“Don’t hold me back. Don’t fight me.” His voice is stronger now, a deluge of fire in my veins.
“I can’t!” I wail as fire bursts from the cracks in the earth, singeing me with its strength.
A wave of gold crests hard against the dying blue light surrounding me, extinguishing it with such force that the pain vanishes.
I see myself, dragged by my arms and legs, the shaft of a crossbow bolt sticking out of my chest, where a wound seeps crimson blood onto my vest. We’re in a stone tunnel, being dragged and prodded by silver-armored guards.
Tara, Amahle, and Ciaran are behind us, their swords … gone.
Everything through Rykr’s eyes.
From my own eyes, I see nothing. No light. No movement.
I am Rykr.
Seren is no more than a distant memory.
A name slipping through my fingers.
Her body, still bleeding, is dumped on the dusty rock as I’m dragged away from her.
Chapter 38
Seren
I barely noticed the approach of booted feet as I rested on the ground, tears seeping from the corners of my eyes into the dust below me.
A hand grasped my throat, and the bolt was yanked from me, ripping my flesh further.
My eyes flew open, startled. I gasped for air, unable to draw it into my lungs as the damage on my chest blistered to life.
Seth loomed over me, every inch of his face filled with hatred. “You and Westhaven are finally going to die, Seren. Dragon’s blood has no antidote and that bolt was drenched in it.”
My brow furrowed together, my body quivered uncontrollably.
But then I saw it.
Deep inside his pupils, a glowing yellow light.
What the hell?
Before I could answer, Seth stalked away, leaving me in the dark space. The barest flicker of torchlight glowed in the distance.
Where was I?
A dungeon of Emberstone?
My thoughts were clearer now, despite the excruciating pain. I had no idea how long had passed or where Rykr, Tara, or my friends were. Whatever magic Rykr had used in the alley must have kept me alive, for now—maybe he’d even found a way to pass some of his ability to heal to me through the bond. I should be dead, shouldn’t I?
But that wouldn’t save me from dragon’s blood.
Seth had betrayed us. He’d gone to Haldron. Who knew what he’d told him, but it might mean that my father and Thorne would be walking into a trap. That Esme might never be found.
Tears slipped down my cheeks, and I wiped them away with trembling hands, sitting. Each breath was agony, the metallic tang of blood in the back of my throat. I had no spell powder to heal myself with.
Maybe if I froze the wound from the bolt, to keep it from bleeding …
I set my fingertips against the hole in my vest, gasping and swallowing a scream. Closing my eyes, I tried to conjure the magic that had been a part of me since birth.
