Page 43 of Stone Sentinels

“He chose the right sister, Theren,” I insist, with a smile.

“Tell me, Ellie, why were you not chosen? Surely, there must be some imperfection I fail to see…”

“He doesn’t know I exist. I’m a secret well hidden within a world I will never truly experience in its entirety.”

“All the best treasures are.”

His lips press to mine, stealing my gasp, and I melt like snow at the first sign of spring. Theren’s kiss tastes of pine and smoke, fresh and earthy, but so tantalizing, I yearn for more. He pulls away, eyes darkened with need.

“So, this is why you’re so dangerous,” he whispers. “If the world knew what you are, I fear it would take you from me. And I’m not ready to give you up.”

“You assume I’m yours.”

“My assumptions are correct, for I’ve seen the truth in the mystical glass.” Theren tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “But there’s much danger in your future. Some of it, I can’t protect you from.” His expression colors with a scowl. “No matter how I try to change things, the outcome always seems the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean your mother is right, Ellie. You shouldn’t trust men. They’ll bring you nothing but pain and suffering.” He steps away from me and runs a hand through his hair. “I came to tell you I won’t be returning to the glade anymore.”

“What? Won’t be returning?” I demand.

He nods. “This is goodbye.”

Theren disappears as though he was never there. I bring my hand up to brush my lips with the tips of my fingers, where his kiss still lingers. If this truly is goodbye, then I hope it’s not forever.

Whether we meet again as friends or as lovers, I will cherish our bond always.

***

CAMBION

The Veil

“Wake up!” Aima says as she kicks my leg.

I open my eyes to see her staring between the bars at the markings on the wall. She points to the swirling symbols and looks at me expectantly.

“Well? What the hell is that? My sister’s magic was used to reinforce the wards and spells used in Theren and Variant’s palaces, but this... I’ve never seen this.”

“I have. In Pyre’s library,” I reply. “They’re blood runes.”

“So?”

“So, only the blood that was used to create them can undo them, and seeing as how neither of us were awake at the time these were created, I imagine finding that individual will be next to impossible.”

“Can you use that blood in the runes to track the host?” Aima quirks a slender brow and cocks her hip.

“I suppose so.”

“All we would need is a sample, right? Well, that’s a pretty fucking big sample.”

“We would have to get out of the cell—and if wecouldget out of the cell, the blood runes wouldn’t be very effective, would they?”

Aima ignores me and continues staring at the runes.

I try to decipher the cryptic riddle written in congealed blood, but it’s no use. The door to the dungeon swings open. Aima and I stand at the ready, even though we’re severely injured. Unseelie guards tap the bars three times and we’re forced to the ground with the same form of magic used in Variant’s dungeon. It pains me to think that I’ve been wrong about Theren all along.

The guards clap me in irons and separate me from Aima. She strains against the spell, vulgarly vowing to shove one of the guards inside the other guard’s rectum. Her colorful language causes my nose to scrunch in distaste as the vivid flavor of bile stings the back of my throat.

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