Page 35

“Yeah, that’s super helpful, Lucien. Wow. Thank you so much for your deeply specific instructions.”
Elias snickers beside me, earning another withering glare from Lucien.
“I can show you,” Lucien says, ignoring him. “But you have to focus.”
I blow out a breath, nodding. “Fine.”
Lucien shifts, straightening. “Close your eyes.”
I do.
“Find the bond.”
I inhale deeply, reaching inside, past the surface, past the immediate pull of my connection to the Sins, past the weight of Riven and Silas woven into me like they belong there.
It’s there. A thread. Thin, but burning, searing hot, a direct pathway between me and Riven’s agony.
Lucien’s voice dips lower, guiding me.
“Now sever it.”
I grit my teeth, grasping onto the pain, willing it to break, to lessen. And suddenly, it’s gone. The burning weight lifts, replaced by something lighter, something bearable.
I snap my eyes open, exhaling sharply.
Lucien nods once, approving. “Good.”
Elias claps. “Nice job, champ. You didn’t explode.”
I shoot him a look. “Wow. High praise.”
Lucien rolls his eyes. “Let’s not celebrate yet. You’ll have to do this every time you need to block it.” He levels me with a sharp look. “And you need to do it faster next time.”
I nod, jaw tight. “I will.”
Because there will be a next time. Because Riven is still out there, and I am not leaving him in this godsdamned place for a second longer than I have to.
I shove the last bite of whatever-this-is into my mouth and glare at Elias, who’s very pointedly avoiding eye contact with me.
The fire from last night is just embers now, barely flickering in the dim, colorless stretch of the Void, but I don’t need the light to see how miserable he looks.
Because we both know what’s coming. Lucien is going to make me ride with him again.
And he is dreading it.
I swallow my food, wiping my hands on my pants before standing, stretching out my sore muscles. “So,” I say, sweetly, turning to Elias. “You think you can handle it today?”
Elias physically recoils. “I \, what? Handle what?”
I grin. “Riding with me.”
His entire body locks up like I just threatened his entire existence.
“Oh. Oh, wow. Um. I, yes? I mean, of course. Obviously. That’s fine. Totally fine. Just, uh, super casual. Super normal. I’m just, I mean honestly, Luna, when you think about it, we already did this once, so it’s like. "
I tilt my head. “You’re panicking, Elias.”
He clears his throat aggressively, dragging a hand down his face. “I’m not panicking, I’m just mentally preparing.”