“Goodbye, sister,” Anwen and Seren say together, and I turn so I can see both of them as they come together, side by side. I don’t know why, but in my enchanted state, something nags at me that something is wrong, but it’s not enough to pull me out of whatever has a hold of me. The room is slowly bathed in only the pale yellow after-glow, and the only other light that’s left is the small glow of Anwen’s white pentagram eye that’s slowly dimming.
No. This isn’t right.
Before I can take a step towards them, I feel the portal pull at me as my mind clears.
No! Wait!
Energy slams into me, causing me to scream as my body is hit with a thousand pins and needles bombarding my nervous system, overloading every sense in my body. I can’t tell if I’m coming or going, dying or being reborn. I am beyond pain; Ican’t breathe or see anything. I feel as if I don’t exist anymore, as my body just floats for I don’t know how long, until relief hits me and I feel my body give up, and the pain stops. Thank the Fates.
‘Hate to tell you this, but the Fates are now dead,’ a feminine voice trails off.
“WHAT?”I shriek, and blackness claims me.
CHAPTER 36
Zombies be Coming
Knox
Ipile more weight onto the bar and crawl onto the bench, my back sweating but needing this release. Gripping the handle, I inhale and exhale as I lift the weight, bringing it down to my chest, then back up, pumping the weight a few times before jumping up and adding more.
“Dude,” Zeke yawns, rubbing his eyes. “I can hear you all the way from the bedroom. What’s wrong?” he asks, leaning against the doorframe of the STFU’s gym. I like Lynx’s name for it.
“I-I don’t know,” I admit too quickly, and Zeke immediately zeroes in, like a damn wolf, himself.
“Yeah, right. I’m not that stupid. I might be tired, but I wasn’t born yesterday,” he says. Walking in, he grabs some weights and helps me put them away. “What’s eating you?”
I run my hand through my hair, not wanting to bring this up, but if I can’t with Zeke, who the hell can I do it with?
I sigh as I put another plate away.
“It’s Rez,” I admit, and within seconds, Zeke’s green eyes are mere inches away from mine.
“What’s wrong with Rez?” I can still smell Zeke’s minty toothpaste on his breath.
“I don’t know, and that’s frustrating enough,” I growl, pushing Zeke out of my face. “Give me some space, man. It’s bad enough that I have this gnawing feeling in my gut; I don’t need you crowding me.” I walk out of the gym and head towards the great hall, where there’s more room for this conversation. The walls in this building feel too small, confining.
“If there’s something wrong with Rez, we need to know!” Zeke counters staying with my steps.
“Don’t you think I know that?” I snap, feeling my canines lengthening. I shake my head, raising my hand to ward off Zeke before I lean against the wall and take a deep breath.I’m losing it. Calm down.
Zeke has seen me need to talk to my animals before, so he leans against the wall next to me and closes his eyes, and I do the same to concentrate.
‘Come on, guys, I really need your help here. I’m obviously having issues.’I plead with my animals.
‘But I can’t feel my mate, something must be wrong,’Fluffer whines.
‘That’s not exactly true. We did feel the excruciating pain she felt before she went quiet. That’s what more likely set us off,’Barron so helpfully relives the core issue.
‘Yes, she was in pain, and now we can’t feel her. That’s the issue we are having. Thank you for pointing out that massive hole in our connection,’I snarl.
‘I say we shift and go looking for her. Fuck this place, it’s too small, and it’s not helping if we’re stuck in this fucking place,’Slayer growls.
I feel as if my skin is going to rip apart, and I’m on the verge of screaming when a tiny, meek voice speaks up.
‘Might I suggest that everyone quiet down so you can hear what I can?'Dusky calmly suggests.
‘Huh?’I do as he says, and I don’t hear anything at first, but I feel it, through our link. A thrumming vibration, as if it’s a cord to a harp or piano, and someone is slowly plunking it lightly to a familiar even beat.
