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“We could go to the Gardens again.” Edmund met Jalissa’s gaze, the two of them exchanging a speaking look. “Or we could take a trip to the edge of Aldon. There are some ancient elven ruins that you might find fascinating. They are from the time before the mountain elves and forest elves became two people, because the ruins are stone rather than only wood.”

Essie resisted the urge to sag against the back of the bench. She wasn’t sure she was up for a trip all the way to the edge of Aldon and back. But, if that was what Jalissa and Edmund wanted to do, then she would go along.

“That does sound interesting, but maybe another day.” Jalissa shot a glance toward Essie, as if sensing her weariness. “I would appreciate another tour of the Gardens, and I think the ruins would make a good trip for all of us. Farrendel might enjoy seeing them as well.”

Essie sent Jalissa a grateful smile. “Yes, he would.”

As the carriage reached the city center, Essie directed the driver to halt. The footman handed her down, and she waited for a moment for Jalissa and Edmund to join her. As the carriage pulled out of the way, Essie turned to Edmund and Jalissa. “I have—”

Something slammed into her. Hard. A gunshot echoed in the tight confines of Aldon.

She was falling, pain bursting across her body.

Screams. People running. Jalissa and Edmund crouching over her. Captain Merrick standing with his back to her, shouting orders.

Essie tried to gasp in a breath, but agony tore through her chest. The metallic, sour taste of blood filled her mouth. Her ears rang, her eyes blurry.

She fumbled to draw on the crackle of Farrendel’s magic, reaching past the searing pain to the heart bond deep in her chest. A weak shield of shivering bolts sprang up around Essie, Jalissa, and Edmund.

But even as she got the shield in place, blackness clawed at the edge of her vision. The pain and darkness were taking her, and she couldn’t protect Jalissa and Edmund from more gunshots. She couldn’t…

She flailed for the heart bond, reaching, straining.

Farrendel…

* * *

Farrendel parried Iyrinder’s sword, then side-stepped and spun to deflect a guard’s thrust. At his back, Julien held off two of the other elven guards who had come along on this trip.

As Iyrinder lunged, Farrendel went to raise his sword. Sudden pain stabbed into his chest, so sharp that he had dropped one of his swords and fallen to his knees before he could draw in a breath.

He pressed a hand to his chest. But there was no wound, no blood on his fingers.

Then he registered the source of the pain, the frantic fear coursing through the heart bond.

Essie.

Iyrinder and Julien were before him. Distantly, their voices blended together, asking if Farrendel was all right.

There was no time to explain. He pushed to his feet, shoved past them, and ran for the gate. He had to get to Essie. She was slipping away. Too much darkness. Too much pain.

He dragged in a breath, reaching for her through the heart bond and holding tight. Still, he could sense her fading. Whatever had happened, she was gravely injured.

No, she was dying. Too quickly for him to keep her alive through the heart bond while they were apart. He needed to get to her. He had to hold her hand and deepen the connection of the heart bond if he was to keep her alive.

He raced for the iron gate, blindly fumbling to throw himself up and over since there was no time to properly open it.

Hands grasped his shoulders, yanking him backwards.

“Amir, get down.” Iyrinder’s voice, loud in Farrendel’s ear as he bodily hauled him down from the gate and swung him to the side.

Iyrinder staggered, the crack of a gunshot splitting the air.

More shouting. Julien was gripping Farrendel now, dragging him behind the protection of the stone wall. Guards surrounded them.

Farrendel clawed at Julien. “Essie. I need to get to Essie.”

She was fading. Too fast. He was losing her, and no one seemed to understand that.