Page 207

Delora suddenly sat up when his yelling shoved her into alertness. “Magnar,” she cried as she turned physical and flung herself at him.

She sobbed into Magnar’s neck after she hooked her arms around it, and Ingram was forced to cover his nose holes when the scent of fear rolled off her in violent waves.

Iciness trickled through his veins and into his chest as his sight shifted between the two Mavka and their females, then to the Veil. His hands clenched and unclenched.

Two brides had been returned to their partners...

Before he could think or ask anything, a bright-yellow ball of exploding light erupted in the distance. Theboomthat followed was distant but distinct enough to draw all their gazes to it.

It came from the far horizon, and the trees of the Veil danced in a singular, powerful wave that rippled outwards in all directions. Ingram was forced to throw his arm up when that wave hit them, and an intense gust of wind and dust blasted over them. He’d almost been shoved off his feet and stumbled to right himself.

But it was the sound of it that made him whimper.

His bones vibrated, his entire body shook, and for a moment, he thought he saw a spectral, ghostly arm trying to leave his own – as if his physical self and spiritual self were trying to separate. Weirdly enough, it was purple and matched the colour of his normal sight.

It was only for a second, just long enough for that wind to cut through him, but it was as bizarre as it was... worrying.

Then it was quiet and peaceful once more – except for the screech of birds rushing away.

The sun was warm, the air fresh despite their proximity to the Veil. Even the mists, one black and one white, had dissipated momentarily, making the Veil less oppressing.

All Ingram could think was... something was wrong.

This had never happened before. Other than the sun, nothing had ever been a bright-yellow light – especially not in a dark place like the Veil.

He stepped back as he returned his sight to the females who had... died to come here. Worse still, they were looking in the direction the blast had come from.

Delora had her mouth covered to stifle her sob, and her eyes crinkled tightly, as though she was in utter agony. Reia, on the other hand, was biting her lips so hard they’d disappeared within her mouth, as tears easily bubbled and then fell.

“Where is Emerie?” Ingram asked, taking another step back so he could head towards the declining path they’d take to get to the surface world.

Both females turned their gazes to him.

Their sorrowful expressionsdeepened.And, in doing so, his orbs whitened impossibly further.

“I’m so sorry, Ingram,” Reia sobbed through trembling lips.

His scales and spikes lifted as dread puffed him.No.

He refused to accept her apology, refused to require one.

Before anyone could stop him, he turned and shifted into his monstrous form. On all fours, he sprinted down the decline.

“Ingram!” Magnar roared.

He knew why he was being called. He knew why they held fear for his sake.

He didn’t care.

He didn’t care if it was too dangerous for him to venture into the Veil by himself. He had to return to Faunus’ ward, to Emerie.

He needed to make sure his little butterfly was safely where he left her.

Have to go back. Have to go to her.

His chest was tight with anxiety, and every quadruple stomp of his limbs only made it twinge and sting further. It forked agonising pain all throughout his torso.

The speed with which he ran was harder and faster than he’d ever achieved. Any Demon that did attempt to intersect him was lost the moment he spotted their scents within the dense forest. He easily evaded them.