“What are you talking about?” I asked again, frustration and exasperation making my tears sting again.
“The enemy you fear may be closer than you think,” she replied cryptically. “And that enemy may disguise themselves in sheep’s clothing.”
“Nana, I don’t understand.” I gripped her hands tightly, fearing she would disappear at any moment. “Why can’t you just be straight with me?”
“He’s waiting,” she replied simply, her gaze leaving mine and settling on the Obelisk monument that began to pulse and breathe, as if it were alive. A dark shadow cast over us as the statue began to crack, red veins throbbing as if the statue had blood pulsing through it, bringing it to life. A deep, ancient, and disembodied voice echoed toward me, its tone full of grief and pain.
Blood remembers. Blood returns.
My mind instantly made the connection between this disembodied voice and the vision I had when training in the Archive of Shadows. The Bloodwright who had been executed had said the exact same thing to me. I stood, leaving Nana on the bench behind me as I stepped closer.
“Who are you?” I demanded. “What does that mean?”
The bond meant to strengthen, to protect, may be your undoing, your destruction.
A deep-seated feeling of agony and panic pooled in my belly, fresh tears stinging my eyes.
“I thought the Twinflame bond was supposed to protect me? To save me? To make me stronger?”
The monument paused, as if contemplating its words carefully, the air surrounding us thick with tension.
You must seek the truth amongst the lies.
“Howdo I do that?” I shouted, exasperated.
The stone pulsed and groaned; the fissures cracking even more deeply. I feared it would crumble apart when I took another step forward. Its hum ended, the red glow fading, and it was once again just another broken piece of history, empty and quiet.
“Nana?” I asked, turning back toward the bench, but it was empty.
The warmth I had felt, her hand in mine, the comfort of her presence—gone, as if she had never been there at all. My breath hitched, panic clawing up my throat as I spun in place, searching for her.
That’s when I sawthem.
Stonebound. Seven of them. Emerging soundlessly from the edges of the park, their forms jagged and inhuman, made of stone, bone, and shadow. Their eyes burned faintly, fixed on me.
They did not move. They did not attack. They only watched.
Waiting.
I awoke with a start, my hand reaching for my amulet at my neck, expecting to find it gently humming and warm like it usually did. But instead, it sat still, quiet, and cold. Silent tears flowed down from my eyes to my ears as the horrible feeling that Nana was really gone sank in through my skin down to the marrow of my bones. I wouldn’t dream of her anymore.
I jumped when my cellphone rang out, Tall, Dark & Grumpy’s name flashing across the screen. Without thinking, I answered breathlessly.
“Mari?” His voice, still thick with sleep, echoed through from the other end. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I sniffled, willing the tears back into my eyes. “Why?”
“I just . . .” He hesitated, as if confused by his own action of calling me at 3am. “I’m not sure. I just woke up feeling panicked and needed to check on you.”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “I had a nightmare.”
He made a noise, as if he were going to reply, but then thought better of it. Silence descended as the two of us just sat on the phone, listening to the other breathe, gently tugging on the bond that connected us, even miles away from one another.
“Well, I’ll let you get back to sleep. If you’re sure you’re okay.” Alaric’s deep voice was more awake, but gentle in its approach, as if fearful he would scare me away.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight, Mari.”
