32. Thirty-Two

Thirty-Two

I was torn into the familiar oblivion.

I clamped my limbs tightly into my side as I felt the rush of shadows and wind whipping against my face—stinging my skin.

I tried to count the seconds as they passed. It had never taken us this long. The longer we stayed in the tether, the harder it sucked the oxygen out of my lungs. Each breath was a struggle in the thin air as my heartbeat sounded in my skull.

Wren’s grip on my hand was like a lifeline, and I prayed I wouldn’t get pulled from his side as we fell deeper and deeper into a void of nothingness.

Our feet hit sharp rocky ground, and I threw my hands in front of me to catch my fall, deep gashes splitting on my palms as they met the rubble. The smoldering air enveloped us as my eyes watered and my throat tightened.

The acrid stench of charred skin filled my nostrils.

I gagged, struggling to take in a deep breath. Each inhale brought with it the unmistakable scent of flesh.

Burning flesh.

“Wren?” I choked out as I stood, wiping my bloody hands on the front of my leathers.

His silhouette came into view as I took a step forward. More bodies materialized in the smoke, and I pulled two daggers from my sheath as they came closer, blood trickling down over my wrists as I gripped the hilts.

“Cin, it’s us,” Ardan’s voice rang through the haze as their faces became clearer.

“Stay here,” Wren ordered, dropping his bag beside my feet. “I need to check the house and make sure it is secure.” Before we could respond, he disappeared into the mist.

“Where are Pri and Ata?” Andrues asked as he lifted Wren’s bag from the ground, hoisting it onto his free shoulder.

“I haven’t seen them yet,” I said as I looked around, trying to wave the ashy air out of my eyes.

My hand darted to my neck, searching for the necklace.

I couldn’t feel it.

My fingers grabbed at my chest, searching frantically for the delicate chain. Finally, finding it tangled up in my curls, I let out a sharp breath.

It was still whole.

Landers was okay.

“Let’s go,” Wren said, appearing in front of us as he grabbed my hand and tethered us into the house without warning.

I teetered as we landed, but managed to stay on my feet as I took in a deep breath of the clean air.

“Where is Pri?” Wren asked, as Andrues materialized beside us with Ardan and Taft.

“They left right after you, they should be here by now,” Andrues answered. Ardan wrung his hands together as he walked over to the only window on the far wall of the room, and a tight knot formed in my stomach, twisting and pulling at my muscles.

“Maybe she took a different way to get here.” I tried to calm my voice as I spoke, but the words came out too shaky—too fast. Wren nodded, staying silent as he paced by the door.

“I am going to put a barrier around the house, I’ll check back where we arrived. See if they are there,” Andrues said, tightening the sword across his back before tethering away.

I watched as both brothers waited anxiously for the women they loved and took in the new space. All of the houses were blurring together, but this one . . . felt like death. Something about the house made my skin crawl. It was built entirely from jagged obsidian stone that suffocated the room of any light. There was no kitchen for Pri to cook in, just a large, splintered oak table pushed against a windowless wall with only one chair tucked underneath it. The sitting room was cramped with tattered velvet furniture arranged around a crumbling fireplace.

With each minute that passed my imagination grew darker.

I tried to rein in the thoughts, but as I shook one off, another would fall into its place. I pulled the pocket watch out of my jacket and watched as it ticked away the seconds with agonizing slowness, each passing moment intensifying the knot coiling in my stomach.

The soft whispers of wind against the house, and Wren and Ardan’s pacing seemed to mock the silence that enveloped the room. Images of worst-case scenarios played like a sinister slide show in my mind, my thoughts spiraling into a vortex of fear.

I glanced at the clock again, the hands moving at a glacial pace. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead, and my hands began to tremble, betraying any facade of composure I had maintained. I walked to the window in the corner by the fireplace where Ardan paced. I knew I wouldn’t be able to see anything through the ashen air but I couldn’t sit still.

The gray and red sky mirrored the storm of emotions inside of me as I placed my hand on my chest and pressed down, trying to calm my racing heart.

The familiar hiss of tethering finally shattered the silence, and my heart leaped into my throat as I turned to see Landers and Andrues materialize by the door.

Relief washed over my body seeing Landers standing there, but angst quickly took back over. It had been fifteen minutes since Andrues had left and Ata and Pri still weren’t here.

They should have been here before Landers.

“Where are they?” Ardan barked at Landers.

“If they are in danger, Pri would not bring them here. At least not right away,” Landers responded. “She would move slowly to cover Ata’s scent, and take as many detours as possible so she did not lead anyone to us.” His face softened as he walked toward the brothers, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. “If they do not show up soon, I promise to you both, I will find them.”

Andrues poured a generous amount of amber liquid into two glasses and handed one to each of them. The strong scent of alcohol wafted into the room as the brothers took a long sip.

“She is going to be okay,” Andrues’s said, setting the canteen of alcohol back on the barcart beside the fireplace as I turned to look up at him. “It’s Ata. Gods bless anyone who tries to get in her way.”

A small, grateful smile crossed my lips at his attempt to comfort me, and I plunged myself into his chest.

“I can’t lose her,” I said, my voice shaking as he wrapped his arms around me with apprehension.

“I know,” he whispered.

I sniffed away the tears that had started to leak onto his leathers as I pulled away, wiping my nose.

The sitting room slowly emptied as each of us disappeared into the corners of the house, trying to keep ourselves busy as we waited. I chose the only room on the third floor because it reminded me of our dormitory at the academy. It was encased in stone with a large window that allowed me to look down over the sprawling, jagged mountain range the house was carved from.

My stomach lurched at the thought of the school. I had no idea what had become of Asrai, or the students.

With trembling hands, I tossed my satchel onto the neatly made bed as the sound of my shaky breath filled the small room. The bed stood tall with a black metal frame, reaching up to the ceiling. Thin, twisted rods jutted out at each of the four posts, creating a skeletal outline. A canopy of fiery vermillion and deep copper fabric cascaded down, creating an illusion of dancing flames. In front of the window, obsidian and scarlet velvet blankets and pillows were sprawled next to a hearth tucked into the corner.

A small stone slab rested in front of the fireplace with a pile of old, forgotten books stacked on top. As I ran my fingers over the dusty covers, I couldn’t help but wonder about the previous inhabitants of this place.

Were they hiding like us? Or were they here for reconnaissance? Gathering information to bring back to Pri or Wren?

I slowly made my way back down the flights of stairs. They were worn and uneven from years of use. The once smooth edges now jutted out in sharp, jagged points where pieces of the stone had been chipped away over time.

Ardan and Wren had already gathered back in the large sitting room, where they were silently sitting, drinks in hand as they watched the doorway. I rounded the side of the crimson couch that stuck out vividly against the black stone walls. Ardan gave me a strained smile as he made room for me between him and Wren.

“Do you want one?” Wren lifted his glass in my direction and I nodded as I sat down, pulling my feet under my body.

He leaned forward and poured me a glass from the decanter sitting on the flint table in front of us. Wren handed it to me as he pushed back onto the couch, taking a long sip from his cup.

I desperately wanted to find the right words to comfort them, but every time I opened my mouth to speak, nothing seemed adequate. So we sat together in silence, finding solace in each other’s company and the drinks we shared.

The room echoed with a chilling silence, only disrupted by the ominous clang of glass against glass as we refilled our cups. I wasn’t sure how long we had been there when Taft came into the room, but it felt like hours.

Wren silently poured Taft a drink, handing it to him as he settled into the dusky chaise beside us. Landers and Andrues trickled in shortly after, claiming the two chairs to the left of us.

Landers locked eyes with me, silently questioning if I was okay. I shrugged my shoulders as I rubbed my legs for warmth. He stood and my gaze followed him out of the room. Landers returned moments later with a blanket in hand. Standing just behind my shoulder, I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as he lifted a tattered blanket over the couch. He draped it across me and tucked it carefully under my body as his lips brushed against the crown of my head. I smiled up at him, a silent thank you before he made his way back to his seat and leaned his head back into the velvet fabric. I watched as he stared into the fire, the flames casting shadows over each of his chiseled features. His brows were pulled together as he gazed into it, and I wondered what he was thinking.

What plan he was silently forming in his mind.

The air in the room was thick with palpable unease and became a suffocating entity that clung to us as I grappled with the gnawing fear that something grave had happened to them. The howling wind tapped against the window, its mournful notes amplifying my dread as we sat in wait.

I stared blankly at the stone walls as the time passed. I had counted every rock in the room now.

Over and over.

It was my best effort to calm my mind and keep it from wandering to the scenarios that passed through my thoughts like a virus.

A loud crash came from the doorway.

Before I could stand, Wren was on his feet, scrambling to get to Pri.

She was alone.

Ata.

Where was Ata?

Her once-golden hair was a deep shade of crimson and caked to her face. Parts of her clothing were torn away, revealing deep burns and gashes. I could feel the bile rising in my throat.

Pri was badly wounded.

Ata was gone.

“Pri!” Wren collapsed on the floor next to her as she faded in and out of consciousness. “Pri! What happened?” Wren was yelling now, pushing her bloody hair out of her face as he dragged her limp body against him.

Tears streamed from his eyes as he rocked her in his arms. “Baby, please wake up.” His voice cracked with each word. “Fucking do something!” Wren roared at us over his shoulder, snapping Landers and Andrues into motion.

“Get her onto the table,” Landers demanded as Wren scooped her pale body from the cold stone floor.

Andrues swiped his arm over the dining table, sending maps and books flying to the floor as Wren laid her gently in the center of it.

“You’re gonna be okay, baby,” Wren said through sobs. “It’s gonna be okay.” He clasped Pri’s face in his hands, kissing her forehead.

I watched the scene in front of me, horror etched into my features. Streams of blood dripped off the table into the cracks of the stone floor, pooling beneath Pri.

“Ardan, we need you!” Andrues yelled. “Any wound that is not a burn—heal it.”

Ardan nodded, placing his hands over an open gash on Pri’s leg and knelt beside her.

“Give it to me, Pri,” Wren begged in desperation. “Give me your pain, baby.” He placed his hands over Pri’s heart and his body stiffened.

Wren inhaled a sharp breath and a deep, pained groan escaped his lips.

Pri’s eyes fluttered open as she gasped for air. She turned her head to the side, coughing blood onto the floor.

Andrues held her shoulders in place as he chanted something in a language I had never heard, and Ardan moved on to the next wound.

Wren’s body relaxed little by little as she regained consciousness.

“No!” Her scream pierced through the room as she clawed at Wren’s hands.

Wren lifted his head slowly, his eyes meeting hers. He moved one hand from Pri’s chest and slid it up to cup her face. She lifted her hand, placing it on top of Wren’s as tears streamed down both their cheeks.

“I will not let you suffer, do you hear me?” Wren said, his eyes pleading with Pri.

Pri nodded her head as sobs began rolling from her throat.

Wren pressed his forehead to hers, whispering into her ear as Ardan continued to heal her legs. Landers took Pri’s hand, bringing it to his lips and kissed it as he watched the others work.

I could feel my knees buckling as a wail flung itself from my mouth and my vision blurred.

Ata was gone.

She was gone .

I stumbled towards the ground, my vision blurring and nausea filled my throat. I could barely see through the sea of tears that were rolling out of me. I tried to breathe, but each breath caught in my swelling throat. Breathe . I gasped, swallowing as much air as I could. I braced myself on all fours, then threw up.

The cries from the table began to subside as I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

“This is all we can do for now.” Andrues lifted a hand from Pri’s shoulders and laid it on Wren’s. “You need rest, my friend.”

Wren looked up at Andrues, his eyes bloodshot. Pri’s blood was smeared across his face.

“You cannot stop, she is still in pain.” Wren clutched the lip of the table with one hand, the other still pressed firmly against her heart, as he pushed himself up onto shaky legs.

“She is stable for now,” Ardan said as he stood and stepped toward Wren.

“We need to get information from her now before we heal the burns, or it will be days before she can tell us what she knows,” Andrues said, his voice soft but stern.

Wren gaped at him, anger flashing in his midnight eyes. “I will not let you interrogate her,” Wren said, squaring his shoulders, ready to defend her with every ounce of strength he had left.

Pri lifted her hand, wrapping her fingers tightly around Wren’s forearm.

“Please, brother,” Ardan begged and stepped toward him, his eyes pleading. “Ata is still out there. I need to get to her.” His voice trembled as the words rapidly spilled from his mouth. “I cannot lose her.”

“My love.” Pri’s voice cracked as she struggled to sit up. Landers placed a hand on her back, pushing her forward as she flinched from the pain. “He’s right, this cannot wait.” The words were strained as they left her lips. Her cheeks were wet with tears, the salty water cutting through smears of dried blood on her face.

Pri winced as she tried to wipe them away, feeling the sting of her wounds. Her hands trembled as she reached for her throat, dragging her fingers across the deep burn that circled her neck.

“I am so sorry, Ardan.” The words came out of Pri in a rapid sob. “I tried to stop them.”

“Can you tell us what happened?” Landers asked in a calm, soft voice as he moved around the table, kneeling in front of her.

Pri took in a sharp breath as she gripped Wren’s hand and nodded. “As soon as we crossed the realm line, I felt a tug on my tether. I thought it was one of you so I hesitated . . . it’s like they set a trap. Like they were waiting for us to cross over, throwing out Uthrens, hoping to catch something. They pulled us to the ground . . . they had us surrounded.”

Landers nodded, urging Pri to continue.

“They had Tragi with them . . . the Hanth are in The Silliands. Ata was able to shift before they could get a good look at her, but they separated us.” Pri’s voice cracked and she clutched her chest as her eyes locked onto mine. “I promise you I tried to hold onto her. I promise you, Hyacinth . . . but they wrapped me in Uthrens. I wasn’t strong enough. I wasn’t strong enough to save her.” Pri’s face fell into her hands, the words falling out of her mouth in a high-pitched cry.

Ardan grasped her wrists, gently pulling them away from her face as she looked up at him. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked into her eyes. “This was not your fault.” Ardan’s voice was thin, but his words brimmed with sincerity. “Do you know where they took her?”

“A Tragus took her. It flew toward Mornos, The Silliands capital. That was the last time I saw her.”

Ardan nodded, turning to Landers. “How do I get there?”

“I’m going with you,” I said, stepping forward and grasping Ardan’s forearm. Landers’s gaze lingered on us for a long moment before he turned back to Pri and stood to his full height.

“Get Pri up to your chambers. Heal these burns before they seep any deeper,” Landers said to Andrues as he gestured his head toward the stairs.

Andrues nodded as Wren scooped her up into his arms and headed for the stairs. Andrues followed after, leaving the three of us standing at the table as Taft watched us from the couch.

“We need to leave. Now,” Ardan said, his voice deep—rigid.

“You cannot rashly charge after her without intel or a plan and a thorough understanding of Mornos’s layout. It is not a place one simply strolls into unprepared and lives to tell the tale,” Landers said, his tone sharp.

Ardan straightened to his full height, towering over us. His face hardened in a way I had never seen before as he said, “You made me a promise, Landers, and you will keep it.”

“I intend to,” Landers said calmly, looking directly into his eyes. “If you want her back alive , you will let me handle this. Mornos is a labyrinth, and one wrong turn could lead us straight into an ambush.”

“Are you trying to stop us?” I said, stepping in front of Ardan. “Because I am done. I am done letting men control me. Letting men tell me what I can and cannot do. We are not asking your permission.” My voice came out in a snarl as my shadows gathered around me.

I could feel Ardan take a step closer to me as Landers’s straightened, the muscle in his jaw feathering as he stepped closer to my shadows.

“I would sooner die than control you. I will never force you or dictate your actions. Your freedom of choice is yours to keep, always,” Landers said as his eyes bore into me. The weight of his words hung heavy in the air—a promise made in blood and shadows. “I only ask that you both carefully consider the consequences before taking on Mornos without a proper strategy.” Landers exhaled, the sound echoing in the small space as he closed the gap between us, bringing a hand up to caress my cheek.

My shadows receded into me against the warmth of his skin. He dropped his hand and looked to Ardan, placing a strong grip on his shoulder.

“Can you give me time?” Landers asked. “Then we can go get her back—together.”

“How much time do you need?” Ardan asked as his fists clenched.

“Let us get Pri situated, then while Andrues is healing her, I will ask Wren to help me gather information.”

Ardan nodded, releasing a deep breath as he dragged a hand over his face. “I cannot lose her, Landers. She is my entire heart. I will not abandon her.” The desperation in his voice washed over me with a chill as the realization that I may never see her again settled into the pit of my stomach. The thought of being without Ata, of never hearing her laughter or feeling her touch again—

No .

I wouldn’t go there. I would not let my mind go to that place.

“I know, brother. I know.” There was a sincerity and softness in Landers’s eyes I had never seen before as he responded. “I need to check on Pri. When we leave to gather intel on Ata, I will let you know.” Landers’s eyes focused on mine with searing veracity. “We will find her.” His fingers brushed against mine as he strode out of the room, taking the stairs two at a time as he ascended out of our view. Taft followed quickly behind him, leaving us standing alone in the blood-stained room.

The metallic scent lingered in the heavy air as we stood side by side. Ardan’s jaw clenched and his fingers flexed but neither of us spoke in the eerie stillness that surrounded us as a wave of nausea flooded over me.

I gulped, pushing away the sickness creeping up my throat. I slid an arm around Ardan and as I pulled myself closer to him, he laid a stiff hand on the side of my head.

I didn’t have any words to comfort him so I held him as tight as I could so he knew I understood the fear he felt. So he knew I felt it too.

“I will start cleaning this up,” I whispered, forcing my voice to stay steady. “You should get cleaned up while we wait.” His hands were still covered in Pri’s blood and I needed him to do something other than wait here, thinking himself into a downward spiral.

Or maybe it was me that needed that.

He blew out a pained stream of air and nodded before turning to the stairs.

As I watched him disappear, my heart detonated into a million shards.