Page 62 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
“That’s reassuring.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
He shook his head, mumbling something she couldn’t make out as he slipped the band over her wrist, then did the same with the other.
And Eviana took her first full breath in months.
Her eyes fell closed as she felt her magic rush to the surface. The tips of her fingers tingled, and the power in her soul yanked and thrashed to be set free. She could hear every rustling leaf on the boulevards and feel every root of every tree and flower and everything in between.
Rolling her shoulders back, she opened her eyes to find Lange staring at her, and he made a show of slipping the bands into her pockets.
As if she’d ever let him put them back on her. It would be the last thing he’d ever do.
She slipped past him, peering around the corner. He hadn’t been lying. There were dozens of sentinels and at least ten transport units.
“What are they all doing here?” she asked, more to herself than to him as she debated their options.
“They were tipped off we were here,” Lange said quietly at her side.
“By who?”
“That I don’t know.”
“Do you know which vehicle he’s in?”
He was silent for several seconds, and she let him concentrate as she watched the sentinels. It wasn’t until she saw Lev, Lady Isleen’s Source, that true dread set in. If the Serafina Lady was here, they had definitely been discovered. Which she’d anticipated, but she hadn’t anticipated the Lady getting here so quickly. She’d thought they’d have more time. A miscalculation on her part.
Unless she sent Lev ahead of her.
Then they might have a chance.
“I don’t know which one exactly,” Lange whispered, sidling closer to her. It was such an odd sensation to have someone so near that she hadn’t been instructed to pleasure or torture. “But it’s one in the middle of the bunch, which makes sense. It’s fucking surrounded.”
“I have a plan,” she said.
“I’m afraid to ask what it is.”
“The same one from before,” she replied. “I’ll be the distraction. You find the truck.”
“Eviana, no?—”
But she was already striding out from around the building they’d been shielding themselves behind. Within seconds she was surrounded, and despite her power straining with the need to protect her, she let them come. Because she was still a Source, and even if she was perceived to be on the run, everyone knew touching her,hurtingher, without her Master’s permission would still result in unfavorable consequences.
“Show your Markings,” a sentinel barked, already pulling a set of black bands from his hip.
She showed him the only one that mattered: the Arius symbol on the back of her hand.
“You’re to be detained by order of the Lords and Ladies of Devram until your Master can come collect you,” the sentinel continued, taking a step towards her.
“Iwill handle her by order of Lady Isleen,” came a sharp, low command.
The sentinels stiffened, all eyes staying on her except for the one who had been speaking. He turned as people parted to create a path for Lev to stride through, giving him a wide berth.
Stunningly attractive, as all Sources were, his blond hair was perfectly styled around his arched ears. Sharp features added to his allure, and he wore a wool coat and scarf. While it got warmer the farther south they went, the winter chill still reached them here. Deep blue eyes swept over her, and his lip curled in disgust.
“The Arius whore in our kingdom,” he sneered. “My Mistress will be very interested to speak with you before your Master gets here.”
“It will be a waste of everyone’s time,” she replied. “We all know I cannot betray my Master’s secrets, no matter how much she tortures me in my dreams.”
