Page 94 of Unveiled

Connor brushed a strand of hair off Adrian’s forehead, barely realising he’d done it. “Sleep. Your body needs it.”

“No,” Adrian said. “If I sleep, the mark gains room.”

Connor paused. “Explain.”

“When I’m awake, I push back. When I’m unconscious, I don’t. The mark grows. But if I don’t sleep—”

“You’ll collapse.”

“Oui.”

Connor exhaled slowly through his nose. “Then you don’t sleep alone.”

Adrian blinked, startled. “Connor.”

“I’m not letting the Council drag you off through a dream.”

“That’s not how this works.”

“Then you’re explaining it badly.”

Adrian stared at him for a long moment. Then he sighed. “I don’t have the energy to bloody argue with you. But if the mark pulls you with me—”

“Then it pulls us both,” Connor said, his voice final and unyielding. “I won’t have you fighting that thing alone.”

Adrian laughed sharply. “You’re a fool.”

“Probably.”

“And stubborn.”

“Definitely.”

“And dangerous to know.”

Connor leaned closer. “Then it’s fortunate you’ve already met me.”

Adrian’s eyes softened, something raw flickering behind them. “Connor.”

But whatever Adrian meant to say was lost as the door slammed open. Moira stood there, her cheeks flushed, her eyes dark with worry. “You two. Now.”

Connor rose slowly. “What happened?”

Moira’s gaze flicked to Adrian’s mark, and she paled. “Xiathen said you refused the Council,” she said. “And he says they didn’t take kindly to it.”

Connor stiffened. “What did they do?”

Moira swallowed, her next words dropping like stones. “A child in Glengáill woke screaming, speaking in the Council’s voice.” She paused. “And another cluster of Nightwrought apparently crawled out of the loch.”

Adrian’s breath hitched. Moira stepped aside, letting Fraser rush in behind her, his face ashen.

“It’s not just them,” Fraser said, his voice shaking. “Connor, the entire valley is glowing.”

“What?” Connor demanded.

Fraser nodded weakly. “Cracks of light. Everywhere. From the soil. From the riverbed. From the caves. Like the rend is multiplying.”

Adrian’s hand tightened on Connor’s arm. Connor turned toward him, a quiet dread blooming. “What does that mean?”