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As he transcribed the spell, translating it as he did so, he heard the scraping noise again. He had been hearing it for some time, he realised. Lifting his head, he frowned. Mice? The noise was gone, and he bent his head again to study.
The grappling hook that sailed through the window before finding purchase on the sill startled him, and he pushed away from his desk in shock.
Rushing to the window, he looked out. Watching as the rope wavered, he leaned forward further out of the window to see a dark-haired female climbing determinedly up the rope. She looked up at him, and those indigo blue eyes stared into the depths of his soul.
Cord stepped back from the window as she climbed in, brushing the dirt from her clothes to his floor.
“That wasn’t as hard as it looked,” Tegan said as she pulled the rope in and started to gather it. She looked at him. “Thought you would have made it harder.”
Cord found his voice. “It’s not common for anyone toclimbthrough an enchanted tower’s window.”
“It’s enchanted?” Tegan looked around the room, disdain wrinkling her nose. “You need a better spell, Castor, there is nothingenchantingabout this room.”
“You died.”
“I did, briefly,” Tegan replied as she crouched down and opened her backpack, tucking the rope and hook away.
“The bond is broken,” Cord stressed as he watched her.
“I can feel that,” Tegan said as she stood up again and faced him.
“Your face…” Cord turned away. “I did that.”
“And? Injuries are sustained in battle.”
His head whipped back to look at her, angry at her casual tone. “I burned your face, your body,Ikilled you.”
“You really do give yourself a lot of credit,” Tegan told him as she sat on his bed. “The Drakhyn used my arm as a chew toy, he ripped open my side, and as Sloane, your brother—”
“I know who my brother is!” Cord said angrily.
“Do you?” Tegan considered him before she continued. “Sloane said my insides were on my outsides from the damage the Drakhyn did before…” Tegan swallowed. “Before he killed him. So no,youdidn’t kill me.”
“Michael. Michael killed the Drakhyn.”
It was Tegan who narrowed her eyes this time. “Iknowmy brother’s name.”
“Say it.”
She stood abruptly and picked up her backpack. “You are needed, stop hiding, we won, but there is so much work to be done. Your insufferable conceitedness is needed back where Akrhyn who matter still need you, not this dead tomb you hide in.” Tegan ran her gaze over him. “I crawled through your fire to bring you back to them, do not make the sacrifices made in that war be for nothing.”
She looked between the window and then the door.
“There are spells in the halls,” Cord said as he saw her deliberating her choices.
“Abseiling it is,” Tegan quipped as she brought her pack in front of her and angrily jerked the zip of her backpack.
His large hand covered hers. “Say his name.”
“Why?” Tegan’s eyes shone with tears as she looked up at him. “What does it matter?”
“Tegan…”
“Michael!” Tegan snapped as she wiped her eyes, glaring fiercely at him. “Are you happy now? It doesn’t bring him back.”
Cord looked at her, his eyes full of sorrow. “But it helps you heal.”
Tegan snorted as she pulled the rope and hook back out. “No, it doesn’t.” Marching to the window, she looked down before she drove a metal spike into Cord’s wall. He made a small sound of protest, but she ignored him as she ensured it was secure.
