Chapter Fifty Four
MILA
Teeming emptiness echoed within Mila. The same amount of arcane remained in her body as before the confrontation with Onskar, but so little in comparison.
She had just cradled worlds in her metaphorical womb.
Like a mother after giving birth, she felt barren and quiet and no longer restless from containing life within.
A darkness followed.
Einar lifted his head, scanned the room. Change sparkled in his eyes through assessing gleams. Rapid understanding led to a whole . . . being. Someone new. Einar shed might into the air with his presence, and nothing else.
The sensation of returning to the Mila of before, leaving aside the completed, powerful, massive entity the arcane made her to be, was one of relief. She’d reached the purpose of her abilities. She, the bridge. The holder. A safe place for the arcane when the world shifted under their feet.
But not forever.
Not even for long.
For just enough.
Now, the changes manifested in Einar. He spun, each step a prowl more powerful than before.
Mila lowered to the ground with a little breath, wrung out and weak. Detecting her movement, Einar’s head snapped to face her. His brow furrowed with concern. He closed the distance between them in mere moments, a hand reaching out.
By all respects, he appeared no different. The same long hair, bound on top. Chiseled expression.
Yet, everything had changed.
He pulled her to her feet with a quiet murmur. “Come, Mila. We need to find Pedr. Something is happening with him, but I can’t tell what.”