I followed her scent through the halls, my steps quickened and uneven as dread coiled tighter around my chest with every breath I took, while the bond tugged painfully, pulling me forward like an invisible chain, and the closer I got, the heavier my heart became.
Ember's scent was faint near Seraphina's room, but it did not linger long, instead drifting away toward the open grounds and further beyond, telling me clearly that she had been here, that she had left, and that she was hurting.
Beowulf stirred violently inside me, pacing and growling. "Damon, look for her now, or I'll do it myself."
I broke into a sprint, my boots barely touching the ground as I followed the trail toward the meadow, the air hitting my lungs sharply. Her pain felt so raw and suffocating, bleeding through the bond in relentless waves that made my vision blur.
