“The second sword.”
She groaned as I slammed open the lid, reeled back as her own repulsion hit her. “I thought you already tried that?”
“This time’s different. There’s no other choice.” I was resolute as I dug down through the piles of journals, noticing there weren’t as many left in the chest. Valens had been reading them in the evenings all week, searching for a way to help our situation.
Next up was the false bottom, and I put all my weight into the ring, yanking the bottom open in seconds.
There it was, stubbornly unmoved since the last time I’d tried.
I took one moment to center myself, bracing my hands on the edges of the chest. I let myself feel every ounce of rage and hatred for what had been done to Valens, how he’d been turned against us as a weapon to be used and discarded, not thehonorable man and mate that he was. I poured all that feeling into the sword when I grabbed the grip.
And then it zapped me, and my eyes rolled back in my head.
I woke up in my bed, staring with confusion at the ceiling. My whole body ached, but the sword was clenched in my grip, which meant I’d successfully removed it from the chest.
Fuck yes.
I had to get to Valens. He was the only person who mattered right now. An echo of affirmation seemed to come from the sword, but I didn’t stop to question it, just sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed.
Every fucking thing spun around me like a kaleidoscope.
“Whoa, Nelly. You took a hell of a fall, and then you jerked like it was electrocuting you. I only just got you on the bed. Maybe you should stay in it for a few.” Savannah solidified in front of me, both hands up as if she was scared she’d have to catch me.
“Can’t. Have to get to your brother. He’s fighting against us, and he’s going to hate that so bad when he wakes up.”
I couldn’t consider any alternative other than me getting to him in time and making him wake up.He has to wake up.
“Yeah, that’s noble and all, but right now, it looks like you’re going to go out there and get yourself killed, fancy new guardian’s mark or no. Here, drink this.” She shoved a glass of water into my hand, and I chugged it down gratefully. I was weirdly parched. But we didn’t have time for this. I did take a second to look down and see she was right. There was a guardian’s mark on my chest that perfectly matched Valens’s.Right where the omega stone zapped me.
I shoved to my feet, swaying dramatically. “Oh my Goddess, you’re stubborn as hell, just like him. No wonder you two are mates. You’re practically the same damn person!” she growled, grabbing my shoulders to help me stay upright.
“I won’t stop, and I’m not going to lie back down. You can either help me or get the fuck out of my way.”
Savvy snarled, baring her teeth at me and showing off elongated canines. “I’m obviously trying to help you by keeping you from killing yourself before he has the chance!”
“I’m okay, you can let go now. I feel… great. Stronger. We have to go. Can you fight?”
“Hell yes, I can.” She drew a pair of throwing daggers from thigh holsters and twirled them around before sheathing them again.
“Well, then, let’s go get my man back.”
“Eww, but okay. Let’s go get V.”
We raced back out of the castle, and as I ran, I noticed small changes. I moved faster even than my usual blistering speed and had to hold back to let Savvy stay with me. My eyesight was sharper, and my reflexes felt faster than usual. The sword in my grip was an extension of my arm, as if I’d been practicing with it my whole life. As if it existed solely to be in my hand, in this moment, for this purpose. Maybe it did.
We reached the edge of the castle grounds, and I saw Kane and Brielle waiting. I slowed my pace, stopping when he flagged me down.
“What’s happening?” Kane asked. “I feel something off in the pack bonds.”
“They collared Valens and at least one other wolf that went with him.”
Brielle closed her eyes, swaying backward as she whispered a hasty prayer to the Goddess. When her eyes sprang back open,they glowed frosty brown as they fixed on Kane. “We have to get them back.”
“Yes, we do. Are you two ready?”
Savvy surprised me by stepping up and answering. “We are.”
“He’s with the pixie king and, I believe, the ODL general.” Kane pointed to a spot far beyond the battling horde.
