ECHOES OF A BROKEN BOND

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heart slammed against my ribs. I felt the weigh

ed at me, pain and hope flickering in his gray eyes. I held his stare. I

ove." I nodded and stepped back. Jace started forward then paused. Hi

in long beams. Every root and stone felt familiar. My fee

Jace had laughed when I fell in mud. He had helped me up, his han

e head north toward the old oak." I followed, senses

shed my fingers over its rough bark. The scent of earth a

r a blue sky. We had chased rabbits and tumbled together in laugh

ly. He did not see my moment. I took a

lightning. The ground around it was soft and damp. I remembered kneeling

the curve of my name, Elena. Next to it, Jace's mark had grown with t

hook my head. "Just a moment." I brushed earth from the bark. I wa

e. His eyes grew moist. He turned to me. "You see it

atch post by midday." Jace's jaw clenched. He lo

to hold its breath. Jace turned away from the o

ken and thorn. My mind filled with memories I could n

thorn. I knelt. The cloth was pale silver. My breath stopped. It was the ribbon I

ained with rust. My fingers stung. The ribb

rced a smile. "Yes." I wrapped the ribbon in

ook my head. "Nothing important." He looked at my face as

ge that overlooked our old lands. Smoke rose from chimneys. Wolves p

stood alive in a borrowed face. The sight felt like

before they spot us." I took a deep breath. "L

rough gray stones. I knelt and drank. The water was cool and pure. I cupped

gaze. He frowned. "You are nothing like any healer I have known."

here once with Jace. We had fished for trout and joked about eating more berries. I had

smile too easily for someone in hiding." I flus

tones glowed in the morning sun. This was the sacred glade. The pla

ppled. The carvings on another were chipped. Mo

pulsed with faint magic. My blood hummed at the touch. I clo

. A bird called overhead. The stones felt hollow.

head. "I don't know." Inside I burned with anger. Someone ha

rest stone. Its magic rippled. A chill passed through me

"This was our promise," he whispered. "I wi

f a wolf's eye. It looked like a silent tear. I traced the line wi

eaves swirled and dust rose from the runes. The

itself. The runes glowed again. This time the light

s eyes. Kian drew an arrow. I r

into a tall figure robed in silver. Its face was hidde

fear thundered in my chest. Jace took a step

oice rang in my mind like distant thunder. "Echoe

break. Jace reached for me, but I stood roo

. The stones went dark. The runes glo

ade. His eyes found mine. "

ed. "Nothing," I whispered.

ve." He tugged at Jace's sleev

limpse of the broken stone eye. It puls

orest fell sil

e wind-soft and urgent

. can you