Page 113 of Dragon Unleashed

Naeve…

Lorelei throws herself forward with a howl, landing at Naeve’s side in the dirt as I sink to my hands and knees.

“Get up, Naeve, get up! It’s okay, you’ll be okay. We have to move.” Lorelei tugs desperately on Naeve’s shoulder.

Naeve’s head rolls back, her eyes already glazing, and I know.

I drag myself to my feet. Lorelei is right about one thing: we have to move away from the portal.

Chano grabs Lorelei but she breaks away from him and falls back over Naeve’s body. He’s too weak, too broken to physically move Lorelei.

A cold calm washes over me. “Chano, get Zephyr. I’ll carry Lorelei.” I’ve seen that dazed look on Zephyr before. He won’t fight Chano on this.

Chano grunts and takes Zephyr by the arm, clenching his teeth as his bones grind together.

Quickly I bend and scoop Lorelei up. Naeve’s hand falls out of hers. Lorelei howls in my ear, her fists beating on my chest as I manhandle her away.

Chapter Fifty-two: Lorelei

It’s like a thousand sharp knives straight to my solar plexus. I can’t think straight. I can barely see straight.

Farrell grabs me around the waist, dragging me away.

I can just see Val over his shoulder. Her face is ashen, looking from Naeve to the portal. Hewie pats her arm, then with shaking fingers reaches out and slams the emergency button. The portal flickers and dies. The oil-slicked surface fades to nothing, leaving just the plain stone arch.

A warning blares out across the academy grounds, a robotic voice instructing everyone to return to their dorms immediately.

Farrell’s feet drag to a stop. I reach for Naeve; deep inside I search for our bond. Nothing. A heart-wrenching wail pierces the air. It takes me a few seconds to realize it’s me. I’m making that noise. I clamp my lips tightly shut. My wrist aches, and I know. Deep down, I know.

I paw at Farrell’s wrist, scratching back his shirtsleeve until I see it. Our allegiance mark, Naeve’s symbol, is gone.

I can’t look at my own wrist. If I don’t look, it’s not true. I can’t have lost her. She can’t be dead.

Lashing out, I hit Farrell’s chest with my hands, again and again.

“It’s your fault, you took me away from her. You should never have come for me. Any of you.” I hiccup to a stop, realization dawning on me. “It—it’s not. It’smyfault. I’m the one who ran off, I’m the one who got caught.”

Farrell grabs my chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to look at him. “If you blame anyone for this, Lorelei Bal, blame me. Blame my father and blame me. I let him grow to this…monster.”

His lips move; I hear the words. But they’re wrong. His words are wrong. I back away, my hands held high.

“This is why I don’t get close to anyone. You always lose people. They always leave.”

Zephyr and Chano circle behind me, trapping me between the three of them.

“Don’t do this, Lorelei,” Chano pleads, his voice strained.

“Please,” Zephyr echoes. “We need each other right now. We need you.”

“We need Naeve.” My wails must crack the sky because I can’t hold them back.

Arms surround me and we just stand, holding each other, crying for what feels like forever.

My throat’s raw and my cheeks are puffy when I pull away from the guys.Naeve.A white shroud already covers her, blocking my view. A sob chokes the back of my throat as a procession of hada carry her past us. Toward the infirmary, I assume. I wipe my hands down my top. Naeve’s blood smears across the fabric, a slash of color that shouldn’t be there.

Farrell clears his throat. “We have to go speak to the dean. We have to let him know what happened. My father…”

His father killed her. And now he’ll try to pin it on us. I could bet my life…I could bet my life on it. Because I’m still alive.

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