**Gaia's POV**

I meet Astrein's worried gaze and feel a pang of guilt twist through my chest.

"I'm sorry," I say quietly. "I broke my word. I saw Lysander after all."

Something flickers in Astrein's ice-blue eyes—a flash of disappointment, of hurt, that he quickly tries to hide. But through our mate bond, I feel his pain as clearly as if it were my own.

"It's alright, Gaia." His voice is gentle despite the emotion I sense beneath. ...