Kobal’s breath warmed my flesh as he nuzzledme. “Our bond will only grow deeper,” he said to me. He lifted hishead to look at the others again. “Something tried to bring downthe seal,” he said to Bale.
Bale’s lime-colored eyes flicked back andforth between us. Her normally red-hued skin had paled. “Did shehelp you stop the seal from falling?”
“She did.”
Tremors racked my body as warmth continuedto seep into my limbs. Stinging pinpricks set into my defrostingextremities. “River?” he murmured against my ear.
“I’m okay,” I told him. “It’s so cold inhere.”
“I don’t feel any cold,” Magnus said. Hisplatinum hair stood on end as if he’d been running his fingersthrough it, which was something I was sure the impeccable demondidn’t often do. His black horns were more visible now that hishair didn’t cover them. He appeared almost as rattled as Bale.
“Are you cold like you were when you wentwith me to see the wraiths?” Kobal asked of me.
“I’m warmer now, but this cold was worsethan the other time with the wraiths,” I told him.
His gaze went to the wall. “One wraith aloneshouldn’t make you feel like that.”
“Maybe there are a lot of them back there,”I suggested.
“No, I would feel them if there were.” Allaround us the hounds growled and prowled forward once more. Theirformidable bodies thrummed with tension as their curved clawsclicked against the floor. “Corson, come here,” Kobalcommanded.
Corson moved swiftly through the hounds andknelt beside us; his eyes were troubled as he surveyed me. “I don’tfeel many wraiths over there either,” he said.
“I need you to take her,” Kobal said.
“Kobal—” I started to protest, but he wasalready switching me into Corson’s arms.
“No matter what, don’t let her go,” Kobalsaid brusquely, which earned him a glowering stare from me.
I tried to squirm against Corson, but mydefrosting body, full of pins and needles firing over my nerveendings, made moving difficult.
“I need to draw the wraith out and I can’tbe worried about what it will do to you if you’re near it,” Kobalsaid to me.
I relaxed slightly in Corson’s hold. “Fine,but I’m not leaving here.”
Kobal bowed his head and turned to look atthe wall.
“Youarecold,” Corson said tome.
“I’m getting warmer,” I replied. “So you canput me down.”
“Get her away from the seal,” Kobalordered.
Completely ignoring my request to bereleased, Corson turned away from the seal and walked through thehounds that parted to get out of our way. I turned in his arms towatch as Kobal rested his hands against the seal once more. Nolight emanated from his palms this time, but I felt the current ofpower he emitted.
“Corson, put me down,” I said again.
“You know I can’t. You shouldn’t be close tothis anyway.”
“Close to what?” I demanded.
He didn’t have to answer me as Kobal’sfingers flexed and his muscles bunched. I watched as through thewall, he drew forth the wraith skulking on the other side. Corsonshivered against me when ice crept through my bones once more.
CHAPTER 39
Kobal
The wraith tried to break free of my graspas I pulled it through the wall, but I kept a firm hold on thesquirming soul. I could sense the others moving closer, thoughCorson remained at the entrance of the broken gobalinus seal withRiver locked securely in his arms. The idea of anyone else holdingher the way he was made me see red, but I couldn’t have her nearthis soul, not if it affected her in such a strong way.
