Lykor’s focus shifted back to her. An unspoken understanding passed between them—one Serenna would’ve never expected. He gave her the most subtle dipping of his chin, the barest of nods.

He’d handle it.

Only seconds had ticked by since Lykor had appeared. Serenna’s stomach bottomed out as the next surge of wraith approached with golden bolts in their crossbows. She cried out as they aimed the weapons, tossing her hands to frantically reassemble scraps of wind. Lykor can’t stand against—

The twang of crossbows echoed along the streets. He was going to be impaled. Just like Fenn. In her desperation, she’d called Lykor to his death without even realizing it. 

The cobblestone street exploded. 

Losing her balance, Serenna staggered from the foundations quaking. Lykor whipped force in a hurricane of wrath. Crushing his gauntlet into a fist, he demolished the closest bridge, sending reavers falling to the lower depths. Ripping down a building, bricks flew through the air, forming a shield of solid stone.

Serenna coughed, hacking on the dust clogging the streets while Lykor continued hauling on the fortress. He prowled down the pathway straight for the rebellious wraith, his makeshift barrier moving and rippling around him. The reavers’ bolts ineffectively clanged into his impenetrable wall, deflected. 

Shadows detonated, the movement of Lykor’s magic rapid and violent. The closest reavers erupted into geysers of gore. With a punch of force, the rocks of his shield blasted out, colliding with the horde. Robbed of time to warp, the wraith fell, having no defense against the barrage of bricks ripping holes through their bodies.

Lykor snarled down the bond into Serenna’s mind. Stop fucking staring and mend the lieutenant! 

Serenna wrenched her gaze away from Lykor wreaking havoc. She all but slipped in the pool of Fenn’s blood, collapsing to his side. 

“Hang on,” Serenna said, hands shaking while she corralled her power. Her own speck of pain was forgotten, infinitesimal compared to Fenn’s horrific wounds.

Gritting his fangs, blood trickled past the corners of Fenn’s mouth. Serenna grabbed a bolt, his torso spurting a black stream of blood when she yanked the shaft free. Too many had impaled him. More than she was willing to count.

Fighting back her welling fear, Serenna’s mind began replaying the memory of when Vesryn had been on death’s doorstep. But this was worse. So much worse. She was alone, with no hope of any menders coming to her aid.

Serenna frantically set healing lattices to work, cocooning Fenn with scarlet light. His injuries were too severe. He was hemorrhaging too much blood. Panic lacerated Serenna’s chest, threatening to cleave her apart. She couldn’t do this. She didn’t have enough skill or Essence.

Fenn convulsed. He clutched one of her hands hovering above his chest. “Take… Take your magics back.” Voice hoarse and labored with the effort, blood bubbled over his lips as he gasped for a breath. “Take…it.”

Serenna’s vision swam as she shook her head in denial, tears spilling free. Weaving healing light, she threaded mending over Fenn’s body, faster than she’d ever channeled Essence before. She wasn’t even stitching him completely closed. Desperate to stop his life force from draining out, she was merely patching his gaping wounds.

Serenna ripped out another bolt, drawing a pained hiss from behind Fenn’s fangs. “You’re going to need your power when we help Lykor finish off the reavers,” she told him with more confidence than she felt. Power rushed through her as she cast a tangle of healing into the wound. 

“I won’t…” Fenn coughed and Serenna gripped his claw tighter. “I won’t need it…where I’m going.”

“Don’t say that,” Serenna hissed, her throat closing around her words. “You’re going to be fine.” She heard the lie. “I’m mending you.” She was trying. “These are hardly scratches for a big brute like you.”

“Do it for me, she-elf.” Fenn squeezed her fingers weakly, a frail farewell. “I have”—he drew in a labored gasp—“I have nothing else…to give you.” His eyes started to glaze, the red flames dimming. “You already have”—his chest shuddered as he strained for another wheezing breath—“a key to my heart.”

Serenna’s hand tensed against Fenn’s claw as he went limp. She snatched his face, bloody hands slipping over his skin.

“Fenn!” Serenna shrieked, her voice breaking with emotion as his eyelids fluttered. “Look at me! You’re going to live!”

Silver streamers of light sailed away from him, settling over her like a scattering of starry snow. Devastated by grief, Serenna sobbed. Fenn didn’t know what he was doing. He was fumbling, attempting to return her talent.

Serenna’s thoughts flashed back to Vesryn in his delirium. But now, she recognized the magic of the connection. A soul reaching out. The fibers of an intentional bond, straining to form.

Spasming, a breath rattled from Fenn’s chest. This wouldn’t be his end. It couldn’t be. 

Before the faint silver lights winked out, Serenna lashed back with her Essence, the strength of her will. She twined her magic with Fenn’s, knotting her power to his. Completing the bond, a bridge solidified between their Wells.

I need you here with me, she pleaded, the words slipping down the bridge of their link. She clutched Fenn’s claws as if she could anchor her body to his. He was fading. She could sense it. Hardly able to perceive his awareness, Serenna latched onto his wavering aura.

Find me, she-elf. The echo of his thought brushed her mind, a gentle caress. When it’s your time to soar the skies. Find me, and our dust can dance between the stars.

A helpless observer to her own sorrow, Serenna couldn’t breathe. She choked on her tears, dragging her focus back to mending Fenn’s mangled body. Healing light cascaded from her palms, but it wouldn’t be enough. It wasn’t going to be enough.

Serenna screamed, shattering from the desolation of her heart. She tore out another bolt from the scattering across Fenn’s chest, blanketing him with a wave of crimson light, loosely stitching a single wound.

You’re staying with me, she told him. Begged him. Do you hear me? You’re staying right here.

Silence answered through their flickering bond.

Power discharged next to her, another portal opening. Serenna’s first thought—her hope—was that Lykor had sensed her distress and would help heal Fenn.

She blinked, her connection with Lykor telling her that rage still devoured him as he focused on his own battle. She had no idea how he fared against the horde of reavers. But he was alive and unharmed, beyond a minor pain in his shoulder.

Serenna’s heart lurched when a familiar pair of ragged boots stepped through the rift.

Time stopped and then tripped. Her breath abandoned her as she locked eyes with a sea of jade.

“Vesryn,” she whispered, a fresh sob swelling, breaking from her throat.

The prince was here, standing in front of her in his black leathers, glaives glinting over his shoulders. Essence whirled around him, a halo of light. A renewed wave of tears streamed down Serenna’s face as he shone like the sun. In that moment, he was the most breathtaking thing she’d ever seen—a sight she hadn’t expected. 

And he was here. He’d come for her.

Serenna’s voice cracked through the storm of her tears. “You’re here.” 

Vesryn kneeled beside her, resting a hand on her back. His brow furrowed with concern and then confusion, eyes darting as he processed her clutching Fenn’s twitching body. 

Serenna’s bond with the prince overflowed with more emotions from him than she could track. A tempest of rage, a shower of surprise, a riot of relief.

And he… Serenna’s breath caught, sensing an emotion so strong, so bright—one she’d never discerned from him before.

“You came for me,” she repeated, convincing herself that Vesryn was real, struggling to force air back into her lungs. Serenna pried her gaze away from his, sending another web of mending into Fenn’s broken body. “You…” She squeezed her eyes shut, the scalding tears too much to bear. You love me. She felt it, undeniable warmth from the prince blooming in her chest.

Her head whipped back to Vesryn. He could portal Fenn to a mender. Better yet, he could bring one here. Jassyn could heal Fenn. Everything would be okay. 

Serenna’s bursting heart screeched to a halt as reality smacked her in the face.

“You’re—you’re here.” She frantically glanced around, searching for Lykor.

Vesryn’s mouth opened, but she interrupted him with a shriek. “Get out of here!”

He recoiled. Serenna sensed his alarm and hurt through the bond. He hadn’t had time to analyze the mayhem he’d portaled into—he’d been so focused on her.

“Leave!” Serenna pushed him away, desperate to make him understand. “You’re in danger. Lykor is going to—”