Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (most important books to read TXT) 📕

how to temporarily break the bond. In my heart, just the thought of breaking our connection, even for a little while, feels painful. It’s the only way I can do what I need to do without him following me, though.

I find the page I’m looking for and it reads:

“An Intended bond cannot be broken without the use of magic. If at least one recipient is unable or unwilling to bond, they must create The Remedy of An Intended’s Passing. This is a commonly known remedy for suppressing a bond after one of the Intendeds dies. In the case of a chosen separation, the instructions are the same. With the help of a Seer herbalist, the recipient would take the remedy daily for the span of three months. This would only be successful if the chosen Intendeds were not within proximity of one another until the three months were over. At that point, the bond can be broken permanently.”

The words sprawled on the off-white page hit me hard. I wasn’t even sure I’d find a way to leave Gavin, and now I don’t feel certain I will even be able to force myself to do it. He has been everything to me, and all I want is to spend my life with him, blissfully happy and entirely free. But, how can I have that life, with Barron threatening to end it before it begins?

“El, the coast is all clear! No baddies out there today!” Alexa’s shouting from the living room slices through my thoughts like a sudden onslaught. I shut the book as quickly as I can, trying to hide my research.

Before I can stick the book back on the shelf, Alexa is already standing beside me. She peers over my shoulder and grins. “Doing some research on Intendeds, huh? Aren’t you just smitten!”

I slowly release the breath I was holding and smile up at her. “I was just curious. There is so much I still don’t know and I feel like I might never catch up.”

Alexa sits on the brown leather love-seat next to me. “Ask me anything and I’ll help you.”

I mull over my recent questions, and figure it couldn’t hurt to get some answers, as long as I don’t stupidly give my plans away. “Well, the other night, Gram told me about that plant that helps heal hearts after an Intended dies. I guess it has made me wonder. If anything ever happened to me, would Gavin be in a lot of pain?”

Alexa tilts her head at my question, and pears into my eyes, seemingly understanding. “Don’t worry about that new demon guy, El. He won't get to you.”

I shake my head and my ponytail tickles the back of my neck. “I’m not worried.” Actually, I am very worried. “I’m just curious. Things happen, you know?”

“Well, if you and Gavin were to have a Bonding Ceremony and complete the bond officially, it could be really painful to lose the other. That’s what the herbs are for. It is supposed to almost fully suppress the pain, but it takes months to completely go away. As you two are now, if you were to die, Gavin would feel some pain, but not as bad. The herbs would help in the same way though.”

I am quiet as I ponder her words. She nudges me softly with her bare elbow.

“But, El. Like I said, you have a family behind you. We aren’t going to let anything happen, okay?” She smiles softly at me.

I nod back and force a small smile, baring no teeth. “Thanks, Lex.”

She stands and begins perusing the books along the wall. I’m left feeling lost about what to do next. I know that I need to protect the people I love, but I don’t want to hurt Gavin. As of now, if I leave him and make sure he knows to continually take the herb tea, he won’t be in pain. And if I can get my own hands on some, it will suppress the bond so he can’t find me, at least until I stop the evil coming for all of us.

As it turns out, I guess I know exactly what to do next...

***

“Liam, that isn’t going to work! She’ll know right away what you’re up to.” I raise my hands, exasperated about trying to plan a birthday party for a girl who can see right through my lies.

Liam and I sit across from each other on the floor of Gavin’s living room. We have been trying to figure out what lie to tell Kassy, in order to take her to A Midsummer Night’s Dream tomorrow night. It’s been a half hour since she and Alexa went on a “test drive” in Alexa’s new BMW.

“El, Kassy will come through the door any minute. Just go with my plan, okay?” His puppy-dog-eyes really hit my girlish feelings too easily.

I roll my eyes and sigh, a slight groan joining the breath. “Alright, but if it fails, I’m blaming you!” I smile so he knows I’m teasing.

He does an arm-pump, too excited. “Yes! So, when you guys all get to the theater, just hand them your tickets and sit in the seats I told you. Then I’ll bring her in just before the show begins.”

I shake my head. “You’re lucky she likes you so much. She’d normally never be okay with us not going out together on her birthday. For you though, I bet she’ll be plenty happy for some boyfriend alone time.” I fake gag for extra effect.

“I am pretty awesome.” His grin is addictive and I can’t help but smile right back at him.

The front door shuts and Kassy comes running in, flipping her messy brown hair behind her. “That car is flippin’ saweeet!” she shouts at us.

She plops down next to Liam on the large blue rug, and gives him a swift kiss on the cheek. He winks at me and I just roll my eyes again. Incorrigible. One of these days, my eyes are going to roll right out of