Page 16 (1/2)

He needed her He’d called out to her, and she’d been so distracted by his body she’d nearly forgotten

She guessed that calling for help was so he’d do only while asleep, when his sense of pride was dampened, and there was no way Nika could deny hiether, even if he and everyone else refused to believe her Even if that blasted luceria didn’t believe her She knew

The fact that he needed her even a littleto let hiuards, abandoned caution, and flung herself fro her back out of hisat hishis soul until it bled

She had no idea how he could stand it Clearly, this hy he’d called for her The Synestryn were doing so him

The fact that she’d taken ti like this ust How could she have been so selfish?

She had to help, but she couldn’t possibly fight pain this intense, so instead, she tried to accept it and let it slide over her

It didn’t workThe pain pounded into her, battering at her as it tried to drive her back A part of her huddled against the pain, weeping in despair of ever escaping it If her body were here, it would have been ripped to shreds, torn into pieces too sether How Madoc could survive it, she had no idea, but she knew she had to help him She couldn’t let him endure this on his own

She forced herself to relaxher unaffected She iness--too sainst

Slowly, the agony began to fade The dark talons scraped by her,she had beco her to go along with it, but she could concentrate now and find the source

It was like swiress sheSlowly, she inched toward the source of his pain, determined to slay it After what seemed like days, she eventuallyshe’d never seen before in any of the people she’d visited It was huge Powerful Hundreds of tentacles had sprouted froh Madoc like acidic vines Everywhere they were, there was pain--waves of it radiating out so that no part of hiony

As she neared, the tendrils seemed to reach for her as if drawn to her presence inside his were, they knew her She could feel it--sense their hunger to touch and possess her

Hoas she going to fight so like that?

She had no clue, but the only hope she had was to follow one of the tendrils back to the center of therew thicker and stronger the farther she went It lunged toward her, but she flinched away, dodging it She didn’t knoould happen if one of these things got hold of her, but she wasn’t willing to risk it to find out

Slowly, she fought her way against the current of pain until she saw the centerThere was one slowing patch the color of summer sunshine

Nika was draard that spot, unable to stop herself froainst it and bathe in that light

The tiny speck that was now her consciousness slid into that light, and instantly, she felt a sense of utter contentulfed her, cradled her, and held her close It whispered to her of hope, love, and joy, and she believed every word it spoke into her She could stay here for the rest of her life and be happy Here, she needed nothing Ti All the trials of the world fell away Here, she was literally in love

It was at that moment that she realized where she was This black le, perfect spot was Madoc’s soul

Shock rippled through her, but it was distant enough that she wasn’t bothered like she knew she should be There was soe to ignore that and siht

Nika spun around, feeling like a child with no worries in the world The edges of this glowing spot dreard, shrinking around to hold her close

That hen the realization hit her This perfect shiny spot in Madoc’s soul was shrinking The festering black agony was eating away at it, consu despite the fact that there were still leaves on his life It yanked her out of that bright, perfect place, through the hideous, writhing tentacles, and back into her own body

"hell do you think you’re doing?" Madoc’s angry voice filled her ears, too loud and grating

She flinched away froo back into the blissful silence

"You were inside ht to speak, so Nika shook her head

"Don’t lie toto read e and his chest rose and fell with every angry breath

Nika struggled to rejoin reality She couldn’t tell how long she’d been out of her body, but the effort of sustained contact had left her drained and confused It seeh her senses again Everything was harsher and ainst her skin seeht in the room could not coht, burning her eyes

She felt his hand grip her shoulders and wanted to lean into his eain