The Binding (Chronicles of Azaria #1) Read Online Free

sure…”
    “No!”
    I cried out before I could think. Ryan blinked, and raised an eyebrow. I bit my lip. That was stupid. I might as well have confessed everything.
    “I mean…” My tongue seized up. What could I say? I needed to stay by his side from now on, otherwise I ’d turn into an Unbound; a mindless, drooling drone with no thoughts or feelings of its own. It would only take a separation of half a mile to start the process, and after a day it would become irreversible. I folded my arms around myself, searching for words. “There’s…there’s no-one I can turn to for help. If I’m found, I’ll be sent straight home. I can’t stay in Bane.”
    That was partly true. I was a well-known face in the town, as I often went with Father on his healing rounds. The moment they got word I was missing, I ’d be escorted back to the village. Not an option. If my parents found out I’d become Bound to a stranger, it would destroy them. My sister’s accident had been bad enough; I couldn’t put them through that torture twice. Then again, just leaving them without any word wasn’t much better. Yet what choice did I have? Considering what I’d just told Ryan, it wasn’t like I could ask him to take me back so I could say my farewells.
    Why had I come up with such a stupid lie?
    Ryan sighed, his brow creased. He looked very uncomfortable. I felt awful putting him in such a position, and based on such a weak excuse, too. Whatever his reason for being in the Galgiza, I could tell he wasn’t keen on taking a second passenger. But this was the only way I could keep close to him.
    “Couldn ’t you just explain everything to the Guardsmen?” Ryan asked. “They’d keep you safe, I’m sure.”
    Damn, he wouldn ’t be convinced so easily.
    “I-I don ’t know,” I said, my nervousness not entirely false. “My father’s the healer, and he’s…he’s…often treated the soldiers.” Well, it wasn’t a lie. “They respect him too much. They won’t believe me.”
    “Haven ’t you got any proof?”
    I shook my head.
    “What about those scars on your arm? Did your parents do that to you as well?”
    Startled, I looked to my sleeve. It had hitched up, revealing my old fox cub injury. Whoops. I was more than impressed he ’d noticed, but I was also annoyed he was finding more reasons to ditch me. Stop making this so difficult!
    “ Oh, that was an accident a while ago,” I said. “Please, you can’t leave me in Bane. You have to take me further.” I lowered my head, adopting a more submissive tactic. “Don’t leave me all alone.”
    I was pretty certain my acting skills le ft a lot to be desired, yet my words seemed to strike a chord in Ryan. He suddenly looked straight at me.
    “I guess…” He hesitated, as if to change his mind, but then sighed. “Well, since you ’ve no place else to go, you could…you could come with me?”
    He still didn ’t sound enthusiastic, but he’d held out the lifeline I needed. I let out a slow breath. That had been tough. Before my relief became too apparent, I sat up, feigning surprise.
    “Really?” It was a silly response, since he’d given what I wanted, but I couldn’t come across too eager. I couldn’t give any hint the only reason I needed to be close to him was because of a Binding. Of course, he’d find out eventually as the magic worked its way to him, but for now, this was the safest option.
    For me, anyway.
    “Yes,” Ryan said, though it was probably more to convince himself. “Look, you don’t need to be so nervous. I don’t bite.” He leant forward, and at long last I had to look into his eyes. They were dark green, and filled with warmth. “Trust me, Eliza. I said I wouldn’t hurt you, and I meant it.”
    Ah. Simple wasn’t the word I’d been looking for earlier. It was genuine . The Binding’s false bias aside, Ryan seemed a sincere kind of guy. At least I’d been lucky in that regard. I could’ve been Bound to a total lunatic.