Jassyn latched onto the phrase as an anchor, using it as a mantra as he hauled in gasping breaths. Breathing in through his nose and releasing the air out of his mouth.
Breathe.
Minutes slipped by, the splashing of rain against the windows filling the silence between Jassyn’s struggle for air. Another ragged inhale. Another unsteady exhale.
Assembling the remnants of his broken composure, Jassyn began reconstructing himself. It felt more like he was fumbling, scraping, shoving the shattered fragments back at all the wrong angles, lacking enough pieces to make himself whole.I’ll never get over this.
Vesryn stood at his side, keeping a silent vigil. Fingers twitching, he reached out more than once only to retreat before finally touching Jassyn’s shoulder.
“What can I do?” the prince asked, voice soft with concern. He released his hold on Jassyn, letting the shadows dissipate.
Jassyn’s focus slid to his family tree, torn on the floor. “Get rid of it. I don’t want to know.”
Vesryn gathered the shredded paper. He folded the scraps, tucking them into his leathers before hesitantly meeting Jassyn’s eyes with something that looked like pity.
“We need to know who they are,” the prince said quietly. He glanced at the other scattered parchments detailing the lines with shaman ancestry before touching his tunic. “I’ll keep this one safe. They’re my kin too.”
Jassyn buried his face in his hands, craving Stardust. He longed to take enough to forget everything—to forget how he’d been forced to play his part like a puppet on a string.
“The capital likely has copies of these lists,” Vesryn said. The section of couch next to Jassyn dipped and he felt the prince scoot closer. “We’ll start keeping track of those identified on these trees. That’s all we can do for now. They’ll need our help someday.”
Mustering the strength to pull himself out of his misery, Jassyn studied the rain outside the windows and the wind chasing the clouds across the sky.How am I supposed to help anyone else when I can’t even help myself?
Vesryn drained a glass of water. “We’ll begin moving our wraith to the jungle for their safety. And Thalaesyn. Elashor’s soldiers have already noticed his absence.” The prince crossed his arms, drumming his fingers. “I’ll assign a few rangers to keep the group protected and provisioned. We’ll need to keep a close eye on the recruits here to make sure no one goes missing. We simply don’t have the resources yet to relocate everyone.”
Thankful for the distraction of Vesryn developing a course of action, Jassyn clung to the conversation. “I imagine it’ll only be a matter of time before the elemental powers begin manifesting in others. We don’t know—”
Jassyn’s spine stiffened. Too scattered to have his mental barricades in place, a telepathic link coiled around his mind. Upon registering it was Nelya’s presence, he relaxed. She’d been directing their ring of trusted magus, managing the network of watchers and relaying anything peculiar back to him.
Jassyn,the portal attendants sent a missive that General Elashor is bringing additional soldiers to campus—more than the prince permits.
Alarmed, Jassyn tensed at her words. This was more than a routine report.How many?
I’m not sure, but a hundred have already come through the gateways. The general is ordering the entire island to gather at the Spire.
Towed into a riptide of dread, Jassyn’s eyes darted to his cousin. Vesryn’s brows rose, reading his anxiety.
Do you know why?Jassyn asked.
They’re looking for the prince.
Jassyn swore in the solitude of own mind, wondering if the Vallendes knew he and Vesryn were the ones who’d plundered their estate.
“What’s going on?” Vesryn asked.
Jassyn flapped a hand, gesturing for his cousin’s silence.Make sure the magus in our circle join those gathering so their presence isn’t missed. I’ll…inform the prince.
Swallowing back a tide of uncertainty, Jassyn ran his fingers through his curls, delivering the message.
Vesryn scoffed, gaze roving around the room, landing on his boots. With a pull of force, he ripped them toward himself. “Elashor goes too far if he thinks he has any say over me or our operations at Centarya.” Stomping into his shoes, the prince aggressively tied the laces.
“What do you want the magus to do?” Jassyn asked, rising to retrieve his own footwear. His mind immediately began inventing increasingly alarming scenarios of what would unfold.
“Nothing.” Vesryn pushed off from the couch, yanking his wrinkled leathers straight. “I don’t want this secret coalition you’ve cultivated to commit a blatant act of treason. Not yet.” He grunted. “I have a better idea.” He patted Jassyn’s cheek, but his grin looked forced. “I’ll simply to tell Elashor to fuck off.” And with that, the prince pivoted on a heel and prowled out of Jassyn’s apartment.
“Wait!” Charging out of his quarters, Jassyn hurried to catchup to Vesryn in the hallway. “If the capital is here in force, I don’t think it’ll be that easy. I have a bad feeling about this.”
“I won’t be returning to Kyansari if that’s what they’re here for,” Vesryn growled, tying his hair back.
