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I nodded. Standing from my seat, I rounded the rectangular table to reach him. Once I stood beside him, his hand found my lower back. Warmth flooded me.

The pages were yellowed and weathered, but the ink was still dark and clear. There, right before my eyes, was a sketch of the massive, horned bear we encountered. “Yeah. That’s it.”

On the same page was a sketch of a regal castle, pointed spires and all. “You said it was supposedly a regal being, right?”

“Yes, that’s what I was told.”

“Seems that information checks out,” I said and pointed to the castle.

Chrome flipped through several more pages. Sigils and runes marked many of them. It struck me as odd how they resembled Kinetic brands and Elemental marks at the same time. “I don’t see anything exactly resembling Kinetics and Elementals. Do you?”

Chrome shook his head. “But there’s similarities.” He snapped his attention to Orion. “You were a scholar, right?”

Orion dipped his head. “I was.”

“Do you think you’d be able to decipher this language?”

Orion hesitated. “I can do my best.”

“Thank you. I want to…” Chrome stopped on a page, drawing my attention to what halted him.

A black-and-white drawing depicted two individuals that seemed to merge, yet they remained separate. I studied it, trying to decipher the meaning without being able to read the passage beneath it. “That looks like a bond of some kind? If I’m not mistaken, it looks like a spiritual one,” I said, noting the energetic fields circling the joined figures. A line connected the two from the sternum like a tether. “The Twin Soul Bond?”

“It appears that way, doesn’t it?” He looked up at me as if I were the only person in the room, stealing my breath. I couldn’t pull my gaze away as my heart threatened to beat from my chest.

Breaking the tension between us, Orion said, “I’ll take the book and see what I can decode. Thank you, Sergeant. We are most grateful for all the trouble you’ve gone through to get this relic.”

“Anything to stop Forest from further destroying humanity. The sooner the bastard dies, the sooner we can rebuild our world,” Hogan replied, his jaw set in fierce determination.

“I’ll have Blaize show you to the cabins where you can stay for a few nights. They’ve been prepared for your arrival. Electricity and running water are ready for you,” Orion assured him.

Dash’s eyes lit up. “What about Katia’s pies? Please tell me I can have Katia’s pies.”

Kodiak grinned. “She’d be delighted to bake one for you. I’m sure she’s already got one made for you guys.”

Dash clenched his fist victoriously. “Can’t we stay here, Sergeant?”

Hogan rolled his eyes. “Don’t get spoiled.”

“There’s another book out there that’s in Forest’s possession, right? A book of dark magic? What do you know of it?” Onyx cut in.

“We don’t know much, but our intel sources at the palace tell us that he’s had it for over two decades. And that it contains the key to destroying the veil between realms.”

I bit my lower lip. “If there’s a source of power that he seeks in Arcadia, then it must be in the book. Surely, it’ll have a drawing somewhere.”

Chrome’s hand began slowly circling my lower back, sending little shocks up and down my spine. “If it’s in there, Gray, we’ll find it. The only issue is how long we have before Forest decides to make his move.”

Chapter 46

Chrome

“It’s just us today?” Gray pulled her hair up into a bun, the marbled strands blending to look like stone.

The midafternoon sun did nothing to warm the bitter chill as Gray breathed hot air into her fingerless gloves. “It is. The others are training. Today, we’ll spar with each other as if we’re enemies. Weapons, magic—everything.”

“Good. I never got that fight I was owed,” Gray smirked, stretching her arms.

I removed my loose-knit hoodie, exposing my tattoos and brands.“Because you hesitated when you saw my flawless skin and mesmerizing eyes. Gave me the upper hand.”