Far away, inside the inn, Nox's body jerked violently.
"Gah!" he growled as a sharp pain tore through his chest and head at the same time, as if something had been ripped out of his soul by force. His fingers dug into the bed, veins bulging as his teeth clenched hard enough to creak. The shattering of the bond sent violent waves of backlash through his mind, his vision blurring as he struggled to stay conscious.
Eve rushed to his side immediately. "Nox!" she shouted, grabbing his shoulders. "What happened?"
He could barely hear her. All he felt was loss. Not anger, not hatred, but a heavy, hollow pain that made his chest ache. He knew instantly what had happened.
The link was gone. Completely erased.
Serene was dead.
His breathing came out rough and uneven as he forced himself to endure the backlash. Slowly, painfully, the pain subsided enough for him to lift his head.
"She's gone," he muttered.
..
