I used to wonder why she insisted, when we both knew a servant could do the task, but now I got it.
It was an escape for us both—a moment tobreathe.
A swell of warm emotions filled my chest as I realized how much I missed her, but the feeling quickly turned sour.
Ihadn’trealized just how little of Byn’s feelings I could still sense until now. But the moment I became aware, it felt like a gaping hole had beenopened upinsidemy chest. As though I was no longer complete, like I was missing apart of my own soul.
Is this what Quinn has been feeling for weeks?
I could still sense the bond between us, like a rope leading from my soul to his—as though I could use it as a way to get back home.
To him.
Home.
Yet, with each step I took farther away from him, the tauterthat rope became—as though hewereon the other end of it, trying to pull me back to him.
Stars, did Iachefor him.
Even now, with kingdoms and distance and time standing between us, I ached for him with every fiber of my being.
My power sang in my core at the very thought ofhimand that soul-bond we had somehow found ourselves with.
Shaking my head slightly, Irubbed atmy chest as though it would ease the aching pain I felt there.
“Hey, be careful or this will stain your pretty face.”
I wassnappedback into the present moment at the sound of Matea, and I realized she was now massaging the liquid into the ends of my hair; she was almost done.
A moment later, she handed the completely empty vial back to me.
“We needed every drop, butI think itlooks great. Here, turn around and let me see,” she said.
Getting to my feet, I turned to face her, doing my best not to let my wings into my direct line of sight.
Before Matea could do more than open her mouth to speak, a whistle came from the front of the cave.
“You almost look like one of us, Aviva,” Rayven commented.
I dropped the hand that had already been reaching for my nearest dagger.
“Sheisone of us, you idiot,” Matea responded, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Of course, I didn’t mean—”
“I know what you meant, Rayven, don’t worry,” I said, throwing Matea a scalding glare and taking a step towards the spy.
“Can I use your cloak? I have an idea.”
Soon,I’ddonned Rayven’s cloak, pulled the hood up to help hide some of my face, and took a deep breath.
This next part was where the concentration came in.
I reached out with thatshadowziriliumthat felt like pure darkness in my veins, searching for a small piece I could latch onto and keep.
Itdidn’ttake long for the deep shadow of a small rock to form a connection with me, and I tugged it towards me.
The shadow raced across the cave ground towards me, and I flung out a hand to direct it to where I wanted it.
