It went on and on, for what seemed like an eternity. I became only vaguely aware of my surroundings, too focused on the torture consuming me. Vyns spoke to the others, Koar lifted me, trying to carry me, though I didn’t make it easy, squirming and screaming and bashing at him.
And even though I hadn’t been able to tell them my suspicion about Myel’s location, they kept moving in that direction.
Then we stopped. There was shouting. Koar tensed, and I was set down. I felt more than saw everyone around me tense.
Somone — voices all seemed to blend together — said, “We’ll fight through this and get Myel, don’t worry, Izzy!”
Then… suddenly…
The pain ended, butnotin a good way. I went limp, exhausted from the strain of thrashing, the tension of every muscle. Something was so very, very wrong. I let out the most pathetic keening whimper as a wretched, aching loss overwhelmed me. It felt like someone had torn out my soul and taken half of my body with it, including my lungs. I couldn’t breathe. A massive weight pressed down on my chest, but somehow it came from inside me, an implosion, a compression. A black hole swirled in my soul, trying to suck everything I was into it.
“Izzy?” someone called, sounding concerned.
They should be. I was dying, slowly consumed from within. An oppressive emptiness ate at me. I couldn’t think straight, so it took longer than it should have for me to realize what had happened.
Myel was dead.
Oh, God!
No!
Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!
Only now did I understand.
Madness or death.
They were my only options. There was no possible way to live with this sucking wound in my soul, which devoured everything around it. Either I lived in eternal, empty, agony, unable to cope with life or anything beyond this feeling… or I put myself out of this epic misery and died.
They’d been words before. Terrifying words, but still only words, with no real understanding of the truth.
Now I knew.
I lived with this horrid duality for a lifetime between the span of two heartbeats, despising both options unable to choose…
Then the bond was slammed back into my soul. It radiated through me so intensely a full-body flinch jumped me off the ground an inch or so. I landed hard. The pain stunned me, as did the sudden influx ofeverythinginside me again.
It was too much for my body to handle, I threw up everything I’d eaten that day, but since I had no strength to roll over it came up as a fountain, covering my face and upper torso. Luckily someone turned me to my side as I emptied my belly in the most horrid fashion.
And yet, that disgusting embarrassment meant nothing next to the stunning realization that I could once again feel my bond with Myel.
He was alive!
I wept whilst continuing to be sick.
“Izzy? What happened? Are you okay?” someone asked. I had no strength to respond.
“We need to get Myel back.” Another voice.
“I’ll tear these guards apart!” said a third.
“Wait…” came a female voice. Then that same voice whispered into my mind.That was quite a disgusting display. The voice held a note of mocking glee.Was that from the death of your lover or his revival, I wonder?
“Step aside Hana,” a rumbly voice said, sounding dangerous. “Or give us back Myel and we’ll be on our way. If you don’t, I’ll happily rip you apart, as well as these guards.”
Attack me at your peril, little dragon. For I am the only one who can help your lover end her suffering.
Yes, please, end this,I begged. I’d never given up so easily, but I had no choice. I couldn’t take any more of this. The shock to my system of Myel’s death and revival — if this woman was to be believed — had been beyond too much. I felt like I’d run back-to-back marathons across a blazingdesert while someone had been disemboweling me. Even that didn’t capture the full exhaustion and agony I’d endured.
