Page 83 of The Silent
“I am safe. I’ve done this before. Imagine taking astepback.”
He pictured her as she’d been in the cottage before him, her body resting against his, their hands knittogether.
“Let go of myhands.”
In his mind’s eye, he let go of his white-knuckle grip on herhandsand—
—blinked awake with Sura, Niran, and Alyah crouched around them, staringatLeo.
“Where is she?” Suraasked.
“At the compound,” Leo said, flexing his hands to return circulation. “She’slistening.”
Niran asked, “Prija—”
“Moved.” He focused on her breathing, which did not change. He traced a spell for clarity on Kyra’s shoulders. Another for peace. “She will be able to tell you more. I was too overwhelmed by the number of thoughts, but she didn’t seem to have trouble sortingthemout.”
Alyah asked, “So you were with her? You heard what sheheard?”
“Yes.” He bent and pressed a kiss to her neck, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “She’s like Ava. Kyra can let me hear what she hears like Ava can share what she sees. The only problem is I don’t have the tools to sort through all thethoughts.”
Alyah nodded. “Ittakestime.”
Leo tucked a strand of hair behind Kyra’s ear. “She’s a long wayfromhere.”
Sura’s gaze sharpened. “Couldyousee—”
“I couldn’t see anything. I onlyheard.”
Niran stood and leaned against the door. “Sowewait.”
It was only a few minutes later that Leo felt Kyra return to her body. Her breathing changed and her body lay more heavilyagainsthis.
“Leo?” shemurmured.
“I’mhere.”
“Toobright.”
He gathered her up and put her on his lap, tucking her face into his chest to shield her eyes while Niran and Alyah closed the shades in the cottage. He ran a hand over her arm and felt goosebumps.
“She’scold.”
Sura stood and retrieved a blanket from the end of his bed. He put it around Kyra’s shoulders while Leo rubbedherarms.
“I’m fine,”shesaid.
“You soundtired.”
She took a deep breath. “I went a long way. Leo helped me getfarther.”
“Where are they?” Niranasked.
“Around seventy-five miles north of here, but Prija isalreadygone.”
“Areyousure?”
Kyra nodded. “I couldn’t understand their thoughts exactly—I don’t speak the Old Language—but I heard her name. I didn’t hear her voice. I think they were afraidofher.”
