Page 34 of A Thread of Breath and Bone

We never finished going over what all of it meant. What the hell is Myrkr? Is that a person? A god?

I swallow the panic crawling up my throat, using my breathing techniques to calm me while I ground myself using Ryker’s necklace. The metal is cool despite it laying against my body all day, but the sapphire is warm. The metal wire of the tree hums softly in my grasp.

I hadn’t noticed it before.

I wrap my hand around the stone completely and remember the feel of his lips on my neck, his warm body pinning mine to the wall. The memory of his emotions—happy, in love.

It’s so tangible it feels like my own emotions. I pull my guards down just to see if I can get anything. His planet is only forty minutes away this time of year through hyperjump. It’s nothing compared to other planets.

I knock down the walls of my Bond, but there’s nothing there.

Instead of light and energy and power, I'm met with pain so physical it takes my breath away. There’s nothing where my Bond usually sits behind the iron gates other than a black, empty space.

I slam my palms onto the table, gasping, forgetting everyone around me while I quickly close my iron wall. There’s no way I can go a year without seeing him. Nausea swirls in my stomach and I fight to release the tension in my fisted hands.

“Raea?” my mother gasps, shocked at my outburst.

When I open my eyes, Ciara and Kellan have sympathy written on their faces, even my father. He must know, he has to. It all makes sense now. The dress, him wanting me to stay home next year for school.

“I—I—” I stand rapidly, the chair screeching against the stone floor. “I’m so sorry, please excuse me.”

I run back to my chambers, my slippers sliding on the stone floors as I make the last turn. I change quickly with Aza and slip into my Xori pants, corset, and a sweater. It’s the same outfit I wore on my first day of school when Ryker followed me down to the lake. Another shock of energy hits me straight in the stomach, causing me to whimper. I’m lacing up my boots when Kellan and Ciara come in.

“I just need to go somewhere. I can’t just sit at the table and pretend like everything is fine,” I say in a rush.

“Do you want to go to the Drift?” Kellan asks.

I shake my head, losing any composure I have left. “No. I can’t!”

The Drift reminds me of Ryker. It’s where he told me he loved me. I can’t go there, not without him.

I mutter an apology, realizing my heightened emotions are getting the better of me.

“What about the falls?” Ciara suggests. “We can hike to Atlas falls and jump. We haven’t done that in years.”

I nod. She’s right. It’s been years, and it will be a good distraction.

“Let’s go change. Meet you on the launch pad in ten?” Kellan asks.

We all nod, and I slip out of my room, swimsuit in hand, and run directly into my father. I was planning on asking for forgiveness later instead of permission.

“You’re off in a hurry.” He chuckles, steadying me. “Walk with me.”

I nod and follow him.

“Do you know when I was a young boy, my grandfather told me about a very strange prophecy.”

I stiffen at his side, my feet shuffling as I fall back in step with him.

“Yes, that same one.” He gestures for the stairs that wind up to his private library. “There’s more to it than what you’ve heard, my dear. Elison recently discovered more texts. We’ve been working to uncover as much as we could, knowing this day was coming. It’s why I have talked with your mother about moving up your Ceremony. I think six weeks should be enough.”

I pause and look at him. Has he lost his mind? He wants me to Bond and marry Ryker in six weeks?

Butterflies take flight at the thought, while I simultaneously feel the urge to empty my stomach. This isn’t the time to be thinking of this. We are literally evacuating planets around our system, and he wants me to Bond and get married?

“It’s not the right time.” I sigh.

We exit the stairwell, coming to a long, windowed corridor that branches off on the opposite end.