His stare penetrated, intense enough that David fought the urge to look away. “How do you know that?”
“Because I’ve Seen it. And now that we’re one, someday you will, too.”
CHAPTER 43
ANNA
For six days, Anna had been avoiding public areas—not just for fear of seeing David Berkeley, but also because the pain in her chest had only sharpened since he’d severed ties with her. It was as if a knife had burrowed in her heart. Any motion jostled it, cascading pain through her nervous system like a waterfall.
She’d known this magic was dangerous, but she hadn’t truly considered how dangerous it could be toher. The physicality of her emotions brought the pain into sharp relief, and her infinite capacity to feel it was like screaming into an echo chamber—waves and waves that never ended. She’d thought she understood the pain of heartbreak. She’d felt it in others, after all.
But this was something different.
This was Morgan’s magic, slicing her to pieces.
She hadn’t returned to training. She hadn’t done much of anything. Maddy tried to help, but there was little she could do other than curse David into fiery torment. Her maledictions proved entertaining, if not effective.
Through Maddy, she’d heard that Sean and his usual exploration party had planned another trip into Viterra yesterday, but Annathought nothing of it. They’d been in and out of the mortal world for weeks, and he always returned to tell her all about it. But when Maddy burst into their suite, sweaty from training, her emotions a whirl of devastation, Anna sat upright on the chaise she’d been sprawled across.
“Kywyn is dead,” she said, then pressed a hand over her mouth.
Anna sucked in a breath. “What?”
“They—they were attacked by Indies yesterday, and…he’s dead.”
“No. That can’t be. They had Isobel!”
“I know,” Maddy whispered. She shuffled to a nearby chair and sank into it. “They suspended training early. There’s going to be a pyre for the fallen tonight.”
Anna’s heart lurched. “Thefallen? They had more casualties?” Her mind’s eye threw out an image of David bleeding to death, and she flinched away from it, wishing she didn’t still care so much about his fate.
She wanted to rip this love from her chest and forget it had ever happened.
Maddy’s gaze softened as she peered at Anna. “A couple other pixies were killed, too. Everyone else is fine.”
She doubted they were fine. Sean had lost his father yesterday. She remembered the way his voice had roughened when he spoke of his mother, how his emotions had brightened when he spoke of Kywyn and the new connection they’d formed.
“I need to see him,” Anna said, standing.
Maddy’s head tilted. “See…him?”
“Sean,” she replied. “I need to see him.”
“Anna,” her friend said, “slow down. He just lost his father. Shouldn’t he be with?—”
“Ihaveto see him.” She couldn’t account for the sudden pull, but it was undeniable.
“Okay…” Maddy’s confusion was clear on her face.
“He needs his friends,” Anna said, trying to explain away her urgency.
Maddy’s mouth turned down into a frown. “Alright. Just…don’t be surprised if you’re turned away.”
Anna’s hair was unkempt and clothes wrinkled, but she didn’t even consider wasting time to freshen herself. Desperation had taken hold of her, an irresistible longing to be at his side in this time of need. Maddy called her name as she rushed out the door. Anna ignored it. She took long, quick strides to the Sovereign Suite, barely restraining herself from running.
When the brownie attendant saw her, she let forth a somber smile and rang the bell to enter, though she didn’t wait for anyone inside to answer. “Go on in,” she said, swinging the door open. “They could use a friendly face.”
Anna nodded and dipped inside, broken heart sinking as she realized she’d likely come face-to-face with David.
