Wyatt was suddenly overwhelmed by a sinking feeling. Something was wrong. He ran to his room and threw open the door. He went through the motions of searching the rest of the house, but he already knew she was gone. He could feel it.
Addi watched Wyatt search the house and was overcome with guilt.
“She’s gone,” he lamented as he collapsed to the floor on his knees. “I promised not to let go. To keep her safe, and I failed her.”
Addi had only seen her brother this distraught twice in his life. First, when their parents died and then again when she was taken to be tested. She ran over to Wyatt and tried to think of something she could say that would comfort him. “Maybe… maybe she just stepped out for a moment,” she suggested.
Wyatt wanted to believe that, but he knew better. He could still feel Nev, but she was getting farther away, not closer. “I need a few minutes,” he muttered, walking towards the back bedroom. He closed the door and curled up on the bed with his eyes closed, still smelling the scent of her hair on his pillow. Something brushed his nose, and he opened his eyes. Focusing his sight on the piece of fabric that Nev always kept tied to her belt, his heart sank. She really is gone, he thought.
Nev ran and ran until her legs began to scream in protest, eventually coming to the shore of a large lake. The lake looked like black ink under the overcast sky, but hints of moonlight were trying to pierce the evening’s dark veil. Suddenly, she spotted what appeared to be a beached and aging dinghy. She approached it cautiously, scanning for anyone that may have noticed her abrupt arrival. There was a worn-down dock with an attached boathouse, both barely clinging to what they once were. Fortunately, she saw no one nearby.
After several minutes of working to urge the boat back into the lake’s embrace, she succeeded in launching it into the water. Rowing until all land had disappeared from view, her heart and muscles ached. Only after the shore was devoured by darkness did she allow herself to be seized by her exhaustion and emotions. Closing her eyes, she shuddered as the tears came. He would have come to hate me. Just as Addi does and almost as much as I do. So many have already been hurt because of me. He’s hurting now, but he will forget. Then his life will be better, and he will be safe, she promised herself.
She curled up in the bottom of the boat and hugged her knees tightly to her chest. “Plus, it’s my fate that keeps putting him in danger. I’ll face my demons, and then maybe I can let someone get close again. Maybe then I can let him get close again,” she lamented as she drifted out into the lake and off to sleep. In her dreams, Wyatt’s face was waiting for her.
Chapter 23
Wyatt thought the knocking he heard was coming from his pounding head at first, but then realized it was Addi at his bedroom door. “What?” he mumbled, still drowning in feelings of distress and heartbreak.
Addi threw open the door. “Come on, if we hurry, we can surely catch up to her before morning,” she speculated, pulling Wyatt into a sitting position.
Wyatt’s head sank. “She is gone, Addi. Just leave me be,” he protested, sounding lost.
Addi grabbed his face in her hand and made him look at her. “You made a promise to this girl?” she queried in a serious tone.
“Yeah,” Wyatt concurred, sighing heavily.
“And you love her? Truly love her?” she asked, refusing to let Wyatt look away from her.
“Yes, but what does any of that matter?” he countered. His voice was steeped in despair.
Addi stood up and threw his pack at him. “Love is all that matters. It’s why I volunteered to keep you safe all those years ago, and it’s why you are going to get up and go look for her. It’s also why I’m going to help you. Even though I may think it’s crazy,” she decreed, tapping her foot and sounding impatient. “Besides, I would never be able to live with all your moping. I mean seriously, look at yourself. So, let’s go, we are wasting time.”
Wyatt felt a flicker of hope rapidly ignite inside him. Just maybe. I have to try, he thought. He felt ashamed of himself for giving up so quickly. Never again, he promised. He stood up and threw his pack on his back. He grabbed the fabric Nev had placed on his pillow and tied it to his belt loop. “We need to hurry. I don’t know how or why, but I can sense her, at least for now,” he instructed, as he rushed out the front door.
Addi checked to make sure her crossbow was secure and grabbed her pack. “Alright, which way?” she inquired as they stepped outside into the night air.
Wyatt closed his eyes and rubbed the piece of Nev’s fabric between his fingers. Where are you, he asked. Suddenly, he felt it. It was like a faint pulse beating in the distance. “This way,” he directed, running.
Chapter 24
Preferring to avoid the bustle of the city during the day, General Razine arrived in Birclan in the dead of night. He had sent word to his top operative in the area to meet him. Razine lamented the days when the Obsidian Order had handled all special assignments for the one ruling Obsidia, instead of the Shadow’s Hand. He had always found the order to be honorable. However, Malicus had seen them disbanded due to what he claimed was a ‘total failure.’ Failure or not, at least they didn’t make Razine’s skin crawl the way prowlers always did.
Despite him not enjoying being in the presence of prowlers, he was anxiously awaiting Sagrine’s arrival. Razine
