“What?” He could hear Ciana move closer to him but couldn’t tear his eyes away. “Is that?—”
Sebastian nodded and met her gaze, seeing all his panicked realization blink back at him from Ciana’s amber eyes.
Reality slammed down around them like a curtain of steel.
He gasped, doubling over. The book fell from his hands, hitting the floor with a soft thump. Sebastian clutched his chest, heart racing. Deep inside him, tucked in a forgotten place beneath his ribs, magic flared to life.
“Mariah?” He didn’t know why he thought it. The bonds didn’t move words like that. He was so shocked, so taken aback, that he couldn’t stop the impulse.
So much raged down that woven bridge of light. It was stretched thin, but still strong. Confusion and shock and pain and anger and rage.
“I’m fine. I promise. I have my magic back. I’ll reach out when I can.”
Sebastian’s eyes flew wide. That was her voice. She’d answered him. How was that possible?
Just as abruptly as it had returned, their bond fell quiet.
“Sebastian?” Small hands gripped his face. He found Ciana’s eyes again.
“Mariah’s magic is back. But she closed the bond before I could tell her.”
Ciana blinked. “She did it? She’s back?”
Sebastian nodded. “We have to summon Cielle. Immediately.”
Chapter 67
The ride back to Eyarfell was quiet.
Mariah rocked in the saddle in time with Kodie’s steps, losing herself in the rhythm. The weather was beautiful: clear blue skies, a crisp mountain breeze, and a sun that warmed the skin just enough to be comfortable.
But it did little to warm the chill that had settled in her chest.
Though she tried desperately to keep her gaze turned up—to the trees, to the sky, to anything—it kept drifting down.
To her hands, gripping Kodie’s reins. To the opalescent markings winding up them.
The skin wasn’t raised. It didn’t burn or hurt or show any other sign of being different from the rest of her. But she couldn’t ignore the feeling ofotherwinding through her, like someone lurked over her shoulder, watching.
The unblinking eyes hidden in the mark probably didn’t help.
At least she had her magic. The threads bloomed through her chest, spreading down through her limbs, that ancient beast purring in her chest like a cat.
She let just a tendril of her magic spill out of her skin, wrapping around her index finger. It was hard to see in thebright sunlight, but it still glowed fiercely, a light to rival the burning one above.
“You still don’t know why it was locked from you?”
Mariah glanced at Andrian, riding beside her on the shaggybrusi. His eyes were a little red, but his expression was concerned.
She fought back her smile. They’d stayed at their camp at thestaorfor another night, allowing Mariah to reacquaint herself with her magic. In that time, she’d forgotten to tease him about his newly discovered goat allergy.
She shook her head. “It was…very cryptic. I’m not sure I’ll ever know what happened to my magic these past few months.”
Andrian arched a brow. “But you have an idea.”
“Well…more of a hunch. I think—” She swallowed. “I think it was justme. For a brief moment, I didn’t want it anymore. When I changed my mind, the Crieré had decided they needed to get my attention. So, they intervened to get me here. That’s why I sometimes felt my magic, especially when my guard was down. It was always there, just hidden away.”
Andrian frowned. “All this, just so they could have a chat? Surely all-powerful beings would have a better plan.”
