Page 67 of Dawn Unearthed

It had to be. This was the bond the others and he had spoken of. I could feel it wrapped around my soul as surely as I saw the bear who stared at me now.

Rome and I were mated. When did that happen? When had he marked me? I didn’t know. I should be worried, but I wasn’t because this was Rome.

Was this all a dream? Rome’s bear headbutted me again. I looked towards the bond and blinked.

Who was that? What was happening?

“Sage, I need you to wake up. Sage, wake up.”

I pushed out those thoughts—that voice that wouldn’t go away. I wanted to follow Rome’s bear. I wanted Rome. He would tell me what was going on. He was the one I trusted above all others. He would help me find Aunt Penelope. Pain seared me, and emotion choked me.

Aunt Penelope.

She was dead. No, she couldn’t be dead. Not Aunt Penelope.

It didn’t make any sense to me. How could she be gone? Did I imagine it? I had to be dreaming.

I blinked open my eyes and tried to breathe. Pain seared my side and my chest. My heart. Everything tried to overtake me. Wanted to kill me. It felt like death.

“Sage, keep your eyes open.”

I looked at Rowen and tried to breathe, attempted to call out, anything. But I couldn’t.

“Sage. Keep your eyes open. Focus on me. You’re in pain. I know it hurts, but we will get through this. We need to move you, though. Do you understand? We need to move you.”

I tried to blink, attempted to saysomething, but no words came out. My throat was dry. Everything hurt. Why couldn’t I do anything? Where was Rome?

“Rome.”

“He’s coming. He’ll be back.”

I must have said the word aloud, though I hadn’t realized it. If Rome wasn’t here, then where had he gone? Because I could still feel his bear. I could feel him. Therefore, he had to be near. He wouldn’t leave me. Rome would never leave me.

“Where. Am. I?” Each word came out in staccato as I tried to breathe. And then I let out a sharp cry, as someone pulled me to their chest.

“Be careful with her. Don’t let the stitches tear.” What was Laurel growling about? It didn’t make any sense.

“Stitch-es?”

“They were a quick fix to keep you steady, but we need to take you to the bookshop or maybe the magic shop. I don’t know where we should go.” I’d never heard Laurel sound so panicked before, and it worried me more than the pain in my side and the agony flaring through my heart.

Rowen cursed. “To the magic shop. We may need herbs that Penelope doesn’t have.”

Hearing Penelope’s name sent pain through me. I wanted to cry out, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t do anything. I hated feeling helpless. That wasnotwho I was—not the woman I’d been before, and sure as hell not the woman I’d become. And yet, I couldn’t doanything.

“What do we do with Penelope?” Trace asked. I could hear him close to me and knew he was the one holding me. I could scent his bear, detect the barest hint of forest, but it wasn’tmybear. It wasn’t my Rome. It was his brother.

This wasn’t Rome. Where was my mate?

My thoughts moved in circles, and I knew I was panicking, trying not to think of my aunt or the pain making me want to throw up.

“Come on. We’re going to go to the magic shop. It’s the best place,” Rowen ordered everyone. Rowen would help. She had to. She was so bright. She knew everything. She was my friend.

Someone set me on a bench inside Rowen’s magic shop, and I realized that I must have passed out again because I didn’t remember anyone moving me or taking me outside. I didn’t remember anything. I did remember Penelope. I remembered her blood. I remembered death. And I remembered Faith.

“She killed Rupert,” I whispered. My lips were chapped. Someone gave me water, and I could finally breathe a bit better.

“What about Rupert?” Laurel asked, her voice sharp.

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