Urdon Pov
I held Freda's hand tight as we stood in the cave. The mate bond pulsed strongly and warmly in my chest. It felt like it used to feel before the curse. Before everything went wrong. Strong and sure and unbreakable.
The tattoo on my chest that had been burning for weeks was finally quiet. I pressed my free hand against it and felt only my own skin. No heat. No pain. No chains are squeezing my heart.
"The curse is broken," I said. "I can feel it. The tattoo is not burning anymore."
"Because our bond is healed," Freda said. She smiled up at me with tears in her eyes. "The curse fed on our broken bond. Now that we are strong again, it has nothing left to feed on."
I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. Then I looked down at the moonstone lying on the cave floor. I knelt down and picked it up carefully.
