Kyzen’s deep voice wraps around my heart while the other three send frantic, yet reassuring strokes down my soul.
I swallow the lump in my throat.
“Get a move on, sweet T. My arm’s getting a little…”
My entire body shudders when Laney lets out a piercing wail. A thin line of red spills down her throat, and I track its flow to the collar of her shirt.
My realm tilts.
“Tired.”
Jeremiah throws his head back, laughing, and everything inside me goescold. Sound collapses in on itself. Everything is muffled and distant. All that’s left for me to hear is the ragged pull of my breath and the violent pounding of my heart.
My gaze locks on his.
On the amusement there.
On the pride.
On thepleasurehe gets from feeling her pain.
Never. Again.
My thought isn’t loud. It isn’t frantic.
It’s absolute.
My fingers brush the hilt of my dagger at my hip, but I’m too late.
Amick’s arm cuts across my shoulder, already in motion, alreadythrowing.
Time…fractures.
Everything drags, like the realm is being pulled through thick tar.
Except Kyzen.
He steps beside me, eyes glowing and body rippling like a stone dropped in still water. His power stretches, bending time in front of us into a crawl while he accelerates…his brothers.
Riven’s Harmony snaps around our powers, preparing—harmonizing—them to their most level points. Creed surges forward, faster than sight, faster than my thoughts.
Mellcom’s still staring at me.
Jeremiah’s grin is still spread wide.
Laney is still in his grasp.
The dagger spins, slow, precise, inevitable, cutting through the frozen air.
The crack of Jeremiah’s wrist blares through my ears when Creed reaches them, but my heart skips a beat as he grips Laney around her waist.
A relieved breath tumbles out of my parted lips.
Jeremiah doesn’t even see him. Doesn’t feel her being torn from his grip, nor has the pain shooting through his arm registered in his mind yet.
Timeslamsback into place the second Creed returns to us.
Sound crashes in.
