Page 106 of Twisted Bonds

The metallic click of the lock wakes me some time later as Rynlin rushes into my cell. I blink through bleary eyes, still heavy with sleep. The urgency in his movements trip an alarm in my head as I bolt upright.

“What is it?”

“It’s begun. Like you said it would. The Great River is open. Souls rain from the heavens.”

I shoot to my feet, now wide awake. “Where?”

He hesitates only a moment, but I already know the answer. “Over Valenfall. Yurghen’s forces are overrunning the city. Creatures from the Underworld are stirring, rising to devour these lost souls.”

I’m dressing before he finishes his sentence, the taste of dread souring my mouth. My hand goes to the hilt of a sword that isn’t there, my body’s instinctive response to danger. “We have to stop them.”

Rynlin gives me an incredulous look, his icy blue eyes widening in disbelief. “You are not permitted to leave this room, Prince Dan’thiel.”

“So you just want me to sit here panicking while you all twiddle your thumbs and do nothing to stop this?”

Rynlin shakes his head. “I didn’t say nothing was being done. The Underworld is stirring. Our duty, as Guardians of the Otherworld, requires us to protect the mortals. The army is assembling, but they will only engage with the ethereal creatures of the Underworld. Yurghen will not be touched.”

“Then let me join them,” I suggest, desperation edging in. “I can help.”

Rynlin looks at me for a long tick, assessing the situation. “You’re not a Guardian, Prince Dan’thiel. And you are still under punishment.”

“I won’t be of any use locked in here,” I insist, pulling on my boots and standing taller. “I can fight. I won’t stand by while people suffer.”

Rynlin sighs, running a hand through his silver hair. “This isn’t about your fighting skills or your bravery, Prince Dan’thiel. This is about obedience and discipline.”

“Obedience and discipline be damned!” I snap, the weight of my title seeming heavier than it’s ever been. “People are dying, Rynlin. My people. Countless souls will continue to perish unless we seal the Great River. Do you even care?”

“Of course I care,” his voice softens. His eyes, those icy blue orbs, search mine for a long moment before he finally looks away. “But I must follow orders.”

I pause, my heart sinking. Finally, when I speak again, my voice is too soft. “Was it not you who sent me into a Dreamshare with the Vessel? Were you following orders or just assuaging your own guilt for what you did?”

A twist of pain crosses Rynlin’s face. “I’ve already broken too many rules. Turned a blind eye too many times. You can’t expect me to continue to break my oaths. To compromise my own values to see your goals met.”

The words hit like a punch to the stomach, the air knocking from my lungs. “It's not that I don’t care about your oaths to the Guardians or your duties. I just think the fate of those souls is more important, Rynlin. I’m sorry.”

Rynlin’s eyes bore into mine, his expression unreadable. “And what if your reckless actions bring us more harm than good? Have you even considered that, Prince Dan’thiel?”

He pivots on his heel, the heavy door to my cell slamming shut with a resounding thud. I collapse onto my plush bedding, burying my face in my hands. The only sound now is the fading echo of Rynlin’s footsteps as he stalks away.

The silence is almost as suffocating as the hopelessness growing inside me.

fifty-five

Mira

Our ragtag group of marauders, now numbering over fifteen individuals we’ve picked up along the way, huddles in the shadows of an alleyway. A scout concealed behind a wooden crate at the mouth of the alley gives a hurried signal before quickly retreating to our location.

They’re coming. Ready yourselves.

The darkness of the alley wraps around us like a cloak, shielding us from prying eyes as we wait for our next prey.

Beside me, Lisa’s arm trembles like a leaf caught in a strong breeze. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, her movements quick and restless, as if she is performing an anxious dance. The tension radiating from her body is palpable, adding to the already charged atmosphere around us.

Despite our desperate attempts, we’ve only managed to exchange a few words since reuniting. She was traveling with some kind of group that protected her from the ruthless Keepers. They were searching for me, having recognized my face on the wanted posters plastered throughout the land. I still don’t know what she’s been through, but I am overjoyed that she is here with me now.

Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that my closest friend would find me in this fantastical world. Now she stands by my side, facing down death again and again as we wage our futile war. More bands of Valenfall warriors roam through the streets, but we’re barely making a dent in his following.

“Wait for my signal.” I say, although I probably don’t need to.

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