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eleven

Rivern

W e make good time, finding the entrance to the tunnel gracing a moonlit beach.

“Looks like I’ll be on foot from here, Mage.” I swing off the large stallion and give him a good scratch behind the ear. “Don’t get into any mischief while we are gone.” A puff of air washes over my face, and I grin.

The large, speckled stallion has gotten me out of a few tough spots in my time. Besides Solen, I trust him with my life. I don’t know what it says about me that my only true friends are animals, but we are all creatures of Oona here.

“Fuck.” A gripping, icy bolt cracks my core in half, and I double over, wheezing to catch my breath. “Let’s—ooff—go, Sol—argh. Fuck, I can’t take this nuisance feeling any longer.” I pound at my chest to try and dislodge the ice shards that are shearing me deeply.

The whole beach ride, I experience the harsh reality of my situation. The closer one becomes to their bonded, the stronger the connection, and it seems that my bonded is not having a good rhythm of it. This is making my own feelings about her jumbled. I don’t understand what is happening to her to make her feel such distress—beyond distressed, really. A complete disconnection.

Fortunately, I receive a slight reprieve for five breaths until it starts back up again. My anger and agitation climb with what my bonded feels in each moment.

Lifting my arm, Solen comes to perch on my leather vambrace. We don’t need him damaging his wings on the next part of our journey.

It is risky going down the long tunnel without any eyes ahead, but I’ve studied this route. Before leaving Terra, I memorised the underground labyrinth within Haven—which I hope is still only known to the fae. It’s how they escaped all those centuries ago without detection from the onslaught of the human army. Like a wave of ants, they spread out of this mountain, seeking refuge from the humans slaughtering and raping our people on the other side.

Only if—

“Riv, let’s go.” Sol fluffs his wide wings out.

With sweeping, punishing steps, I push forward, feeling the comforting weight of my sword and dagger strapped to my belt, ready for what I might find at the end of this tunnel.