.”

The only compliment he’ll ever give her fr 😭

“However, betraying someone when he doesn’t love you anymore is easy. When he’s forced those feelings away… I wonder what happens when he can’t anymore.” Lessia froze.

BRO NO PLEASE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔💔😫

“I see this shocks you. But if you’re truly like me, Elessia, then the human’s feelings shouldn’t matter. As I was saying. Alarin, be so kind and give the regent his memories and feelings back, would you?”

I can’t even breathe rn