plant a hand on his weapons harness, in the center of his chest. He covered that hand and his expression softened. A falling sensation flowed through her, working the hard exterior of her heart, softening what had been closed off for the last several years.
You’re so beautiful.
But his deep voice in her head woke her up. He shouldn’t be saying something like that, not when they had a job to do, not when Duncan was in danger.
She drew back, shivering as she lost connection with him. She looked at anything but him and decided the black mats were the right place for her gaze to land. Her thoughts slowly pulled back together.
Everything had changed.
That’s what she knew.
From the moment she’d seen Duncan bound by ropes and hanging from a hook, her life had shifted on its axis. She had no idea where this journey would take her, but for whatever bizarre reason, she had a specific power that had located one of their missing warriors. She’d never sought this ability. She didn’t even want it.
But her connection to the darkening had catapulted her into a new world, demanding things of her she’d never imagined doing before. Beyond her emerging power, however, she also let go of her need to keep the war at arm’s length. Yes, she’d lost her husband to that bastard, Greaves, but the war wasn’t over and now it looked like an entity on Third had gotten involved as well.
“Why Duncan?” she asked, glancing between the men.
Jean-Pierre turned toward her. “Duncan has power, more than anyone knows. I have been working with him, exploring that power, for many months. He has visions, but we could not isolate the source of the power and bring them forward. Each time we did, though, he grew physically stronger.”
Samuel frowned. “Did you have a sense that he was somehow connected to Third Earth?”
“No. How could I have? But Duncan knew things, sensed things. There is a connection between the two of you.”
Vela drew in a deep breath and met Samuel’s gaze. “I think we should head back into the darkening. I want to try to take you back to him and I’m pretty sure I can. Maybe if you saw him, saw the situation, you could figure out what we need to do.”
Samuel dipped his chin. “Are you sure?”
She understood the depth of the question, not just that she would be taking him back into the darkening and on a difficult journey, but because he already knew how she felt about all of this, that she didn’t want to be involved.
She nodded slowly. “I’m sure. My mind’s made up. I’m not especially happy about what’s going on, but I want to help.”
“Then let’s do it.”
But Jean-Pierre intruded. “It might be wise to engage Endelle at this point. Not only does she have darkening ability but it seems to me, mes amis, that we are talking about Third Earth. If an Upper Dimension has begun meddling in our affairs, then Endelle must know.”
Vela nodded briskly. “You’re right. Absolutely.”
Getting a fold to the palace took Jean-Pierre a couple of phone calls to orchestrate, but finally the three of them glided through nether-space.
Endelle met them at her landing platform, hands planted on her leopard covered hips. “What the fuck is all this nonsense about Third Earth, the darkening, and Duncan? What the hell is going on here?”
To Vela’s surprise, Samuel took her hand as she walked beside him down the ramp. She glanced at him and he turned and sent, Is this okay?
She nodded. Absolutely. It’s a comfort because I’m way out of my depth.
He gave her hand a squeeze.
She could get used to this. She’d forgotten the simple pleasures of a man’s company, of holding his much bigger, stronger hand.
Thorne had strengthened the security at the palace over the past couple of years, in part because not so long ago, Greaves had actually attacked the palace during Alison’s rite of ascension. Thorne had also established his Command Center here, prior to the battle over White Lake, which
You’re so beautiful.
But his deep voice in her head woke her up. He shouldn’t be saying something like that, not when they had a job to do, not when Duncan was in danger.
She drew back, shivering as she lost connection with him. She looked at anything but him and decided the black mats were the right place for her gaze to land. Her thoughts slowly pulled back together.
Everything had changed.
That’s what she knew.
From the moment she’d seen Duncan bound by ropes and hanging from a hook, her life had shifted on its axis. She had no idea where this journey would take her, but for whatever bizarre reason, she had a specific power that had located one of their missing warriors. She’d never sought this ability. She didn’t even want it.
But her connection to the darkening had catapulted her into a new world, demanding things of her she’d never imagined doing before. Beyond her emerging power, however, she also let go of her need to keep the war at arm’s length. Yes, she’d lost her husband to that bastard, Greaves, but the war wasn’t over and now it looked like an entity on Third had gotten involved as well.
“Why Duncan?” she asked, glancing between the men.
Jean-Pierre turned toward her. “Duncan has power, more than anyone knows. I have been working with him, exploring that power, for many months. He has visions, but we could not isolate the source of the power and bring them forward. Each time we did, though, he grew physically stronger.”
Samuel frowned. “Did you have a sense that he was somehow connected to Third Earth?”
“No. How could I have? But Duncan knew things, sensed things. There is a connection between the two of you.”
Vela drew in a deep breath and met Samuel’s gaze. “I think we should head back into the darkening. I want to try to take you back to him and I’m pretty sure I can. Maybe if you saw him, saw the situation, you could figure out what we need to do.”
Samuel dipped his chin. “Are you sure?”
She understood the depth of the question, not just that she would be taking him back into the darkening and on a difficult journey, but because he already knew how she felt about all of this, that she didn’t want to be involved.
She nodded slowly. “I’m sure. My mind’s made up. I’m not especially happy about what’s going on, but I want to help.”
“Then let’s do it.”
But Jean-Pierre intruded. “It might be wise to engage Endelle at this point. Not only does she have darkening ability but it seems to me, mes amis, that we are talking about Third Earth. If an Upper Dimension has begun meddling in our affairs, then Endelle must know.”
Vela nodded briskly. “You’re right. Absolutely.”
Getting a fold to the palace took Jean-Pierre a couple of phone calls to orchestrate, but finally the three of them glided through nether-space.
Endelle met them at her landing platform, hands planted on her leopard covered hips. “What the fuck is all this nonsense about Third Earth, the darkening, and Duncan? What the hell is going on here?”
To Vela’s surprise, Samuel took her hand as she walked beside him down the ramp. She glanced at him and he turned and sent, Is this okay?
She nodded. Absolutely. It’s a comfort because I’m way out of my depth.
He gave her hand a squeeze.
She could get used to this. She’d forgotten the simple pleasures of a man’s company, of holding his much bigger, stronger hand.
Thorne had strengthened the security at the palace over the past couple of years, in part because not so long ago, Greaves had actually attacked the palace during Alison’s rite of ascension. Thorne had also established his Command Center here, prior to the battle over White Lake, which
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