Breaking Stars (Book 2) by Jenna Van Vleet

brighter, sharper, and Gabriel’s wide eyes seemed far bluer than she ever remembered, the blacks in his cloak far softer, and the sleekness in his hair more like oiled raven feathers than true locks. Blood beat in her ears, but it took her a moment to realize it was not her heartbeat she heard, but Gabriel’s. Her own heartbeat rhythmically joined to his a moment later, altered by the course of energy flowing through them. He pulled back on her grip as a sense of anxiety flowed from him into her, and she slowly felt the mountains release her, the seas stopped calling, the trees bended away, the clouds pulled back, the fires chilled her, and the people died around her. Finally her hand was freed.
    She fell back to a seated position and stared up at Gabriel who gasped with wide eyes. For all her strength and control, she broke down weeping at the loss of the sensations. He sat back on his heels and lowered his head, trying to catch his breath.
    “Is that—is that how the Elements feel inside you?” She wept, trying to catch her emotions.
    “Once,” he whispered.
    “I’m so sorry for you,” she said, barely audible. “The mountains called to me.”
    He stood to his feet with help from Talon. “The mountains are too far away. You felt the earth’s energies. The earth always speaks because it is always alive.” He extended a hand and helped her up. “Don’t do that again.”
    “I couldn’t bear to let go if I did,” she said and wiped her eyes, silently cursing her parents for not being Mages and cursing Nolen to the highest stars for binding Gabriel.
    Faintly, a silver slip of light pulled from the center of Gabriel’s chest in a line, shooting to the ceiling. It faded slowly from her view, but she knew she had seen a thread of pattern. “Nolen knows where I am.” They started running again, the scuffs of their boots echoing off the walls, gasping at the end of the tunnel that glowed with blue starlight.
    Outside, the palace was alive. On the wall, someone ran by with leaded boots while another man shouted orders. Robyn was certain her men were in a frenzy throughout the City, but the contortionist had not signaled retreat. The axmen waited with the horses and came running at first sight, their weathered faces tight with concern.
    Gabriel was quick to vault her into the saddle as easily as a child. “This is where I leave you.” She tried to argue but he held up a hand. “He can find me when he lays a pattern because the strings of Elements come from my chest. He can track me anywhere, and he’ll find you with me. You need to go to Jaden.”
    “Gabriel, suffocation will last only a moment.”
    He steeled his back and something wild passed behind his eyes, a memory she could not see. “I’ve never pulled rank on you, but I am still a Class Ten. Go to Jaden where you will be safe and leave me here. I will be here when you come for your throne.” His eyes lied, but she did not have time to pry, for he winced and his knees wavered.
    Calsifer put a hand under Gabriel’s arm and kept him steady, and Gabriel slowly raised his eyes to Robyn, his weakness revealed in that one moment. “What’s he done to you?” she whispered. His lips parted, but he hesitated. His eyes suddenly snapped shut, and he threw his head back as his knees buckled. The cry ripped from his throat adjoined to the clap of thunder and the flash of lightning that struck close to them.
    Calsifer tried to pull Gabriel up as Robyn’s mare reared and the horses spooked, but Gabriel pushed him off. “Go—just go ! He’s close!”
    Robyn spotted the unmistakable gray bolt of Nolen’s destrier racing around the corner of the wall well off, but not too far for her. She jerked her bow free and strung an arrow as another flash of lightning crashed through the night sky. This time Gabriel did not scream, but he did not rise or make an effort to move. She knocked the arrow and aimed, drew, and let loose.
    She missed, but there was another