Page 30 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

There haven’t been any attacks, nothing has changed, even the weather patterns have stilled. Honestly, it’s the eerie nothingness that sends a chill up my spine. I might not be connected to the Veil anymore, but I can feel a whisper in the winds that something is coming.

Weeks ago, the Veil was damaged. Now it’s gone entirely.

I can’t help but feel like we should have taken it more seriously.

“This way,” Aksel says.

All four of our guards move into defensive positions around us as they lead us down the hall. My parents' transport is on the way to retrieve me and some of the other Treon students. We will all be taken back to Kyrr, and once we can, we’ll send students to their home planets. Resources are slim at the moment.

My head spins with how quickly things have changed. In an instant, school was shut down and all two thousand something students are being sent home.

Ryker will be taking a school transport back to Malaya with Trysten and Gunnar. The Okenen transport is taking the rest of the students back to Saedn, the largest planet with the most transports headed around their kingdom to shuffle students back to where they need to be.

Aolyn is unable to get to Cryos—her home planet—so she’s taking a transport back to Ashum, a nearby planet. I guess her parents promised to come for her when they could. I can’t believe they wouldn't care more, but I have a feeling they're involved in this. I attempted to get her to come with me, but she said she couldn’t, that her parents had given her strict orders to head to the outpost at Ashum.

“Raea.” I turn to see Kellan heading straight toward me.

Rune steps between us, blocking him.

“Follow behind us, do not get in the way,” Aksel barks.

“It’s okay,” I say to Kellan. “Just stay close.”

I remember how the hall was full of palpable excitement on the first day of school. This…this is fear embodied. It took all of thirty minutes before the news about the Veil spread faster than our hyperjump capabilities. Once the crowns were notified, the nobility panicked.

“Ryker,” I whisper, gripping his hand tighter. “We aren’t ready for this.” Dread pools in my stomach. Not just because the Veil is gone, but because he’s leaving, and I’m supposed to save the system and⁠—

“Hey.” He pauses, halting our entire party. He slips his hand to my cheek, cupping me with such tenderness as he tilts my face up to meet his. “It’s going to be okay. We are going to be okay. We do this together.”

“But you’re leaving,” I say, my voice wobbly. He sighs, bringing our foreheads together. “I can’t do this without you.”

“You can, love. You’ve always been stronger than you give yourself credit for. You can do this. And no amount of time or distance will keep me from you. I will find a way.” He gives me a chaste kiss, then nods to Aksel as we leave Taeolyn. I don’t even have time to look around.

This might be the last time I walk these halls.

When we arrive at the Treon transport, I bury my face in Ryker’s chest.

“Promise me,” I whisper.

He grips my hand, wrapping it around the beautiful necklace, still cool to the touch, around my neck. “You don’t need my promises, Raea. You have my whole heart. I will let you know when we’re back on Malaya, okay?”

I nod and swipe angrily at the tears spilling from my eyes. “Ryker, I⁠—”

“I know.” He pulls me flush against him. “I love you too,” he whispers, capturing my mouth with his in a searing kiss.

For a moment, the world falls away, and it’s only the two of us. Every stroke of his tongue is a promise, every breath—life. All too quickly, he pulls away, placing one more kiss on my forehead and then walks away.

“Princess,” Ezra says, guiding me up the open ramp where Kellan is already waiting for me at the top.

“C’mon, RaeRae,” he says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “He’ll be okay.”

For the first time in hours, a laugh escapes me.

Did Kellan just acknowledge my love for Ryker?

Chapter 12

Ryker