Chapter Twenty-One
The Bound
“I cannot allow you to go. It is not time.” My father’s tired voice is loud, and I am cursing the lack of coffee I have consumed this morning as I sit at the council table.
“We don’t have a choice. She is dying .” Kassius speaks up for once, disagreeing with my father. His voice is loud, desperate as he urges him to understand.
“You can’t possibly know that.” The King of Labisa is bored, irritated with our constant pressure to rescue Elaenor. Even now, as Kassius begs for him to listen, he doesn’t.
“I can. You may not have felt it, but most of us did. The pressure, the pulse she sent. She is dying, Dav. That wave that we all felt, the one that woke most of us up, was her aether. It was searching, begg ing for help as a last attempt to save her. I could see it, pure, undiluted starlight. I could see her, or what is left of her.” I whip my head in his direction, all of us stunned to hear he had a vision.
“What?” Disbelief coats my tongue like ash.
“My visions have gone, my ability to see, but something about her, something in her aether that she sent out, let me see her. She’s in a dungeon, chained to a stone table.
Her skin has been sliced open; salt poured in her wounds to keep her from healing.
I fear she will not survive the day.” His voice is soft, but I can hear the tremor.
I can see the pain in his eyes. He once told us that she was like a daughter to him when she was younger.
She was everything he hoped Mal would grow up to be—fearless and strong.
“You can’t be serious.” Enzo’s voice is low.
Scarlett is leaning against the wall, her hand in Emery’s, her eyes lined with silver.
Laenie and Erik are sitting to my left, watching Kassius as intently as the rest of us.
Mal walks over and climbs into Enzo’s lap, her arms wrapping around his neck as he rubs her back.
She doesn’t know Elaenor, or understand, but she’s smart.
She knows someone is hurt and that we need to help her.
“I’ve seen it. I’ve seen what I believe to be her death.
If Tobias goes back to her, goes back to the dungeons, she will not survive.
I saw the blade. I saw it slice through an artery.
She bleeds out before he can stop it. It’s an accident.
” My hands are shaking, and I stick them under the table, clenching them into fists.
“That isn’t an accident, that’s murder.” Enzo growls.
“If you go, if you leave now without an army to back you, it will be a suicide mission. We do not have the manpower to send guards with you, nor will I risk anyone’s life for something that may not even be true.”
“We don’t need guards. In and out.” I speak up, turning back to face my father.
“Son,” he warns.
“Just Enzo and I. No one else. We can cross the Delaquar by boat, it’ll be quick. We would make it before the moon rose.” I look over at Kassius. “ Would that give us enough time?” He shakes his head.
“The moon had not yet risen in this vision; it may be too late by then.”
“We can leave now.” Enzo replies as he guides his little sister off his lap.
“I can’t allow it.” My father snaps, his hands digging into the table.
“I have said it before, and I will say it again, you are not my king.” My father’s eyes harden as he stares at Enzo, preparing for another verbal battle.
“Dav. She will be gone, and all of this would be for nothing if they do not get her out.” Kass cuts in, hoping to diffuse the situation. His eyes relax, his brows unfurrow.
“ Fine , but you both go into this knowing you may not make it back. Knowing that you will not be rescued. You will not be saved.” I nod and clamor out of my chair, following Enzo closely behind.
“Enzo?” Scarlett’s voice is soft, and he spins on his heel to face her. “Bring her home.” She whispers. She leans up, pressing her lips to his. He kisses her back, and I can almost see it, I can almost see love pooling in his eyes.
Emery is not going to be happy.