Page 101 of Twisted Bonds

“I see you swallowed your pride and went begging the supposed usurper for help, then.”

“At least I’m doing something,” I bite back, annoyance flaring in my chest. His smug smile doesn’t falter, an expression I’ve come to loathe. It’s as if he constantly delights in picking at the fragile peace inside me.

“Is there a point to this visit, Tairyn?” Callum asks, his voice laced with acid.

“Of course,” Tairyn retorts, finally lifting his gaze to meet Callum’s. “I came to give you information.”

He turns his eyes to Cor’than, who now approaches us with twenty guards on foot. Cor’than eyes the four of us, as if putting together pieces of a puzzle. “Are you him, then? The Fourth Shard with questionable allegiance.”

“Tairyn.” He introduces himself with a deep sweeping bow that can only be mocking. “And I have news of Yurghen’s army.”

Cor’than, not one to let his guard down, narrows his eyes at Tairyn’s announcement.

“Go on then,” I prompt, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to ignore the way my heart hammers against my ribs.

Tairyn keeps his eyes level with Cor’than, licking his lips in what almost feels like a nervous gesture. His hands slip into his pockets as his voice takes on a serious tone. One I’ve never heard from him before. All pretense and mocking disappear as he says, “They’ve gone. I watched them all disappear yesterday. I’ve been searching for you all ever since, hoping I’d find you along the road to Valenfall.”

Cor’than scrutinizes Tairyn with narrowed eyes, a furrow forming on his brow as he rubs his chin in deep contemplation. His gaze sweeps over his form, analyzing every detail before finally breaking the silence with a thoughtful nod. “I’m told you have an alliance with Yurghen. The words of a traitor hold no weight. Arrest him.”

The nonchalant, almost carefree tone in which Cor’than gives his command is starkly contrasted by the fierce and unrelenting actions of his guards. Tairyn’s expression remains impassive, though his lips tighten into a thin line as he allows them to bind him tightly with rope and Shield him from touching Chroma. Despite the situation, he maintains a composed and astute demeanor, as if carefully weighing his options and planning his next move. “Send scouts ahead. Let them see for themselves. They’ve gone.”

“If that’s true, they can’t be faster than us. My reports say they have no calvary. We’ll catch them. Follow their tracks to wherever they’ve gone then.”

Tairyn’s composed demeanor crumbles slightly as he shakes his head in frustration. His normally stern expression is imbued with a hint of irritation, his brow furrowing as he weighs his options. “There are no tracks. They didn’t walk out on foot, and they’ve certainly reached their destination by now.”

Cor’than throws a dismissive hand in the air. “There’s no magic strong enough to carry an army, boy.”

Tairyn’s cold, piercing gaze sweeps over our entire group and beyond before landing on me. His voice is sharp and commanding, the tone of a ruthless ruler. “Where is Mira?” His demand cuts through the air like a blade, leaving no room for hesitation or excuses. The weight of his words hangs heavily in the tense silence as he waits.

Instead, it’s Bobble’s soothing tone that answers. “Don’t worry. She’s safe, back in Valenfall.”

The Second’s composure shatters in an instant as his face turns ghostly white and his mouth hangs open in shock. “Gods above, that’s where he’s gone then,” he gasps, realization dawning on him like a hammer to the chest. “To get Mira.” He turns to the others, his voice tremulous with fear and anger. He spits out, his eyes blazing with fury. “You fools left her alone and defenseless?”

Cor’than gives a slight nod, silently commanding his guards to take Tairyn away from his presence, but he resists, thrashing against their grasp despite being Shielded and restrained.

His body writhes with a desperate strength, his muscles straining against the coarse bindings that hold him. With each fierce tug, drops of crimson blood stain the rope and his skin, evidence of his unyielding efforts to break free. The guards, their faces contorted in anger, pummel him with brutal kicks and fists, their blows raining down on him like a storm. It’s as if they are trying to subdue a wild animal, thrashing about in its last moments of freedom. A tingling unease creeps through me as I watch, a small voice inside urging me to believe his message.

“Stop,” I command the guards, but they don’t listen. Cor’than, however, nods and the struggle ceases as they take a step away from the Fourth. “How did they travel, Tairyn?” I demand.

Between labored breaths, he answers. “Portal. Bigger than I’ve ever seen. Took them all at once.”

“A portal? That’s nonsense. Only the Keepers have access to the portals. Take this creature out of my sight. Drag him behind a horse if you have to.”

Tairyn’s anguished screams pierce through the air, mingling with the coppery scent of blood that drips from his face. He struggles against the rough grip of the guards as they drag him away, leaving behind a trail of torn grass and disturbed earth. My stomach lurches as a scout bursts through the dense foliage, his chest heaving from exertion. I already know the news he’s about to utter.

Tairyn is telling the truth.

Suddenly, a bone-chilling scream pierces through the bond, jolting me to a halt. My heart drops into my stomach as Mira’s terror pulses through me like a shockwave. Callum and Bobble’s eyes widen in fear, mirroring the pure terror etched onto their faces. Panic engulfs me, constricting my chest and making it hard to breathe.

My voice cracks when I shout at Tairyn, “Where’s the next portal?”

Crimson blood erupts from his mouth and splatters onto the lush, green grass below. He nods in a direction with his head just before the gag wraps around his mouth. “Three hours, just between those trees.”

I’ve got three hours to convince Cor’than of the right course of action. Three hours before I can make it back to Mira.

I just hope we aren’t too late.

fifty-one

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