Page 104 of The Alien in the Archive

I’ve read about bonds like this before, buried in obscure texts and legends. Some creatures in the galaxy are bonded on a cellular level, their souls intertwined in ways that defy logic or reason. I thought it was myth. A fairy tale. But the one thing that stands out is that mated pairs experienced greater effects from Elixir bonding, capable of true greatness.

This is real. Thorne and I—we’re connected. On a level so deep, it’s terrifying.

The books drift closer, circling me in a way that doesn’t feel unlike hungry sharks. I reach out to touch one, and it lands gently in my lap. I open it to a random page that discusses mating bonds in Skoll populations.

It’s too exact, too appropriate for what I’m thinking about.

It’s like my abilities can access minute details from my memory. If I’ve even glanced at a page, my connection with Thorne somehow helps me track down anything I’m looking for.

I hear footsteps outside, breaking through my daze, followed by a sharp knock at the door.

“Hold on!” I shout, quickly turning my focus to the books. “Fall,” I mutter, trying to dismiss them—but they won’t. Damn it. If anything, the books seem more excited, spinning a little faster, their motions almost gleeful.

I grit my teeth, weaving through the floating volumes as Ihead toward the door, hoping I can shoo them away before anyone sees this mess. But before I can reach it, the door swings open on its own.

Riley steps in first, followed by Thalara, Lyn, and Orin.

Riley freezes in the doorway, his eyes going wide as he takes in the sight of the books hovering and swirling around the room. Behind him, the others stop in their tracks, their faces cycling through a rapid range of emotions: confusion, shock, and in Orin’s case, undeniable excitement.

Riley is the first to realize he’s screwed up, managing to stammer out, “Sorry…I thought you said to come in.”

“What…is this?” Orin asks, stepping around Riley like he’s drawn to the phenomenon. His hand reaches out to touch one of the books, which snaps shut on his fingers like an angry animal before falling to the floor with a thud.

“Whoa—” Orin pulls his hand back, wide-eyed.

“It’s…it must be that weird gravity anomaly again,” I blurt, floundering. “You know, Mythara being Mythara, right?”

I trail off, my excuse sounding ridiculous even to my own ears. It doesn’t help that Thalara is already putting the pieces together. Her sharp gaze darts between the hovering books and the floor, her expression growing more calculating by the second.

“Page,” she starts carefully, her voice quiet but charged, “all those questions you asked about intermarriage, Borean powers, whether there are any of them left…this is related to that, isn’t it?” Her eyes widen as understanding dawns. “Are you half-Borean or something?”

“No,” I say quickly. “I just have?—”

“She has psychic powers,” Riley interrupts, stepping forward like he can shield me with his words. “It has a perfectly reasonable explanation. We should leave?—”

“Hell no,” Orin cuts in, crossing his arms. “This is fuckingnuts. I’m not going anywhere until I learn more about your superpowers, Page.”

“I am really not that interesting?—”

“Page,” Lyn says, her voice soft but steady as she speaks for the first time. “I don’t know what this is about…but we’re worried about you, okay? That’s why we’re all here. Riley said you hadn’t been home for a while and he couldn’t get ahold of you.”

Fuck…of course. I’ve been ignoring my comm, leaving it uncharged. I try to think of yet another excuse, but before I can respond, Lyn adds, “I know you had the pregnancy scare?—”

“What?” Riley’s head snaps toward me, his eyes darting between me and Lyn. “Did he seriously…that shouldn’t be possible, right? I’m going to fucking kill him?—”

“Who?” Thalara asks, then freezes, her hand flying to her mouth as realization strikes. “No…no way. It’s not possible.”

“What isn’t?” Orin throws his hands up. “I am feeling very out of the loop right now.”

“You’re going to need to explain what’s going on,” Thalara says firmly, her voice cutting through the chaos. “Because Page…this power is Borean. And if what I’m thinking is true, this whole city could be in danger.”

40

THORNE

Ican’t tell her my true intentions, but now that Page is gone for the first time in days, I’m taking things into my own hands.

I have to contact Davina Ferhalda myself. I’ve asked Page for too much.

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