Page 93 of Shadows of Ruin

There were plenty of horses. She was a capable rider. Yetthe thought of her being on her own horse nearly drove me into a damn frenzy.

I stretched my neck from side to side, walking away before I said anything else to piss her off.

“What’s going on?” Storm said, looping the reins around his own horse before tossing me my own supplies.

“A never-ending battle of wills.” I sighed. “One I am currently losing.”

Storm chuckled to himself as he adjusted his saddle. I rubbed my chest at the strange ache that hadn’t disappeared since I woke this morning. It only increased when I looked over my shoulder at Lana mounting her own horse.

“Well, you better figure it out,” he said, noticing my gaze. He slammed a hand on my shoulder. “She isn’t the type to let someone lock her up in a glass cage and you know it.”

I shrugged him off.

Instead of allowing myself to dwell on the whirlwind of emotions inside me, I mounted my horse, signaling for the others to move out.

We rode hard toward the border. The farther away we fled from the palace, the more my fear dissipated. As it lessened, this growing thing inside of me wholly focused on Lana finally settled in a way that made it more manageable.

I pushed us harder, frantically toward the border. The horses kept up, but I knew we’d have to stop soon for the night.

“A little farther,” I encouraged Onyx, patting his side to encourage the beast.

Without hesitation, our steeds guided us through the barren lands. Obedient and grateful for the ability to run at full speed. Nothing stopped them from reaching their destination.

An eerie sensation of calm filled the air. Covered the space between us. We were Guardians on a mission. We’d trained for this.Livedfor this.

No matter what happened, I had to secure Lana across the void and ensure she reached Ellevail safely. We had to rescue Ian, for I knew she wouldn’t survive his death.

So we rode harder, faster, and with more purpose than ever before. Tomorrow Lana would return to Brookmere.

I just hoped her return didn’t mean I would lose her forever.

Chapter 27

Ian

As I lay on the cold stone floor, I counted my breaths.

One—breathe in.Two—breathe out.

Maria left me not long ago. Sent here by Andras, despite his empty threats of withholding her healing, mending me enough so he could continue his games. The torture, a never-ending loop of pain and healing.

With the guards present, Maria worked in silence, offering nothing. She managed to heal the superficial wounds and close the stab wound on my side, but a dark substance seeped from the closure. The scar resembled Lana’s.

The assholes accompanying Maria down here dumped a pile of stale bread on the ground as they laughed their way out of my cell.

“Pathetic” they called me. Their once fearless leader now a lump on the floor.

“Lucien, if there was ever a time you could help with an escape, now would be it, buddy,” I whispered into the abyss.

He didn’t appear.

But someone else did.

“Ian?”

I groaned. The voice in my head had returned. Raya.

I’m busy. Go away.

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