Page 125 of Forsaken Secrets

I jogged through the ruins to the entrance of the poolroom. I'd brought supplies to clear out the rest of the rubble, but a path had already been cleared, thank the gods!

I slipped into the large room, taking care to be as quiet as I could to avoid any unnecessary interaction.

"Are you still here?"I asked.

"Yes, mage. I'm still here."Solyn slid towards the cage bars, and I cringed at how weak she looked. Her tail barely moved and her eyes missed that spark that had been so obvious last week.

Chest aching, I leaned into the bars. "I have a proposition for you …"

She dipped her head so her eye was level with my face. "You know I owe you everything, but whatever could you need from me?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just a hoard of vrytra to save the day …"I explained the plan, praying she'd agree.

Her white eyes swirled wildly, and she lashed her tail in the cage. "Mage. If I could force this, I would, and I know my people would come, but I have no way to reach them!"

Riarlo and the red revyn we'd rescued swooped in, landing on top of the crates beside the cages. The red revyn hadn't deigned to speak to me yet, but she seemed less skittish today.

"I have the perfect solution." His tone was cool, but he'd come. Just like every time before, he was there when I needed him. "Do you remember how I said I'd stopped some gremlyns from attacking Kaiya back on the day you met her?"

I gaped at him. He'd said he'd encountered some gremlyns and an interesting human, but had never elaborated that the human was Kaiya. "Yes. I vaguely remember that. What about them?"

"Do you remember what they eat?"He tilted his head to the side, orange eyes steady on mine.

Aha! He was brilliant! "But how do we get them here?"

"Just leave that up to me. You go save your girl, and I'll be there soon."

"Okay, fine. But I'll bond Solyn so you two can communicate. And you'd better stay safe!"

"Oh, like you're one to talk,"he snickered.

Shaking my head, I turned back to Solyn. "Riarlo here has a plan. Would you let me bond you so he can ask some questions?"

She dipped her head, "It would be my honor, Weaver."

I reached out and pressed my hand to her head, letting my korra reach for hers. The bond snapped into place, a hollow pop behind my ears, and then I could feel her. Every ache and pain, every bit of sadness, the aching loneliness after the others left, but above all, fresh hope for them to have a happy future.

Gods be damned, she was strong. I could hardly imagine how she'd be at full strength. "Thank you, Solyn."

She dipped her head.

"Are you ready to be free?"Riarlo projected through our bond.

She jerked back from the cage. "Free? What do you mean? That wasn't in the plan …"

Riarlo hopped up to the cage and explained the new plan.

When he finished, she pushed her nose against the cage, white eye completely calm. "I'm already indebted to you, mage, but if this works, I'll owe you everything. Thank you."

I nodded and turned away.

This had better work.

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