Page 45 of The Right to Bear Claws
The morning air was crisp and still as he ran through Hollow Oak's empty streets, following Kaia's scent trail with single-minded determination. She'd taken the forest path, avoiding the main roads where she might be spotted by early morning patrol members. Smart, even in her misguided attempt at self-sacrifice.
But her trail led exactly where Miriam had predicted—straight to Moonmirror Lake.
"Kaia!" he called as he reached the shoreline, but the only answer was the echo of his own voice bouncing off the water. Her scent was stronger here, mixed with fear and determination. And something worse.
Dream magic. The acrid, otherworldly stench of barriers being torn between realms.
"Damn it, where are you?" He searched the area systematically, looking for any sign of where she might have gone. Footprints in the soft earth by the water's edge, leading right up to the lake itself. But no footprints leading away.
"She went into the water," he said aloud, the horrible realization settling like lead in his stomach. "But why isn't there a body? She couldn't have drowned without leaving?—"
That's when he saw her.
Twenty feet from shore, floating face-up in the shallows like some tragic water spirit. Her hair fanned out around her head, but she wasn't moving. Wasn't breathing. Wasn't responding to his shouts as he crashed into the lake and hauled her limp form against his chest.
"Kaia! God damn it, wake up!" He carried her to shore, laying her carefully on the grass while his hands searched for a pulse. Weak but steady, her heart still beating even though she felt cold as marble. "Come on. Whatever game you're playing, it's not funny anymore."
But even as he spoke, he knew this wasn't a game. Her body was here, alive but unresponsive, while her consciousness was somewhere else entirely. Somewhere he couldn't follow.
"Elias!" Lucien's voice cut through his panic, the panther shifter appearing on the path with several other Night Guard members behind him. "We saw you running through town like the devil was chasing you. What's—" He stopped when he saw Kaia's still form. "Shit. What happened?"
"She left. Tried to face Tobias alone to protect us." Elias's voice was raw with helpless rage. "But he got her anyway. Her body's here, but she's not. She's trapped somewhere in the dream realm."
"You're sure?"
"Look at her, Lucien. She's breathing, her heart's beating, but she's completely unresponsive. This is what happens when a dreamwalker gets pulled across into the unconscious realm while their physical form remains anchored here."
The Night Guard members exchanged grim looks, understanding the implications immediately. Lucien knelt beside Kaia's still form, pressing his fingers to her throat to check her pulse for himself.
"How long has she been like this?"
"I don't know. Hours, maybe? Her scent trail is old, and the bed at the inn was cold when I found her note." Elias gathered her against his chest, unwilling to let her go even though he knew it wouldn't help. "Can we get her back? Is there some way to follow her into the dream realm?"
"Not safely. Dream magic isn't something most of us can access, and even if we could..." Lucien's expression was grim. "The risk of getting trapped ourselves, of making the situation worse, is too high."
"So what do we do? Just sit here and hope she finds her own way back?"
"We protect her body and try to find another solution." Lucien stood, already pulling out his radio. "All units, this is Alpha Seven. We have a Code Red supernatural emergency at Moonmirror Lake. Need all available Council members and medical support immediately."
Within minutes, the quiet lakeside became a hub of frantic activity. Varric Thornwell arrived with the rest of the Council, their faces grave as they assessed the situation. Magnus Vane brought the entire Vane clan, surrounding Elias with protective family energy while keeping respectful distance from his vigil. Even the Tansley brothers appeared with arms full of protective charms and ward stones, muttering about insufficient dream realm defenses.
"We need to move her somewhere more secure," Elder Bram said, his usually cold demeanor cracking with genuine concern. "If her consciousness is trapped in the dream realm, her physical form is extremely vulnerable to possession or worse."
"I'm not moving her," Elias said flatly. "This is where her connection to the dream realm is strongest. If she's going to find her way back, it'll be from here."
"Son," Magnus said gently, "you can't just sit by the lake indefinitely. She needs medical attention, proper monitoring?—"
"She needs me here when she wakes up." Elias's bear surged close to the surface, protective instincts overriding rational thought. "I'm not leaving her. Not when she's fighting for her life in a realm where I can't help her."
"Elias," Miriam's voice was soft but firm as she approached with a thermos of coffee and a pile of blankets. "Nobody's asking you to abandon her. But if you're going to maintain a vigil, you need to do it right. Eat something, stay warm, keep your strength up so you can actually help her when she needs you."
"What if she doesn't come back?" The question escaped, raw and desperate. "What if I lose her?"
"She's family now, which means we don't give up on her. Ever," Thorin said firmly, settling beside his brother with the kind of solid presence that had anchored Elias through childhood crises.
"The claiming bond," Finn said suddenly, earning sharp looks from the assembled Council members. "If they were bonded, couldn't Elias use that connection to follow her consciousness? Or at least communicate with her across realms?"
"Theoretically," Varric said slowly. "But the bond would have to be completed first, and she'd have to be conscious enough to accept it. In her current state..."
