Page 1 of Gift from the Nexus

One

Corentin

“Come on, Cas, it’s not funny anymore.”

Huffing, I cross my arms and stare into the forest, searching for my brother. I’m not gonna fall for his childish trick this time. I know he’s in there, waiting for me. Then he’s gonna jump out and scare me just to make my gift flare to life.

“All right, Caspian, I’m going back to the palace. You said we could hang out till that girl got here,” I call out, knowing taking a jab at her will draw him out.

He’s sensitive to her, swears she’s the one, but I don’t believe it. Our parents wouldn’t have arranged a Primary for us. Especially without speaking to me about it.

“CORENTIN.”

The blood in my veins runs cold as my name tearing from my brother’s throat travels through the forest, making not only me but everything around me freeze. There’s no hint of teasing, no quiet chuckle that always follows his mischievous taunting. There’s haunting silence.

Something’s wrong.

I know it, my gift knows it, my element knows it. My bond knows it.

“CAS-CASPIAN… answer me.”

My bellow echoes through the silence as I begin to glow brighter than the sun. The panic surging through me forces my air and gift to move my body faster than I’ve ever moved before, speeding through the rays of light cutting through the canopies above. The briars and fallen limbs slice my shins as I push my legs to pump harder, but I don’t let it slow me down.

Follow the sound, find him.

I screech to a halt when three distinct black capes run ahead, dragging Caspian between them. He’s thrashing around savagely, trying his hardest to break free, but they have his hands encased in stone and a Star gem dangles from his neck.

The ground beneath my feet seems to open and suck me in. My life, our life together, flashes before my eyes. He’s my life, my best friend, and he’s currently in the clutches of our enemies.

I can’t move. I can’t breathe. I can’t believe what I’m seeing.

My gaze traces the blood dripping down the side of his cheek, down his neck, soaking into his shirt. What have they done?

“CORE,” he screams as soon as he sees me, and I snap my gaze back up to meet his panicked eyes. Eyes that match mine.The terror in his voice breaks me out of my stupor and I’m instantly on the move again.

When all three rebels turn to me, they pull Caspian up to his feet, yelling orders at one another. They’re too far away from me to hear, but their pause gives me time. I can reach him. I can save him.

Fifty feet…forty feet…thirty…twenty…ten…

I command my element to propel me forward, arms stretched out, ready to grab him.

“CASPIAN.”

My limbs close around nothing, and dirt fills my mouth as I face-plant the ground and continue spiraling across the forest floor. I roll and roll until finally my back slams into a tree, knocking the breath out of me.

Unfortunately, reality knocks into me.

My tongue swipes across my lip where the coppery taste of my blood mingles with the gritty texture of the dirt, and the combination creates an uncontrollable reaction in me. My arms, legs, my whole body shakes as my vision grows dark and the only thing keeping me grounded is my fingers digging viciously into the earth.

I’m too afraid to look up at the spot he just was.

I know what I’ll see.

Nothing.

He’s gone.

The sound of Caspian screaming my name buzzes louder in my ear than the infuriating, nonstop ringing coming through the communicator. I can’t stop replaying the day. The memory’s now a robotic version of the events that transpired because once I finally gained enough composure to look up from the ground, I lost my mind. I screamed, I raged, I blacked out.

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