THE PRESENT
LADY BAEVERA
I was closest to him, so I reached him first.
But just as my hand lifted to touch him, Alaric's voice stopped me.
“Don’t. Do not touch him!”
I froze immediately, turning to him. I expected to see anger or contempt, but what I saw instead was concern.
He came up behind me, his tone hushed but urgent. “Do not touch him when he is like this. He reacts very badly.”
Around us, the murmurs continued. The canopies were still being drawn in as the drizzle turned heavier, and the arena buzzed with confusion.
“Revandrel,” I called gently.
He did not so much as blink. Not a single muscle moved.
But the most unnerving part was…
“He is not breathing,” I murmured, glancing at Alaric.
“No, he is not,” he said with unnerving calm as he came up beside me. As though it w
