Kael's POV
The bond goes silent.
For the first time in a week, I can't feel Seraphina. Can't sense her emotions. Can't tell if she's safe or hurt or alive.
It's like someone cut off my arm.
"No," I breathe, pressing my hand to my chest where the bond mark burns. "No, no, no."
She's in danger. I know it with every fiber of my being. Something's happening at that castle and I'm too far away to help.
But I can't leave Thornhaven. Not now.
I stare at the village spread before me in the valley. Even from here, I smell death. See the gray smoke rising from funeral pyres. Hear the distant crying of mothers who've lost children.
Five days I've been trying to close the rift alone. Five days of failure.
The dark tear in reality has grown wider. More creatures slip through every night. More children fall sick from the corrupted energy.
I'm losing this fight.
"Guardian?" A voice calls weakly.
I turn. An old woman hobbles toward me, leaning heavily on a cane. Her face is lined with exhaustion and grief.
"Are you the one the goddess sent?" she asks. "The one who's supposed to save us?"
"I'm trying," I say roughly. "The rift is stronger than expected."
"My granddaughter got sick this morning." Tears fill her eyes. "She's only six. Please, you have to help her."
Six. The same age Lila was when she almost died.
My chest tightens. "Take me to her."
The old woman leads me through the village. People watch from doorways—frightened, desperate, hoping I'm the miracle they need.
I'm not. I'm just one guardian, stretched too thin, missing half his strength because she's not here.
We reach a small house. Inside, the smell of sickness is overwhelming. Five children lie on cots, their skin gray, lips blue, breathing so shallow it's almost nonexistent.
A mother sits beside the smallest one, holding her hand and crying. "Please wake up, Sara. Please."
The six-year-old doesn't respond. Her eyes are closed, body perfectly still except for those tiny, struggling breaths.
I kneel beside her. Place my hand on her forehead. She's ice cold.
The rift's corruption is deep in her system. It's eating her from the inside out. She has hours at most.
"Can you heal her?" the mother begs. "Please, she's all I have left."
I wish Seraphina was here. Healing is her gift, not mine. I can sense the corruption, but I can't pull it out.
"I need to close the rift first," I say, hating how inadequate it sounds. "Once the source is sealed, the corruption will stop spreading. Then a healer can—"
"She won't last that long!" The mother's voice breaks. "None of them will!"
She's right. I can feel it. These children are dying right now. Today. Maybe in the next few hours.
And I'm about to fail them just like I failed to save so many others over three hundred years.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
I leave the house before I can see the hope die in her eyes. Outside, I lean against the wall, fists clenched so hard my nails draw blood.
Seraphina, I think desperately. I need you. These children need you.
No response. The bond stays terrifyingly silent.
Something's wrong. Something's very wrong.
"You're the guardian, aren't you?"
I look up. A young woman stands there—mid-twenties, dark hair, intelligent eyes. She's dressed like a healer, with herb pouches at her belt.
"I'm Mira," she says. "The village healer. I've been trying everything I know to help those children, but nothing works. The corruption is beyond my skills."
"It's beyond mine too," I admit. "I need to close the rift, but it's too strong. I need—"
My partner. The Lightbearer who's supposed to be by my side.
"You need help," Mira finishes. "I heard the goddess sent two champions. Where's the other one?"
"Training. Learning control." Each word tastes bitter. "She'll be back in a week."
"A week?" Mira's face pales. "Those children don't have a week. They have hours."
I know. I KNOW.
"There has to be another way," she presses. "Some temporary measure. Something to buy them time until your partner returns."
I think hard. There is one option. Dangerous. Possibly fatal. But it might work.
"I can try to stabilize them," I say slowly. "Use my divine energy to slow the corruption. It won't heal them, but it might keep them alive long enough for Seraphina to get back."
"What's the risk?"
"If I use too much energy, I won't have enough left to defend the village when the next wave of creatures attacks." I meet her eyes. "People might die because I was too weak to protect them."
"People are definitely dying right now," Mira points out. "At least this gives everyone a chance."
She's right. Again.
I hate this. Hate having to choose between bad options and worse ones.
But that's what being a guardian means. Making impossible choices and living with the consequences.
"Gather the sick children in one place," I order. "I'll do what I can."
Twenty minutes later, I stand in the village meeting hall. Ten children lie on makeshift beds around me—all the ones infected by the rift's corruption.
Their families watch from the doorway. Hoping. Praying.
No pressure.
I close my eyes. Draw on my divine power—three centuries worth of goddess-given energy stored in my body. It flows through me like liquid light.
Carefully, so carefully, I channel it outward. Let it spread through the room like gentle rain. Each child gets a thread of my power, wrapping around the corruption in their bodies, holding it back.
The gray fades from their skin slightly. Their breathing deepens. Stabilizes.
It's working.
But the cost is immediate. My legs shake. Exhaustion crashes over me like a wave. I've given up nearly half my power reserves.
If something attacks now, I'm in serious trouble.
"Thank you," one mother sobs. "Thank you so much."
"Don't thank me yet," I say, steadying myself against a table. "This is temporary. Days at most. If the rift isn't closed by then—"
An explosion rocks the village.
Everyone screams. I run outside just in time to see the eastern wall explode inward. Dark creatures pour through the breach—shadow wolves, corrupted humans, things that shouldn't exist.
And leading them is something worse. Much worse.
A Voidborn lieutenant. Not as powerful as a general, but still deadly. Its form shifts between solid and smoke, making it nearly impossible to hit.
"All fighters to the walls!" I shout. "Protect the children!"
The village's handful of warriors grab weapons and rush to defend. But they're farmers and merchants, not soldiers. They don't stand a chance.
I draw my sword and charge into battle.
The first wolf dies quickly. So does the second. But there are so many. And I'm already weakened from healing the children.
A corrupted human's blade catches my side. Pain explodes through my ribs. Blood soaks my shirt.
I kill him anyway. Keep fighting. Keep moving.
But more enemies keep coming.
The Voidborn lieutenant laughs—a sound like breaking glass. "The mighty guardian. So weak. So alone." It materializes in front of me. "Where's your Lightbearer? Did she abandon you already?"
"Shut up," I snarl, slashing at it.
My blade passes through smoke. The creature reforms behind me, claws raking across my back.
I go down hard. Blood pools beneath me.
"The King sends his regards," the lieutenant purrs. "He knew separating you would make you both vulnerable. She's being attacked at the castle. You're being destroyed here. And there's nothing either of you can do to save the other."
Terror floods through me. Not for myself. For Seraphina.
She's in danger. Real danger. And I'm not there.
Seraphina, I think desperately through the bond. Please be okay. Please.
Still nothing. The silence is deafening.
The lieutenant raises its clawed hand. "Any last words, guardian?"
"Yeah," I gasp. "You talk too much."
I channel the last of my power into my blade. Divine energy blazes white-hot. When the creature lunges, I thrust upward with everything I have.
The blade pierces its chest. Light explodes outward.
The Voidborn lieutenant screams. Its body disintegrates, turning to ash.
The remaining creatures scatter, fleeing into the forest.
We won. Barely.
I collapse onto my back, blade falling from my hand. Pain radiates from multiple wounds. Blood soaks the ground around me.
Mira runs over, her healer's hands already glowing with magic. "Don't move. You're badly hurt."
"The children?" I ask through gritted teeth.
"Still stable. You saved them." She presses cloth against my worst wounds. "But you might have killed yourself doing it."
Darkness creeps into my vision. I'm fading. Used too much power. Lost too much blood.
Through the dying bond, I reach one last time for Seraphina.
I'm sorry, I think. Sorry I couldn't be stronger. Couldn't protect everyone. I tried. I really tried.
Don't you dare die on me, her voice suddenly blazes through the bond like fire. Don't you DARE, Kael Nightshade!
She's alive. She's okay.
Relief floods through me so intense it hurts.
The castle— I start.
Is under attack but I'm fine. YOU'RE the one dying! Her terror bleeds through clearly now. Hold on. Please. I'm coming for you.
You're too far away. Training isn't done—
Training is over. I'm coming NOW.
Seraphina, it's too dangerous to—
I don't care. Her determination blazes bright. You jumped into shadows for me. You've saved me a dozen times. Now it's my turn to save you.
Through the bond, I feel her power spike. Feel her making a choice that's probably crazy and definitely dangerous.
What are you doing? I ask, suddenly afraid for her.
Something stupid, she admits. Damien's going to be so mad.
Seraphina—
I love you. The words explode through the bond, clear and undeniable. I've been too scared to say it, but I love you and I'm not letting you die.
My heart stops. She... what?
Did you hear me? Her voice wavers slightly. I love you, you stubborn, self-sacrificing, infuriating guardian. So you better stay alive long enough for me to tell you in person.
Warmth floods through my chest despite the pain. Despite the blood loss. Despite everything.
I love you too, I think back. Always have. Was too afraid to admit it.
Then we're both idiots. I feel her smile through the bond. Stay alive, Kael. I'm coming.
The bond flares golden—brighter than it's ever been. So bright I can see it with my actual eyes, the thread connecting us blazing like a star.
And through that connection, power flows. Her power. Seraphina is channeling her light through our bond across hundreds of miles, feeding me her strength.
My wounds stop bleeding. The pain lessens. Enough that I can sit up.
"How—" Mira stares at my partially healed injuries. "What's happening?"
"My partner," I say, pressing my hand to my chest where the bond mark burns brilliant gold. "She's saving me."
Thank you, I send through the bond.
Thank me when I get there. Her presence in my mind is fierce. Determined. Which should be soon. I'm about to do something really, really stupid.
What—
Through the bond, I feel her gather all her power. Feel Damien's dragon form beneath her. Feel her make a decision that terrifies us both.
She's going to teleport. Use her light magic to tear open a portal across hundreds of miles.
It's something only the most powerful Lightbearers can do. Something she's never tried before. Something that could kill her if she gets it wrong.
Seraphina, NO! I shout through the bond. It's too dangerous! You don't know how—
I'll figure it out. Her voice is steady despite the fear I feel underneath. Besides, you said I was powerful, right? Time to prove it.
Golden light explodes in the village square.
A portal tears open reality—blazing, unstable, crackling with barely controlled power.
And through it steps Seraphina.
But she's different from the frightened girl I left a week ago. Her eyes glow pure gold. Divine marks cover her arms like living tattoos. Power radiates from her like sunlight.
She's magnificent. Terrifying. Beautiful.
Behind her, Damien emerges in human form, looking annoyed. "That was the most reckless thing I've ever seen, and I once fought a dragon while drunk."
Seraphina ignores him. Her glowing eyes find mine across the square.
"Hi," she says, smiling despite the blood covering me. "Miss me?"
Then she collapses.
The teleportation drained everything she had. She's unconscious before she hits the ground.
Damien catches her, scowling. "Idiot girl. Brilliant, but an idiot."
He looks at me. "Well? You going to lie there bleeding or help me save her? Because that stunt she just pulled? It's killing her from the inside out."