Loren clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus. He had to reach her. He had to?—
The dreamscape lurched.
And then, suddenly, Araya was in his arms.
“Ael’sura,” he choked out, clutching her like she might disappear again. She clung to him with the same desperation, her tears soaking into his shoulder as the dream flickered and reshaped itself around them over and over again.
But Loren wasn’t watching their surroundings. He was looking at her. At the bruises blooming dark on the delicate skin of her arms. At the bleeding gash along her hairline. Her cheekbone was swollen, the skin there bruised and tender.
Someone had struck her—hard. Loren could feel the echoes of what had been done to her through the tether between them. Her helplessness. Her fear and pain.
“Who did this to you?” His voice came out rough, almost unrecognizable. “Was it Hale?”
Araya sucked in a breath, but she didn’t answer. Her pulse was too fast, her shoulders too tense as the dream twisted, dragging her back toward whatever nightmare she was reliving.
“Araya.” Loren’s hands found her shoulders, trying to anchor her here with him. “Who.Did.This.”
She blinked, her gaze refocusing on him as his words cut through the panic gripping her. She sucked in a trembling breath, and for a moment Loren didn’t think she was going to answer.
But then—she did.
“Jaxon.”
Loren froze.
But the shadows did not. They surged outward, snapping violently, coiling like a living storm. And for a single, terrible moment, Loren thought he might lose himself to the fury twisting inside him. Rage burned in his chest, a wildfire he had no will to contain.
It was only the shock and fear in Araya’s silver eyes that made him let her go, allowing her to step back as he fought for control. The shadows didn’t though, clinging to her like a mantle of darkness—holding her when he couldn’t.
“You said he would never hurt you,” Loren said when he could speak again, the words scraping from his throat.
“It—It was my fault,” Araya stammered. She dropped her eyes, staring down at her feet as her voice dropped. “He—I forgot my place.”
“Your place,” Loren repeated, his rage cooling, hardening into something sharper. “And where exactly is that?”
He didn’t move towards her, but the shadows didn’t have his restraint. They twined around her ankles, shifting and coiling as they dragged over her skin.
“It doesn’t matter.” Shame flickered across her face, but she pulled in a deep breath, steadying herself. “I’m more worried aboutyou. The last time I saw you…” She trailed off, her face haunted. “Why won’t you tell Jaxon it was Hale?”
Loren’s jaw tightened so hard he felt pain shoot up his temples. The shadows abandoned her, snapping back to his side and wrapping around him like armor. She had known—and she still hadn’t come.
“If you really wanted to know how I was recovering, you could have skipped your tea one night and checked for yourself,” he bit out.
“What?” Araya faltered, confusion flashing across her face at his accusation. “I haven’t had my tea in over a week—I’ve beenwaitingfor you. Jaxon won’t let me come in person after how I…reacted. When I found you. But I’ve been actively trying to find you in my dreams.”
How she hadreacted? Loren couldn’t let himself get distracted by that. What she was saying didn’t make any sense. It shouldn’t have beenhardfor them to reach each other. Not when fate itself wanted them together?—
“Serafina,” Araya said suddenly. “Your Healer. She’s the one who recommended the tea to me. I told her about the dreams. If she’s drugging you?—”
“You told Jaxon’s Healer about the dreams?” Loren hissed. “What part ofdon’t tell anyonewas unclear?”
“The part where you have any sort of authority over me,” Araya snapped, glaring back at him. “And she isn’tJaxon’sHealer—she’smyfriend. I’m the one who begged Jaxon to let her help you, because I didn’t want you todie.”
She clenched her fists, staring at him. “She figured something out when I told her. If the two of you expect me to keep this a secret, you have to tell mewhy.”
Loren stiffened, the shadows twitching around him. “She didn’t tell you?”
“No.” Araya crossed her arms, scowling. “She said you were right and that we couldn’t talk about it there—and Jaxon hasn’t let me seehereither. And now he’s convinced there’s some sort of connectionbetweenus. He’s throwing around some sort of insane theory that we’re related?—”
