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“Think about it. We’ve been away from Rae for days. A little time separation shouldn’t hurt us, but we all started deteriorating within twelve hours. We haven’t spent that much time apart since we met her.”
Cyn sat upright, his features tight. “She’s not our mate.”
“But what if,” I started, keeping my voice even so I didn’t set Cyn off on a tirade. “What if she is? What if her boss told the truth and—”
“She’s not,” he snapped, clenching his fists on his thighs. “Her boss lied to save his own ass.”
“We’ve got all the early symptoms,” I said, unwilling to write off what we were feeling as simple manipulation.
Ezra finished his water and set the bottle on the table. “Even if she were our mate, and it wasn’t a ploy, we’re not bonded to her. We never sealed our tether to her, so we shouldn’t experience Bondrot.”
“But what if it’s different because she’s human?” Zeke asked, twisting the string of his pajama pants around his fingers.
Ezra sighed. “Withdrawals from the magic.”
“What?”
“Like drugs and overused magic,” he said. “We experienced prolonged exposure to illusion magic while on Earth. Now that we’re away from it, our bodies are adjusting. The symptoms match.”
Zeke unraveled the twine around his finger, only to begin the process again. “You seriously think it was all fake?”
Ezra didn’t answer.
“She’s not our mate,” Cyn insisted again, rising and walking to the fireplace beneath the flatscreen. He braced both hands on the mantel, head hanging between his shoulders. “She’s not.”
“Why are you so sure?” Zeke asked. “I’ve never seen you that alive outside of with us.” He hesitated before mumbling, “And it felt different, even then.”
He whirled to look at Zeke but said nothing.
Part of me needed Rae not to be our mate so I could accept her betrayal and move on. The thought made me feel worse than whatever afflicted us.
“You three got too close to her,” Ezra said, breaking the silence. “This shouldn’t even be a discussion when recovery should be the focus. We’ll stand before the council in a broadcast across Elyrdin. None of us can afford to be like this. Father needs to know we’re stronger than whatever magic did this to us.”
“Us three?” Zeke blinked. “You didn’t like Rae?”
“Did you ignore everything I just said?”
“No. But Rae—”
“Stop saying her name,” Cyn bit out through clenched teeth. I could tell it took all his strength not to snap at Zeke. “Please.”
My heart ached at the desperation packed into that single word.
Zeke slid lower on the sofa, mumbling apologies, his upper body sinking into the plush cushions.
I sighed, sitting forward with my elbows on my knees. “Ezra’s right. No matter what went on with her, we don’t have time to dwell on it. Our people haven’t seen us since before the summoning. We need to show them we’re okay.”
Zeke wouldn’t forget Rae—and neither could I—but talking about her only made things worse, creating tension in our home. We needed to be united, stronger, and ready for execution day, or we’d face Cornaith’s wrath.
Two days to go.
49
CONTROL
EZRA
Sparkling amber light from crystal chandeliers along the palace hallway created a pins-and-needles sensation behind my eyes, while the marble floor amplified my footsteps and heightened my discomfort.
