Page 34 of Second

“Then why is there still… this?” Zar’Ryn gestured sharply toward Elara, his frustration spilling over. He could still feel her, not as sharply as before, but enough to leave him unsettled. It was a presence that pressed against his mind, an ache that twisted into his thoughts. An unending desire that kept him onthe edge of sanity. On the edge ofinsanity. “You said the device would grant us control. This—this is not control.”

Tor’Vek regarded him with maddening calm, his gaze cool and unflappable. “What you describe does not appear to be a failure of the device. The bond is intact, as it was always meant to be.”

Zar’Ryn stepped closer, his imposing frame casting a shadow over the scientist. “If the bond itself is the problem, then you must resolve it. Find a way to sever it.”

Tor’Vek’s brow furrowed slightly, though his voice remained even. “Severing the bond is not within the device’s capabilities. Nor would it be advisable. The bracelets were created to forge connections, not destroy them. To sever the bond could cause irreparable harm to both of you.”

“I will endure harm,” Zar’Ryn said coldly, his tone brooking no argument. “If it will ensure that I can perform my duties without this… distraction.”

“That is not your decision alone,” Elara said, her voice sharp as she stepped forward. “I am part of this bond, remember? If severing it will hurt me too, then no, we are not doing it.”

Zar’Ryn turned to face her, his jaw tightening. “You do not understand the danger this bond creates. It clouds focus. It—”

“It has not clouded anything,” she interrupted, her eyes flashing. “We escaped the Marauders. We found Tor’Vek. We are still alive. The bond did not stop you from doing any of that.”

“It will,” he insisted, his voice rising. “It will compromise my judgment. It already has.”

“Then maybe the problem is not the bracelets,” Elara shot back. She stepped closer, her anger flaring in the bond, ripplingthrough him like a wave. “Maybe the problem is that you cannot accept help. You cannot admit that you are not invincible.”

He stiffened, her words cutting deeper than he cared to admit. “I do not require your help.”

“Yes, you do,” she said, her voice softening but losing none of its conviction. “And I need yours. That is what the bond is for. It is not just a weakness. It is a strength, if you would let it be.”

For a moment, the room fell silent, the tension crackling like static in the air. Zar’Ryn’s gaze bore into hers, the bond humming faintly between them, amplifying the conflict they shared.

Tor’Vek cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the standoff. “If I may, Iwould remind you that what I have devised is a prototype. It requires further testing and refinement. If there are residual effects, they may diminish with time, or they may indicate something deeper about your connection.”

Zar’Ryn turned his glare on the scientist. “Something deeper? Explain yourself.”

Tor’Vek adjusted another setting on the device, his expression unreadable. “The bracelets are of ancient design, their purpose not fully understood. They create bonds, yes, but the nature of those bonds is influenced by the individuals connected. The device suppresses amplification, but if you are experiencing… lingering effects, it may be that what remains is intrinsic to the bond between you. To your natural relationship.”

“Intrinsic,” Zar’Ryn repeated, his tone heavy with disbelief. He felt the bond pulse faintly, the sensation of Elara’s presence brushing against his thoughts like a whisper. Awarmth that refused to fade. “This—this heat—is intrinsic? Part of a natural relationship?”

Tor’Vek’s gaze flicked between Zar’Ryn and Elara, his expression careful. “It is possible.”

Zar’Ryn’s hands curled into fists, frustration roiling in his chest. He turned back to Elara, her gaze steady despite the tension radiating from him. The bond remained, apersistent reminder that no device could fully sever what had been forged betweenthem.

“This is far from resolved,” he said, his voice low and resolute. “If the bond becomes a liability, we will address it. By any means necessary.”

Elara’s chin lifted, defiance sparking in her gaze. “Then we will address it together. Because like it or not, Zar’Ryn, we are in this together.”

He held her gaze for a long moment, the bond revealing a mixture of irritation and grudging respect. Finally, he turned away, the tension still simmering in his chest. The device had offered reprieve, but it was clear to him now. The bond was far more than an amplification of emotions. As the silence stretched, neither he nor Elara commented on the persistent heat simmering between them—atension they had both assumed was part of the bond’s amplification and would fade when adjustments to the device weremade.

Clearly, they were wrong.

“Can you dampen the effects any further?” he demanded.

Before Tor’Vek could respond, the station’s alarms erupted, acacophony of wailing sirens and flashing red lights. The lab shook under the impact of distant explosions, and a cold, mechanical voice echoed through the comm system.

Warning. Outer defenses compromised. Unauthorized entry detected.

Tor’Vek straightened immediately, his fingers flying across the console. “Marauders,” he said, his voice clipped. “They are targeting the central facility.”

Zar’Ryn was already in motion, his sword snapping into his hand, his stance shifting into a defensive posture. His amethyst eyes flicked to Elara, who had frozen near the workstation, her hands gripping the edge of the bench. The bond reverberated between them, her fear spilling overhim.

“Stay with Tor’Vek,” Zar’Ryn commanded, his voice firm and unyielding. “You will not leave his side.”

Elara swallowed hard, nodding even as her gaze darted toward the door. “What about you?”

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