Kierra's Thread (Argadian Heart Trilogy Book 2) by Adrianna Dane Page A

herself to float along its luminescent length into the darkness.
    She’d never done it like this before. He usually met her
part way before she reached him. And then she saw the golden light. But
something was wrong. The yellow was tinged with a red mist and the light pulsed
as though the colors battled.
    As she reached the arch of light, a dark shadow fell over
the entrance, blocking her from entering. It materialized and she drew a
relieved breath as she realized it was Jarek.
    “Do not come further,” he commanded her.
    “Jarek, we’ve come for you. It won’t be long. Are you all
right?”
    There was a loud creaking sound and a crash behind him. She
glanced over his shoulder and was shocked to see the carnage of broken hinges
and shattered doors. She attempted to step around him, but he stopped her.
    “You must go back, Kierra. It is too dangerous.”
    She searched his face. His eyes were strangely dark. It was
as though swirling gray clouds filtered the light. “What has he done to you?”
She reached out to touch him, but he stepped away from her.
    “You can’t help me. He’s drugged me and it’s not safe for
you. He means to manipulate my memories, get inside my head. He’s discovered
some new way to change the mind. I can’t let him succeed.”
    He grabbed her by both arms, intent on turning her away. “We
must find a way to cut the thread that binds us.”
    Kierra fought his grip and finally broke free. “Never!” She
ran past him into the red mist.
    “Kierra! Come back.”
    She ran to the first door and looked inside. The memory that
played out held her rooted to the spot. Oh Symion! What had Jarek suffered in
order to protect her?
    He jerked her away from the door. “You will not stay here.
Go back. Now.”
    “These are memories you locked away from me, aren’t they?”
    He didn’t answer her, but tried to force her back from the
broken doorways.
    She dug her heels in and refused to move. “Stop it, Jarek.
Where does he have you?”
    “Leave, Kierra.”
    “No. Devon and Eluria are with me. We will get to you. You
just need to hold on.”
    “The drug has already done its damage. It won’t be long
before he begins to reshape…everything. Warp the memories until there’s nothing
left.” He leaned closer to her. “He means to remove my memory of you. I don’t
know how I will react if he does. I won’t take the chance I will hurt you if he
succeeds.”
    “You would not hurt me. Tell me where you are?”
    He shook her. “Haydon, Kierra. You know what he’s capable
of. How can you say I won’t hurt you when he attacks the cells of my brain,
destroying and manipulating to his own devious plan? The best thing you can do
if you do find me, is destroy whatever’s left of the shell.”
    “No! One way or the other we are going to find you. Make it
easier and faster by telling me where you are. Or don’t. But if you don’t, it
will simply put us in more danger as we try to locate you.”
    A hiss escaped his lips. “You are too stubborn for your own
good. You’re going to get yourself killed.”
    “Well?”
    “I’m in the lab. Tell Devon he must destroy the microreader.
Find the drug and destroy all traces of it. It’s your only chance.”
    She reached out to him. “I’ll tell him, Jarek. Hold on until
we reach you. Promise me.”
    He looked away from her. She raised her hands and cupped his
face, forcing him to look at her. “Promise me.”
    “I’ll do my best. Leave now. There are things I must do.”
    “Jarek.”
    “What?”
    “Do not attempt to cut the thread that binds us.”
    “Kierra—”
    “No. I mean it. I love you, Jarek. If you are destroyed, we
both die whether you sever the cord or not. You are the reason I live. Do you
understand?”
    “Don’t do this, Kierra. There won’t be anything left of the
man you knew. If he succeeds, there will be no memory of us.”
    “I’ll find you before that happens,” she vowed. “Promise
me.”
    He sighed. “All right, I