“The king is a fool,” Amren barked. “That sort of bond cannot be broken.” “No, it can’t,” I said. They both looked at me. I cleared my head, my shattering heart—breaking for what my mate had done, sacrificed for me and my family. For her sisters. Because she hadn’t thought … hadn’t thought she was essential. Even after all she had done. “The king broke the bargain between us. Hard to do, but he couldn’t tell that it wasn’t the mating bond.”