"What about Corin?" Jamie found himself asking.
Azelon's gaze snapped to his, surprise and something like guilt flowing through their connection. "What about him?"
"If we're... connected like this, where does he fit?" Jamie hadn't intended to ask the question, but once spoken, he couldn't take it back.
"I don't know," Azelon admitted, and Jamie felt the truth of it, the genuine confusion, the Tideborn's protective concern for Corin.
A loud thud sounded from the hallway.
"What was that?" Jamie asked.
Azelon was already moving to the door, pulling it open to reveal an empty hallway. He glanced both ways, then looked back at Jamie. "It must have been Corin."
"Where is he?" Jamie struggled out of the tub, heedless of the water splashing onto the floor. Azelon hurried to help him, wrapping the towel around his waist.
"Do you think he heard us?" Jamie asked, dread building in his chest.
Through their new bond, Jamie felt Azelon's sudden spike of fear. "He would think we've formed something he can never be part of."
Jamie closed his eyes, trying to sense Corin the way he could now sense Azelon. Nothing came to him directly, but he felt a strange pull toward the front of the store.
"He's leaving," Jamie said with certainty. "Or already gone."
As if confirming his words, a cold gust of air swept through the building, carrying with it the scent of the wild forest beyond. The store itself seemed to shudder, lights flickering in distress.
"The front door," Azelon said, already moving. "He's gone into the forest."
Jamie grabbed for his clothes, wincing as the movement pulled at his healing wound. "We have to find him. If his emotions spiral out there?—"
"The creatures might return," Azelon finished grimly. "Or worse."
They dressed hastily, Jamie accepting Azelon's help without comment. The wound in his side protested every movement, but concern for Corin overrode the pain.
"What was he thinking?" Jamie muttered as they made their way toward the front of the store. "The forest is dangerous."
Azelon's expression was grim. "He believes he's protecting us."
"From what?"
"From himself." Azelon's voice tightened. "He blames himself for your injuries. If he heard us talking… He's likely spiraling and he doesn't want his chaos magic to hurt us."
That made an unfortunate amount of sense.
Jamie cursed under his breath.
The store's front door stood ajar, cold night air seeping in. Beyond the threshold, the forest loomed dark and wild. The faint glow of something unnatural flickered in the distance—Corin's projected emotions?
"He won't survive out there alone," Azelon said, his fear bleeding through their connection. "Not in his current state."
Jamie squared his shoulders, ignoring the pain radiating through his torso. "Then we find him."
Chapter
Thirteen
Corin ran until his lungs burned, until the branches tore at his skin, until the night air froze in his throat. It didn't matter where he was going. Away. Just away.
Azelon's words echoed in his mind, sharp as broken glass. He and Jamie had formed something Corin could never be part of. Of course they had. They were the perfect pair: controlled, competent, complete.
