☉NARIEL
I gauged the distance between them and us—Eldrion and the two in the opposite corner—and attempted to command my muscles into action. I’d felt the tiniest of their responses, but…
Rays of light arced between Vaelin and Eamon. Before I could mark out what was taking place, Vaelin was thrust past us like a lightning bolt. He continued to fall, disappearing behind us, behind my line of sight, back, back toward the pool of water, and then came the loud sickening clash of body against water, the crack of bone against stone—
The spell that had bound us suddenly dissipated, and I stumbled backward, eyes wide with terror.
Vaelin!
I turned and ran toward where he had collided.
“Vaelin!” I called out. Shaking.
He had been flung across the pool, colliding with the far wall so forceful
