Page 104 of The Stone Initiation
I’m sorry I won’t be coming back.
CHAPTER45
CAMERON
My bagel tasted like ash and every bite sat like a rock in my belly. Stone Comfort buzzed with early afternoon activity and goyles grabbed a bite before classes, but everything felt off to me.
“Cam? Hello?” Ginia waved a hand in front of my face. “Are you listening?”
“No.” I set my bagel down. “I can’t focus.”
“Serath?” Palia asked in a low voice.
“I have a bad feeling.” I rubbed my breastbone with my knuckles.
“Indigestion?” Ginia asked.
Palia elbowed her. “Don’t make fun. Mate bonds are powerful.”
“She’s not bonded yet,” Ginia pointed out.
“It doesn’t matter,” Palia said. “I read that a fated mate bond is activated as soon as the mates have contact, consummation merely solidifies it. So, if she’s feeling like there’s something wrong then…”
I pushed my plate away. “I have to find Selas.” I grabbed my jacket. “Tell Touron and Shar that I’ll meet you guys in class.”
“Cam, wait!” Ginia called out, but I couldn’t wait. My chest was filled with dread.
Serath was in danger. I knew it.
* * *
SELAS
The message scrolls on screen over and over and each time I hope that I’m reading it wrong.
Prasan sits with his head in his hands. “I should have gone with them regardless of orders.”
“We should all have gone together.” My lips feel numb. “Is Willowman sure he can’t speed things up?”
“He’s positive. The gargoyle that died from the venom was smaller than the ones Janna had to kill. Orix says it took him fourteen hours to die. Serath is approaching twelve hours. He’ll have to fight for another twelve hours to give Willowman enough time to get the anti-venom poultice ready.”
“There’s got to be some way to help him fight the venom.”
Prasan curses under his breath then begins to type, fingers flying across the keyboard.
“What are you doing?”
“Hacking into the city archives.”
“What?”
“They gave me access a year ago for another mission, so I built in a back door just in case.”
Hope quickens my pulse. “You think they’ll have something?”
“We can only hope.”
The bell above the door chimes and lights up. There’s someone outside. “Are you expecting anyone?”
