I blink at him from inside our fiery daze, the world around starting to flow back in. “The trees attacked me,” I manage, swallowing back the tears. “They bound up my power.”

Yvan’s eyes widen, the fire in them flaring. He angles his head down and presses his forehead to mine once more, the words pouring out of him. “Vang Troi told me you were likely dead. I knew it wasn’t true—I would have sensed it. But... I didn’t tell them.” His fire surges to a whipping, torrid blaze as fury sparks in his eyes. “I could sense they’d come to see you as their enemy. And then... I started to feel your fire coming closer, but I wasn’t able to find you. Even though I could sense you were in danger.” The words continue to tumble out, torment and passion infused in them. “I sent fire out to you constantly. Trying to find you. And then, finally... I felt you.”

“I have more power than the Vu Trin thought,” I say as we cling to each other. “More than my grandmother had. The Vu Trin turned against me, and I had to escape.”

And then... Lukas.

A hard ache rises in my throat as my feelings for Lukas crash through Yvan’s fiery thrall, along with memories of everything I had to do to get here. To stay alive. To keep from being enslaved by Vogel. How Lukas gave up everything to save me.

How I bound myself to him in every way.

How I’m about to break Yvan’s heart.

I’m suddenly lost in an abyss of emotion. Furious anger at the Vu Trin for lying about Yvan’s death. Terrible remorse that I was with another man. Desperate, overwhelming relief to find Yvan alive. Fear of what’s coming for the Eastern Realm. And the desperate yearning to find Lukas and save him.

How can I tell Yvan about Lukas? I agonize. How will I ever let Yvan go?

But I have to let him go.

Because even though I love him with a passion that’s undimmed, I promised myself to Lukas. I gave myself to Lukas. And he gave himself to me. Fully.

And I love Lukas too.

“They glamoured you,” Yvan marvels, caressing the side of my cheek with a gentleness that guts me, misery rising as our fire magic twines around us with an unquenchable longing that wrenches my heart anew.

I love you, Yvan. I love you so much.

But I’m bound to another.

“There are wanted postings with my face on them all over the city,” I choke out, wanting to split myself in two. “And the Vu Trin aren’t the only ones hunting me. Vogel is, as well. He knows I’m here. And he knows I’m glamoured.”