But then he saw her satchel.
Also discarded by the bed.
Also abandoned.
And his heart sank like a stone into his gut.
Then came the pain in his head.
Like someone stabbing a flaming iron brand right into his temple.
Kailorien staggered.
Nearly fell as something cracked in his leg.
Flaring pain in his whole body—ribs, elbows, palms, neck.
A thousand needles shot through his chest.
The Bond screamed.
Then died.
No thoughts. No words. No pulse of her presence.
The world spun, and he brought his hands to his face as though the motion could somehow still it. He didn’t stop calling to her. Shouting. Begging. Pleading for her to respond.
Nothing came. Just silence.
He surged to the door and threw it open with enough force to crack the crystal handle. Darkness greeted him, andKenazflared to life, allowing him to see as though it were daylight.
Auryn! I’m coming.
Nothing.
His blood ran cold.
With a curse, he slammed his hand against the rune on his thigh—Raido—and the world blurred. The halls bent around him as he ran, shadows streaking past like ribbons of ink. Something flared through the Bond, and he stopped to listen.
Kail…
He choked on her name and swore again.
Auryn, talk to me! Where are you?
Her pain crackled down the Bond like static—too sharp to ignore, too faint to follow.
Forgot to ward…door…
…walked…far…
…hurts…
Hallways blurred past. Corridors. Doorways.He focused in on the heat from his tether to her, trying to feel for a direction. A clue to her location.Anything.He turned when a violet-clad figure came into view, stopping so fast the Veil shuddered at his heels, shaking the Polis itself, emerald lightning flaring through its latticework like cracks in glass.
A girl—an Attendant—pinned against the wall in a glowing containment web. Her mouth was open, no sound emerging, skin covered insweat. Her limbs twitched as she fought the spell, her brown eyes looking right into his, hanks of damp black hair falling over her face. Desperate, but not afraid.
Determined.
