Page 131 of Wraithwound

“Lena, I cannot disobey him,” he said, desperation leaking through his words.

“Cross!” The man’s voice rang through the temple, low and powerful, an edge of warning sharpening his words.

Still hidden from view behind the pillar, Cross silently unbuckled his scabbard and proceeded to disarm. He leaned his sword against the pillar and placed his gauntlet next to it. After ensuring he was fully unarmed, he made a hand motion indicating to Lena that his things should stay where they lay.

“Wait,” Lena whispered, reaching for his hand. “I—Kiara is healed.”

“What did you say?”

“Jade was supposed to find you after I entered the gate. Dauen and I—we figured it out. Kiara is okay.”

He searched her face, finding the truth of the words she spoke there.

“Lena, how—” he started, a look of utter disbelief on his face.

“Come out. Now,” the voice demanded.

Cross closed his eyes and shook his head, devastation written on his face. When he opened them again, a picture of ruin stood before her. He squeezed Lena’s hand once before letting it fall. Then, with one last look at her, he stepped out from behind the pillar.

Chapter

Seventy-Five

Lena’s heart thrummed wildly in her chest as she made to follow Cross, but a strong pull from Runa halted her mid step.

“Listen, foolish human. Wait and listen,” Runa hissed, her anger evident in the echo of emotion Lena felt.

Reluctantly, Lena did as Runa bade, half wondering why she was taking commands from the wraith. At least she knew Runa had a vested interest in making sure Lena lived.

“He was tasked with leading you here. Or did you fail to consider why a soulbound would so readily let an infected human live?”

A familiar verse appeared in her mind although when she’d seen it in Lythara, the words had been incomplete. This time it wasn’t.

“You shall lead the light to Eteris’s end to save what was and what can be again.”

“That’s why you told him my name.” Lena said to the wraith. “You knew what it meant. And that it would confirm his suspicions.”

“You are my light through the darkness, Alina,” Cross had said to her.

She couldn’t breathe past the pit of betrayal in her stomach. Runa sent a pulse of confirmation although this time it was devoid of pleasure.

“You—you wanted to end up here. That’s why you didn’t take over sooner.”

“We needed to end up here,” Runa hissed. “Now be silent and listen.”

“Where is she?” the man commanded. “Tell me.”

“She’s behind the pillar.”

Each word struck her like a stone to the face. Still, Lena did not move. And they did not come. They didn’t come.

“They haven’t come in here,” she whispered to herself, and to Runa.

“They cannot,” Runa answered, something like relief and certainty echoing inside her.

Lena peered down at Cross’s sword. He’d left it, along with the rest of the weapons he carried and his gauntlet.

I cannot disobey him, Cross had said, which meant that if he, whoever he was, asked Cross to hurt Lena, to kill her, he would’ve had to do it. Instead⁠—