Free Soulbound by Heather Brewer

wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing. Then, with a mental forehead smack, I hesitantly placed my hand in his and relished his smooth, warm skin. He tilted his head up, meeting my eyes. A smile danced on his lips and he shook his head some, as if berating himself. Maybe he was chastising himself for being too kind, too familiar, too warm too soon. Maybe he was punishing himself for breaking some stupid Protocol rule that I wasn’t even aware of. Regardless, his eyes were sparkling. He said, “It’s my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kaya.”
    When he spoke my name, he drew it out in a near-whisper, as if savoring the taste of it on his tongue. He gave my hand a slight squeeze and stood once again.
    The headmaster clapped his hands together. “Wonderful. Just wonderful! An excellent match, I can tell.”
    My smile faltered some at the reminder that I wasn’t being given a choice in who I spent my life with. Not that Trayton wasn’t nice—and gorgeous—but I really hated that my entire life’s path had been decided for me.
    Tomorrow loomed over me: dark, oppressive. I would be Bound, like it or not.
    Bound.
    What a scary word.
    As the headmaster droned on about something called “proper procedure,” Trayton nodded and answered when he was expected to. The headmaster stood and began pacing slowly around the room as he spoke. Daring a glance at me, Trayton smiled and mouthed “It’s nice to meet you.”
    I smiled back, mouthing, “You too.”
    He leaned closer and pointed to his eyes as he silently said, “You have pretty eyes.” His skin flushed pink, and I found myself utterly charmed by him, despite my reservations.
    He had pretty eyes too—slate gray and dazzling. I was in the middle of mouthing “thank you,” when my imagination wondered what color eyes the boy I was Soulbound to had had. I settled back in my seat, admonishing myself. It didn’t matter, anyway. That boy was dead. And I would soon be Bound to Trayton.
    The headmaster’s voice broke in. “Trayton? Are you paying attention?”
    Trayton’s eyes widened and, caught, we both shot the headmaster a look. Trayton stumbled. “I…of course. You were saying?”
    The headmaster slanted his eyes. “A few rules to remember. First, you two will not be allowed to be alone together for one year following your binding ceremony. This will allow you time to adjust to your new arrangement. Maddox will accompany you at all times. When she can’t, a suitable chaperone will be arranged. Also,school policy dictates that there will be no…ah, er, well…I should say…no touching with the ah…uhm…nudity…”
    My face flushed with embarrassed heat. When I glanced over, I could see that Trayton’s face was just as flushed as mine felt at the mention of sex. Trayton very calmly said, “I think we know what you mean, Headmaster.”
    The headmaster took a moment to straighten some papers on his desk that didn’t really require straightening. It took him a moment to speak again. “Yes. Well. None of that.”
    “Ever?” I squeaked, then immediately recoiled. Great. Trayton was going to think I was some kind of boy-obsessed girl, like Avery. “I mean…not that I…”
    Trayton blushed a deeper shade of red.
    The headmaster took on that sarcastic, snotty tone that I was beginning to understand was business as usual for him, at least in conversations with me. “Not while you are students here.”
    “About that…how long do I have to stay here?” I had expected him to reply with the standard four-year answer that most upper schools in Kokoro fell under. The upper school in Kessler had been a four-year institution. I had no reason to expect any different here.
    “You will attend Shadow Academy until it is determined that you are ready for what awaits you in this war, be that two years or twenty.”
    With the schedule clenched in my fist, I shook it in disgust, my voice suddenly rising in anger. I didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to be part