Kai and Lira set up a command center in the conference room. Maps cover the walls. Guards rotate in and out, bringing intel, reports, and updates.
Ryker lies still, staring at the ceiling, counting the seconds.
Every hour feels like a betrayal.
By morning, Ryker forces himself out of bed. The restraints are removed only because Kai, Lira, and two guards stand ready to stop him if he loses control.
He trains until his stitches pull and his vision blurs. Kai threatens to sedate him again. Ryker snarls but stops — barely.
Sasha begins mental resistance training.
She teaches him how to anchor his mind against witchcraft, how to hold onto Elena through the bond even when it’s muted. She shows him how to push back if someone tries to sever it.
It’s brutal.
Exhausting.
Necessary.
Eldin
