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The Third looks at me with red, puffy eyes. Disgust washes over me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a punchable face before. I can’t believe this weak male, so easy to tears, is part of me.
“Yurghen brought him to my cell yesterday. They wanted him to… They wanted us to mate. I haven’t told Yurghen anything yet. I told him that when I knew you were both safe, I’d tell him anything he asked,” Mira clarifies.
“But then, stupidly, I said if mating didn’t work with Sunder, why would it work with me?”
With each word the Third speaks, anger floods my vision. I’m moving before I realize it, grabbing the man by his shirt and slamming him into the wall. “Did you touch her?”
“What? No. I grabbed her hand, but that was it.”
Mira grabs my shoulder, trying to pull me off him. But I’m a wall, and she’s a tiny field mouse. “Leave him alone. He didn’t do anything wrong. And even if he had, it wouldn’t be his fault.”
The Dreamshare sputters and swirls, threatening to end. I release the man and grab Mira, pulling her away from him as he sags to the floor, resting his head in his hands.
“I’m so sorry, Mira. What did they do to you?”
“It’s okay. Listen, we’re all still alive and mostly unharmed, right? That’s good news. Be grateful for that.”
“Areyou unharmed?” I turn to her, demanding an answer. But the man responds before she can speak.
“They’ve beaten her until she’s black and blue. I tried to heal her, but I couldn’t tap into my Chroma. It’s… more difficult than I remember. I’m out of practice.”
“What color is it?” I ask, the words clipped with eager tension.
“Yellow.”
My brows furrow deep with disgust. “The Gods madeyoua Flesh Ripper?”
The Third nods weakly as bile builds in my throat. Flesh manipulation would be a useful skill forme. Healing and rending. The best High Elf warriors were always Flesh Rippers. But the Gods gave that to… this? Before I can say anything further, Mira pipes in.
“The little you sent helped me a lot. I feel better.”
“The next time you get access to Chroma, I want you to rip Yurghen’s head off his neck.”
“I don’t know if I could even send him a paper cut right now. I need time. I can’t. I don’t know-”
“We’re running out of time. We need to come up with a plan.”
She’s right. I let my vision blur, the edges closing in on us. Darkness descends. I open my mouth to speak, but the Dreamshare slams shut in my face. They’re gone.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Sunder
I wake with a groan, a sharp pain shooting through my chest. Lying on my back, I try to sit up, but my wrists are bound by rope. I look around and realize I’m naked, tied to an altar, just like the one Malicryn used when she killed me. The memory of Yurghen and our confrontation floods my mind all at once.
I urgently search deep within myself for Chroma but find nothing. An opalescent shield dances across my skin. A dampening spell. I groan, throwing my head back against the hard stone, cursing my stupidity.
I never should have brought her here.
I feel her presence through the bond, but nothing more. I can’t tell if she’s near or far, scared or hurt. All I know is that she’s alive. For now, that will have to be enough. But…
Strange. Too strange. Unnatural, even.
Yurghen is powerful enough to create a shield that will selectively block Chroma? I can’t access the power or sense Mira’s direction, but I can feel her existence.
This isn’t right. I spent centuries with many powerful High Elf members of royalty and their advisers. No one should have that kind of mastery of Chroma. It’s too close to the Gods.
What have I done? Who have I entangled us with?
