TYR

I stood on the balcony, the highest point of my castle, overlooking the courtyard below. The wind bit into my skin, but I barely noticed.

My eyes were fixed on the gathering witches and warriors. They were preparing for the sparring session fixed today, and as I always did, I was ready to watch and cheer. I was already starting to settle down when she appeared.

Zuri stepped out of the castle’s shadow, her presence like a sudden shift in the tide. My breath hitched, though I quickly masked the reaction.

She wore a green gown. The shade was so vivid that it seemed to steal the light from the world around her. The fabric clung to her figure, flowing like water as she walked, commanding every gaze to follow her. Mine included.

The warriors fell silent. They were mesmerized, just as I was. The defiance in her posture and the fire in her honey-brown eyes all dared anyone to underestimate her.

I leaned forward, resting my hands on the balcony’s stone railing as she entered the sparring ring. Five witches surrounded her, their hands already glowing with the beginnings of fire spells. This was her first test: defense.

I watched closely, eager to see what she would do and how she would react under pressure.

As she pulled back her sleeves, preparing herself, something caught my eye. There was a faint, horizontal red line, just below her elbow. My body went cold.

I pushed back the sleeve of my own robe, revealing the mark etched into my skin; the same mark in that same shape and hue of red. A mark that shouldn’t exist anywhere else.

"What the fuck?" My chest tightened. My heartbeat hammered in my ears.

Turning abruptly, I tapped Kai on the shoulder. He was a friend and commander and had stood beside me for centuries with unwavering loyalty. He was the only person who saw how this mark was made. Hell, he had even consoled me after my loss.

“Kai,” I called sharply.

He turned to me in confusion. “Tyr, what's going on?” he asked, careful not to allow the guards around us to hear him addressing me informally.

I pointed to Zuri. “Her arm.”

Kai frowned as he followed my gaze. “What about it?” I started to explain but his face suddenly paled as he saw it. “That’s… impossible.”

“It’s the same mark,” I said in a tight voice. “The one Daisy and I took together. The one she swore to bear if she ever returned.”

Kai’s confusion deepened. “You think… you think she’s Daisy?”

“I don’t know what to think.” I tore my gaze from Zuri, who was now moving into position in the sparring circle. Her eyes were focused and her body was poised for battle. “But I’m going to find out.”

I held my breath and swallowed thickly. "Lady Zuri!" I called out louder than I intended, pulling the attention of everybody. "I demand your presence in the throne room this instant."

Without another word, I turned and left the balcony. The sound of my shoes against the stone echoed in the empty corridors as I made my way to the throne room.

How hadn't I seen the mark when she bared herself to me? In my defense, I was too busy eating her up with my eyes.

By the time I reached the grand hall, my mind was a storm of questions. How could this be possible? Daisy was gone, had been for years. I'd even lost hope of ever seeing her again.

When Zuri entered moments later, her expression was a mix of annoyance and confusion.

“What is it now?” She was clearly not pleased with this intrusion.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I crossed the space between us in three strides and grabbed her arm, yanking it closer. Her skin was warm beneath my fingers, almost tempting, but my focus was on the mark.

I stood frozen as I stared at the red line on her arm. It was unmistakable. The mark—the very same one that Daisy and I had shared during our oath—was etched onto Zuri's skin. My heart raced as I struggled to make sense of it.

“How do you have this?” Panic was already leaking into my tone. If this were Daisy… No, it couldn’t be. I’d lost hope of ever seeing her again many years ago.

Zuri yanked her arm free from my grasp, her brown eyes narrowing in irritation. “I was born with it. Is this why you disrupted the spar?”

I turned away from her and paced back toward the throne, threading my fingers through my hair in frustration. Born with it? Impossible. Daisy and I created that mark—together. There was no way it could have existed before or come naturally to anyone, except...

“Care to explain what’s going on?” Zuri sounded irritated. I didn’t blame her. “Or do you plan on pacing back and forth like a madman all day?”

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face her again. “Do you know what this mark is?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me. “No, and I don’t care. It’s a mark I was born with. I’ve had it my entire life. Is that such a crime?”

“It’s not just a mark,” I said sharply, striding back toward her. My eyes bore into hers, willing her to understand, to see into me. “It’s an oath mark, a bond created between two souls. It’s something sacred.”

She looked at me like I'd grown another head. She looked livid. I'd be mad, too, if I had my training interrupted.

When I turned back, Zuri was still standing where I’d left her. “If you are done having your crisis, I’d like to leave now,” she said flatly.

I took a deep breath. “Zuri,” I began, my voice softer this time. “That mark means more than you realize. It’s not just a mark. It’s a promise. One that binds two people together in ways you can’t imagine.”

She shot me a warning glare and I sighed.

“Fine,” I said finally. “You can go.”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “That’s it? No more questions? No more dramatic speeches?”

I shook my head. “No. Just… go.”

She hesitated for a moment, then turned on her heel and strode toward the door. Just before leaving, she paused and glanced back at me. “For what it’s worth, I didn’t ask for any of this. You've destroyed my mood, and I am mentally unfit to join the spar again. This is what you caused.”

And with that, she was gone, heading for her quarters.

Fuck the spar anyway. I sank onto the steps of my throne with my head in my hands as everything crashed down on me. The mark. Daisy’s promise. Zuri’s defiance. They all swirled together in a tangle of confusion and pain that I couldn’t untangle.

“Kai!” I roared, my voice echoing through the empty hall. He'd better work this out. Fast.