Page 480 of Axis of Fire

I'd never imagined there was anything capable of frightening her.

Before I could dwell on it—or maybe before I even realized what I was doing—my body moved on its own.

"I'll go next."

The words left my mouth before I'd made a conscious decision.

Pria didn't argue.

She simply nodded.

"Good luck," she said quietly.

I forced something that vaguely resembled a smile before turning toward the dome.

Then I stepped inside.

It felt as though my lungs filled with something both icy and warm at the same time, stealing my next breath.

My head—

No.

My very consciousness—

began to spin so violently I thought I was going to be sick.

Something brushed gently against my temples.

As though asking permission.

I couldn't resist it.

My body relaxed on instinct, even while the tension inside me kept building, threatening to tear me apart.

Then a crushing pain gripped my heart.

As if something was trying to rip it straight out of my chest.

And suddenly...

the memories came.

Airis.

The first moments I found myself drawn to him.

The moments trust had quietly taken root.

His words.

Our kisses.

The closeness we'd shared.

Every memory was accompanied by my own thoughts, each one sending another wave of pain crashing through me until it felt impossible to breathe.

As though I were drowning in it.