The bright flare of light was accompanied by a painful tug at the center of Vi’s chest. She had cast the enchantment to do exactly that, so there would be no possible way she could miss it, no matter what she might be doing at the time. “No,” she whispered, frozen for a moment as the realization sank into her bones. “This is not happening.”
Then she and Ryn both jumped to their feet. Her magic pushed her faster and faster down the winding stairway, until her surroundings blurred and it was a wonder she didn’t trip and tumble all the way to the bottom of the tree. She couldn’t think. She was acting on instinct, the same words repeating through her brain: Em is okay. She’s okay, she’s okay, she’s okay.
Em is okay. She’s okay, she’s okay, she’s okay.Vi skidded to a halt at the base of the t
