Page 49 of Treasured

“No.” This was the moment when I put my foot down. “We’re not going to test that theory. There’s no way I will allow you to willingly put yourself in danger.”

Her jaw clenched. “You won’t allow it?”

I didn’t back down. She had a right to be angry, but nothing she said would change my mind. Not about this. Her safety was paramount. “No, I won’t. It’s too dangerous, and too many things can go wrong.”

“Sebastian—”

“Luna.” I threw in my biggest argument. “Think about Marius. He needs you.”

Her face fell. “That’s true. But surely there are experiments we can perform that aren’t dangerous. First, we can…”

She detailed her plans, and I listened carefully. When she explained what she wanted to do, my eyes were as wide as saucers.

We were going to be at this for hours.

* * *

I was right. Luna had us run one experiment after the other, testing every aspect of our newfound connection. When the night sky grew dusty with the impending sunrise, we had yet to soul share. It wasn’t too disappointing, though, because speaking to each other mind-to-mind quickly became as easy as drawing breath.

The telepathy stretched the length of the Tether, but it was the strongest when we were touching. Apart, we could still communicate silently, but together, it was like we were one. When we touched, we had a direct line to each other’s thoughts and emotions.

I hadn’t thought feeling even closer to my wife was possible, yet these experiments had proven me wrong.

Ready to go back? I asked her through our new connection.

She threaded her hand through mine and gave her assent. I drew my shadows around me and moved us both through the Void, landing in the stone hallways outside our room in the abbey.

Keeping my hand around Luna, I held her close. Did the voices in the Void bother you?

She grimaced. Not much. It was too brief of a journey for that.

“Thank the gods, you’re back,” a voice behind us said.

Pushing Luna behind me, I turned as Genevieve approached, holding a letter.

The priestess handed me the missive. “This was delivered by messenger for you, Prince Sebastian.”

Glancing at the letter, I smiled at Phyrra’s handwriting. Thank Isvana, my spymaster must have fled Castle Sanguis when we left. I shuddered to think of what Queen Marguerite might have done to my allies if they remained. “Thank you, Genevieve.”

“Of course.” She glanced around, and her voice dropped. “That’s not all, though.”

Intrigued, I tilted my head. “Oh?”

Luna’s hand brushed my arm, and she stepped beside me. “Do you have news for us?”

“Yes, but…” Genevieve’s voice trailed off, and she frowned. “Why don’t we continue this conversation in a more private location?”

That intrigue became full-blown curiosity, mixed with more than a bit of dread. We agreed, following the priestess to a small, windowless study on the floor below ours. Books lined three of the four walls, and a single sphere hung from the ceiling, casting its dim light on the space.

Sitting at the only desk in the room, the priestess steepled her hands in front of her. “You asked me to look for a key.”

My breath caught in my throat, and my heart pounded. “I did.”

“I know how to make one.”

Death Was Never Far Off

LUNA

---