Page 111 of The Chaosweaver's Daughter
“... Perhaps a representation,”she’d replied.
Nes blinked away constellations. It was worth a shot. The blood loss made it hard to focus as she tried to pull from the far off layers of chaos that flowed through the atmosphere itself. It was everywhere, and it was beautiful. She couldn’t wait to share the sight with Kas one day. He’d find it magnificent.
Kas.Thoughts of him marched into her mind, reinforcing her fuzzy memories, filling her with the resolve she needed to push on. She had to escape, to get back to the safety of his stupidly long arms. A life without him wouldn’t be worth living at all.
She’d get back to him. It wasn’t up for debate. She didn’t even get totell him she loved him—and Kas certainly needed to know that important information. Plus, she had to sayyes.
Arms outstretched, Nes willed chaos to gather, pulling it in as she crafted and molded a being on the bed. Blinking away the darkness threatening to overtake her, she allowed herself a moment to revel in her work before wielding the fire iron once more and stumbling out into the afternoon light.
Her captor was nowhere to be seen, but hoofbeats approached rapidly from somewhere to her right. Nesrina hoped he hadn’t spotted her as she ducked into the dense woods. Brambles bit at her calves as she tumbled forward, searching for somewhere to hide, somewhere to regain strength before making her escape in earnest. A distant crash registered vaguely in her muddled mind. A muffled shout. The spots in her vision were growing, multiplying, crowding her field of view.
That man— She realized who took her as she fainted.
thirty-eight
Kas panics, several times.
Kasracedacrossthelanding from Della’s room to Nesrina’s. He flung open the door, hoping to the gods he’d interrupt her in the middle of reading a book, or getting changed, or something she’d be equally annoyed about.
She wasn’t there.
Back on the landing, he spied Aylin. The maid pointed to Ataht’s closed bedroom door and pressed a finger to her lips. How had she known he was about to shout across the foyer? She was right. He rushed to her side. “Nesrina? Have you seen her?”
Aylin shook her head.
“Ataht? How is he?”
“Well. The healers said he’s on track for a full recovery. He’s settled into bed for the night.”
With a tense nod, he said, “I have to find Nesrina.”
“Go.”
He pounded down the stairs. A man on a mission, Kas swung by the library, where she was not, then ran to the kitchens, but Salima hadn’t seen her either. Panic welled in his chest. This was very unlike Nes and her predictable routines.
This is the worst-case scenario.His conversation with Hevva regarding why they needed to keep the Big Secret replayed in his mind.
Don’t jump to conclusions,he scolded himself.Look around first.She was probably giving the family space and feeling guilty about Ataht’s injury.
Even his overly rational subconscious sounded uncertain.
Kas went back to the clearing but didn’t find her there, not that he’d really expected to anyway. In the dim evening light, it was hard to see. What he could make out was emptiness stretching all the way to the stream. His eye caught something small and flat sitting on one of the stumps. Tired from racing about, he sent a thick cord of magic over to feel the item.The book.
He was there in five paces. It was supremely odd that she’d left it behind. Grasping the old tome he’d gifted her, Kas surveyed the surrounding area closely, looking for signs of a struggle. He rushed to the creek and waded downstream, praying with every step that he wouldn’t find her lifeless body floating there.
This water’s too slow to move her far. She’s a good swimmer.Bursts of rational thought tried their best but did little to quell his panic. Where was she?!
Back at the clearing, Kas hunted again for clues in the dying light.Anything.Anything would help, a drag mark, a broken branch. The glade was pristine. He dropped to the ground and ran his palm over the soft, flat bed of clovers and grasses.Too pristine.There would be marks here, at least from their lesson.
He rushed to where Ataht had fallen.No blood.
An earthshaper.
Panting, Kas arrived back at the house and sought out Thera. She’d know for certain if Nes had been back to the manor.
As his prickling sense of anxiety predicted, Nesrina hadn’t been seen since earlier that afternoon, before her session with the twins.
Kas palmed the back of his neck.
