Chapter 45 #2
They rejoined Kaz and Okab near the entrance to the cave, where they had a small fire blazing.
The shifter threw a wink at them, making Iyana blush.
Emmeric only chuckled again. After a small meal with light conversation, Emmeric curled up behind Iyana and tucked her against his chest. Sleep found him immediately.
When Emmeric awoke, he was cold and confused.
A thick fog covered him, and he couldn’t see anything.
Pressing a hand to his head, he sat up and glanced around.
The fog buried everyone else—it had to be what was causing this grogginess.
Emmeric patted around him, then panicked when he realized Iyana was no longer next to him.
Mouse, where are you?
No answer.
Iyana!
When she still didn’t respond, fear clutched Emmeric’s heart in a tight fist. He forced himself to his feet on weak legs.
His head spun with the effort. A cursory check of the cave showed Kaz and Okab still sleeping, shrouded in the mist. Something told Emmeric that they wouldn’t wake even if he tried.
Instead, he stumbled outside and was thankful that the fog wasn’t as present there. He sucked in lungfuls of fresh air in an attempt to clear his head. Altair was asleep in the mist at the entrance of the cave.
Mouse! He tried reaching her again now that his brain function was returning, but she still didn’t answer.
Holding his breath, Emmeric leaned over and slapped Altair across the face. Angry, golden eyes snapped open and pierced through the fog. Emmeric stepped back, allowing the star to sit up out of the mind-numbing mist and gain his senses.
“What the fuck, Sullane,” he growled.
“I tried shaking you awake, but I think the fog had you fully in its grip,” Emmeric lied, loving the opportunity that had presented itself. “It was the only way to wake you up.”
Altair squinted like he didn’t believe him. “And why did you feel the need to wake me at all?”
Emmeric frowned. “Iyana is missing.”
That made Altair scramble to his feet, the fog obviously still affecting him. If Emmeric was being honest, he still wasn’t completely well, either. There was an incessant buzzing in his mind that made his vision fade in and out, but it seemed to be improving with each passing second.
“So reach out to her with your bond,” Altair said, concern lining his features.
“I’ve tried,” Emmeric said, exasperated. “Also, how did you know about that?”
“Your pet likes to talk.”
Godsdammit, Kaz. He’d need to have a talk with her about boundaries. And he’d need to address Altair calling her a ‘pet.’ But, right now, Iyana was the priority.
“Let’s go find her. I can still sense that she’s nearby with the bond, but she won’t answer me.”
The two stalked into the forest, their crunching through the snow the only sound. It was eerie how still everything had become. There was no snow falling, no wind blowing, and no animal sounds. The hairs on the nape of Emmeric’s neck stood. He needed to find Iyana. Now.
“Iyana!” Altair boomed, making Emmeric jump.
They wove through snow-covered pines as Emmeric followed the bond in his chest. The part of his soul that always called to Iyana’s would lead him to her; he was sure of it. Just in case, he continued to reach towards her mind as well, hoping she’d answer him.
Please, Mouse, tell me where you are.
After the longest ten minutes of his life, they finally found her in a clearing.
The pines broke apart to form a perfect circle.
In the center stood a massive, gnarled tree.
Its limbs were bare, no leaves or needles to speak of.
The trunk was at least as wide as a castle turret, and it was warped around itself.
Branches twisted and turned as they reached towards an empty sky.
Emmeric could feel the magic humming within it.
Iyana stood in the snow, gazing at the tree, her eyes glossed over. Emmeric approached her carefully, not knowing what was happening. There was some powerful magic at work here and interrupting it could be catastrophic.
“Iyana?” he asked softly as he placed his hand on her shoulder. “Mouse?”
She glanced at him, her normally caramel-brown irises now a swirling gray, the same color as the fog. Raising her hand, Emmeric could see the silver threads of her magic weaving through her fingers.
“I can feel them, Em,” she said. Her voice sounded distant, empty.
“Feel who, love?” He kept his voice gentle, and he glanced back at Altair, who was wisely standing outside of Iyana’s sight. The star shrugged.
“The gods,” she said. “The trees. They’re calling to me.”
Iyana’s magic twined up her arm, caressing her skin and flowing over his hand. The tingle of warmth that touch brought made Emmeric gasp, as he, too, could hear gentle voices calling to them. She reached towards the tree.
“Mouse,” he said, a warning to his tone. “We’ve talked about not touching magical things until we know more about them.”
But it seemed she couldn’t hear him, and she continued to reach out to the tree.
Her silver magic drifted off her fingers like flowing water.
Emmeric began to panic, and he grabbed Iyana’s hand, trying to wrench it away.
She didn’t budge. No matter how much strength he used, even when he was beyond caring if he hurt her or not, she could not be moved.
Strands of silver wrapped around the tree, winding its way up to the top branches. When it burst free from the tree in a shower of sparks, Iyana disappeared.
Emmeric stumbled forward. “Mouse!” he cried, running around the tree to try to find her.
But she was gone, the bond within his chest disappearing with her.