FAZER LOGIN"Why are you coming with us?" Nyra asked the question as they crossed the courtyard. Ryker gave Kael a sidelong glance."I don't trust him." Kael ignored him. "Good. The feeling is mutual." Nyra halted."If you two start fighting in the archive, I'm taking both of you back." Neither man protested. She continued on towards the old council building, the structure long since abandoned. Its windows were boarded, ivy practically climbing up the majority of the east wall, and the iron gate moaned in protest when Kael pushed it open. Nyra glanced at the building."You've been here before?" Ryker nodded."Once.""When?""Three years ago." She looked at him."Of course." Ryker exhaled, running a hand through his hair."I wasn't here looking for your mother.""But you found something.""I found your father." Nyra stopped walking."What?" Ryker turned to face her."He was here the night after yo
Ryker studied the photo for a long tim. He had hidden the thing for three years, and in those three years, he had told himself that silence was more preferable than the truth. He turned the photo over again.'If Nyra asks, tell her nothing.' His heart pounded in his chest. It was her father's handwriting. He knew it very well. Ryker folded the photo and slipped it inside his jacket before a knock sounded at the door. He looked up to see Nyra standing in the doorway."You're awake""So are you," She replied stepping inside, "I couldn't sleep""Neither could I" Ryker replied turning back to the table Her eyes landed on his folded jacket."What were you looking at?""Nothing," He lied instantly. She gave him a sidelong glance"You're terrible at lying.""You used to say that.”“I used to believe you were better at everything.”“I wasn't.”“No.” She pulled the chair opposite him out and sat down"You weren't"
The river settled, but Nyra did not. She stood, her mother's ring clutched tightly in her hand, staring at Kael like she was seeing him for the first time. Ryker was the first to speak."Give me the ring." Nyra closed her hand around it."No.""It isn't safe.""Neither are you." Ryker's expression darkened. Kael stepped between them."That's enough." Nyra stared at him."You don't get to say that.""I know." That caught her off guard. Kael took a step back away from her instead of arguing."Ask what you want to ask." Nyra turned to Ryker."You said you met my mother three years ago.""Yes.""You said she gave you this.""Yes.""Why didn't you tell me?" Ryker studied the ring in her hand."Your father told me not to. Nyra narrowed her eyes."My father?""He came to me after I found her.""Where?" Ryker hesitated."In an abandoned settlement near the northern border."
The river exploded, sending waves crashing into the rocks with such force that it sent Nyra to her knees. The waters pounded against her skin throwing her backwards."Nyra!" Kael's voice was lost in the sounds of cascading water. For a few moments Nyra struggled beneath the onslaught of water before a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal Kael crouched beside her."Get up.""What happened?""Later." Kael hauled her to her feet. Nyra turned her gaze to the river. Her mother was gone, and so were the wolves. Only the ancient staircase was left half-submerged beneath the violently moving waters. Elias stood on the other side. He was no longer fighting. Instead he was watching."You should have told her." Kael expression was unreadable."Shut up." Nyra turned to face him."Told me what?" Kael said nothing."Kael." His gaze snapped to meet hers."Your mother wasn't supp
"He's awake." The words barely left Kael's lips before the ground vibrated once more. Nyra stumbled to the side as a crack split the stone below her boots."Nyra!" Kael caught her arm and threw her back just as a section of the riverbank broke off. The water surged upwards. For one impossible second, it hovered in the air, black and silent. Then something hit the surface from below, sending up water over the rocks. Lyria stepped back."No." Nyra looked at her."You know what that is." Lyria didn't reply."Lyria.""It isn't supposed to wake." The river shook again. Kael took Nyra and put himself in front of her."Stay behind me." Nyra looked up at him, annoyed."If you tell me to stay behind you one more time, I'll push you into the river myself.""This isn't the time.""It wasn't the time the last six times either." Kael almost smiled. Then the river turned completely still. No ripples, no current, nothing.
Nyra could not move. Kael stood in front of her, his hand on his weapon as while chaos erupted behind him. Ryker was wrestling one of Marcus's men to the ground. Lyria was shouting something down the hall. Her father was struggling toward the hidden passage. None of it mattered. She had heard Kael's thoughts. If she reached the river she would die. She looked up at his face."He was thinking about the river," she stated quietly Kael blinked."Nyra?" She took a step back as his brow furrowed."What happened?""You tell me," she said "You were thinking about the river.""I don't understand." Kael went stiff as he processed her words. Nyra's heart was pounding."I heard you," she said slowly His expression darkened."What did you hear?" She swallowed hard."That you don't want me going to the river." Kael turned his gaze back to the others."Not here.""Then where?" His hand shot out, catching her w







