Total pages in book: 214
Estimated words: 195876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 979(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 653(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 195876 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 979(@200wpm)___ 784(@250wpm)___ 653(@300wpm)
Typhon materializes beside the bed, his flying fish form diminished to nearly half its usual size. "The angry human lives," he says in my mind, but there's no hiding his relief. "I told them you would survive, but they insisted on fussing anyway."
"Where are the others?" I ask, scanning the room.
"Beck and Ambrose are fine," Mireen says. "Brunhild too. They've been taking shifts watching over you. Again,” she adds with a grin. "You're quite the celebrity now, you know. Everyone saw Typhon in his true form. They're calling you the Dragon Tamer."
I groan, letting my head fall back against the pillow. "Wonderful."
"It's not all bad," she continues, pouring water from a crystal pitcher. "I think people are going to think twice before crossing you now. Malakai's alliance has completely fractured—most of them are distancing themselves from him and Serena as fast as they can."
I take the offered water, drinking deeply. "What about Raith? Where is he?"
Mireen’s expression falls, and my heart drops along with it. "He..." she hesitates. "He got you back safely, but he was pretty badly injured. Collapsed right after getting you to the healers."
Ice floods my veins as I bolt upright, ignoring the pain. "What? Where is he now?"
"The healers are taking care of him," she says, but there's uncertainty in her voice. "They wouldn't let any of us see him, not even the fires. Voss was personally looking over him apparently and keeping people away for Raith’s safety."
I throw back the covers, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. "I need to see him."
"Nessa, wait—you're still weak."
"I don't care." The tether between us pulses, but it's so faint, so distant. Fear claws at my throat. "Something's wrong, Mireen. I can feel it."
The door opens before Mireen can respond. Rector Voss enters, silver hair immaculate as always, his face a careful mask of concern.
"Miss Thorne," he says, inclining his head. "It's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"
"Where's Raith?" I demand, ignoring his question.
Voss's expression softens. "Mr. Hollow's condition is... complex. His injuries were severe.”
"I want to see him."
"Of course," Voss says, surprising me with his easy acquiescence. "That's why I'm here. I thought you might want to see him as soon as you woke up."
"Rector," Mireen begins, "the healers said she shouldn't—"
"It will be fine," Voss interrupts gently. "I'll personally ensure Miss Thorne's safety."
“I do not trust him, angry human,” Typhon warns in my mind.
I glance at him, noting the tension in his small form, but my concern for Raith overrides all else.
"Let's go," I say, pushing myself to my feet.
Mireen looks unhappy but doesn't argue further. "I'll tell the others you're awake," she says, squeezing my hand before stepping back.
Voss guides me from the room, his pace slow to accommodate my still-weak legs. Even this small exertion leaves me breathless, but I push on, focusing on the faint pulse of our tether.
"Raith was quite the hero," Voss remarks as we walk. "Claiming the ceremonial blade, ending the Crucible. He and the others in his team have been granted legacy status, as promised."
I barely hear him. My fear for Raith pounds in my head like a deafening heartbeat. Raith Aurenciel. Heir to the Red Kingdom throne. The man I foolishly gave my heart and my oath to. But gods. If anything happens to him…
"The Empire Council was most displeased," Voss continues. "They had... other plans for the Crucible this year. I’m afraid they won’t be able to remove me as easily as they hoped. But I imagine they’ll be quite surprised by how events play out. Perhaps even happy.”
We reach a door I've never seen before, tucked away in a rarely-used corridor of the academy. Voss produces a key, ornate and clearly ancient, and unlocks it.
"Mr. Hollow is just through here," he says, gesturing for me to enter.
The room beyond is small and circular, with no windows. As soon as we enter, I feel the same jarring sensation I’ve come to know as teleportation. The world condenses, spins, and then there’s a snap sound.
Voss is still beside me as I appear in a damp and dark cave, his hands on my shoulders, steadying me.
The cave is lined with bookshelves and desks full of ancient texts and scattered papers.
“Wh-what?” I breathe, alarm pulsing in my mind.
“As I said,” Voss gestures smoothly to a blue column of light at the center of the cave. In its center, Raith floats, suspended with motes of dust and rotating slowly. There’s a gash across his stomach and it’s frozen in time, drops of blood suspended mid-air. “I brought you to Raith.”
"Raith!" I rush forward, heart pounding.
I reach for him but the column feels like glass, stopping me from getting close. I pound on it, palms sliding down the magical barrier. “Let me help him. I can heal him.”