Chapter 4

Korynn opened her eyes, or at least she tried to. Nothing wanted to work right with her chest burning, the stars in her eyes and the roaring in her ears. Fear tried to drench the feelings, but it only made it worse.

Images passed by in a blur, a woman laughing, a little boy playing with an auburn-haired woman, a village on fire, ash everywhere. The auburn-haired little boy looking at her with green eyes, his eyes flashing to amber. He pointed at Korynn, looking back over his shoulder at the woman she assumed was his mother.

“That’s the one who took my place.” Sadness filled the woman’s eyes as she knelt with her son, wrapping him in her arms.

“No matter where you go, you are loved.” The woman looked at her, those green eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

Another image wrapped tight around her, Tjorvi carrying her limp form from a burning village. He was shouting something at her, the words sliding off like water. Something was wrong with her ears, the image sliding away to an older boy.

He looked just like her brother Skal, but his hair was cut short, and he wore formal robes of the kingdom. The woman with the auburn hair was beside him, her arm in his as she fixed a smile to her face. His green eyes found hers, though they held that amber tinge she had grown used to seeing in the village.

“She’s back Mother.” The woman fought not to move, her eyes wide in alarm. She clenched his arm tighter, her gaze focused on the floor.

“Someone will break the seal and the world will turn once more the way it was meant to be. Though I can’t tell when or where the world will begin again, it will shake the very foundation of everything we know.” She took a shaky breath, schooling her face to perfect court blandness.

“Help me.” Korynn reached out for them only to find the image distorting again, shifting back to Tjorvi carrying her again. Blood was smeared on his face that was covered in ash, though he didn’t appear seriously hurt.

“I can’t take you home until we find out—” His voice cut off as another image crossed her vision, the world swallowing them both up. Nothing made sense with the people looking at her, lights shining in her eyes and beeping all around. Then silence, blissful silence.

Korynn opened her eyes blearily, trying to reach to rub them. What had they done last night that her mouth felt like sandpaper? Nothing came to mind that would explain the aches and pains throughout her body, though it must have been a wild party.

Something stopped her from rubbing her face, a clanking followed by pressure on her wrists. She squeezed her eyes shut, blinking a few more times as the world started to clear.

“Tjorvi?” She called tentatively, the beeping accelerating beside her head while she tried to sit up, trying to make sense of her surroundings.

“Korynn, thank heaven you’re awake.” He sat up too fast, overbalancing and near toppling on top of her.

“Where are we?” He refused to look her in the eyes, instead holding a cup to her lips. She took a deep drink while he straightened himself.