Page 181 of The Shattered Rite
Her breath faltered.
“Come on.” The voice, controlled. Too controlled.
She froze.
“Move!” the voice barked, dragging her upright. Her ribs flared in pain, her shoulder burned where she’d been kicked. She didn’t resist. Couldn’t.
“Where are you taking me?” She stumbled, dragged forward.
“To safety.”
“Who—?”
A heartbeat.
Then, it clicked.
“Malric.”
She sagged.
He was here. Somehow, impossibly, he was here.
The fear loosened in her throat like a knot undone. Malric had found her. Malric was guiding her.
Vaeronth’s voice strained like a cracking rope.
No—!
But she didn’t hear it.
She let Malric pull her through the corridor, deeper into the castle’s belly, steps staggering, mind clouded.
She didn’t question that his grip was too tight.
She didn’t question why Vaeronth felt so far.
Because in this moment, surrounded by terror, bruised and blind and forgotten even by her own strength—
Malric felt like a lifeline.
And she would gladly follow him into the dark.
His grip faltered, fingers loosening on her wrist but not releasing.
“Malric,” her voice sounded heavy even to her own ears. “Do you know what’s happening?”
“No,” he said, quietly. “This is unprecedented.”
A heartbeat passed. She should’ve asked more. Should’ve demanded answers. But her limbs were shaking and Vaeronth still couldn’t see clearly, his vision fogged like a window after a storm. Magic pressed on them both, a heavy pull that seemed to drain her energy.
And in this moment, alone, hunted, and blind, she didn’t have the strength to doubt Malric.
She nodded once, slow. “Then lead me.”
Malric didn’t speak again.
He just took her hand, gently now, and led her deeper into the belly of the castle.
