Chapter 50
Kael felt it break.
It did not fade or weaken slowly. It snapped all at once, sharp and violent, like something had been torn straight out of his chest.
The force of it knocked the breath out of him. His vision blurred for a moment as his body staggered forward, his hand hitting the ground to keep himself from falling.
For a second, he could not breathe.
"Ariana."
Her name came out rough and unsteady.
Too quiet.
Too late.
The space in front of him twisted again. The same unstable distortion that had swallowed her flickered like a broken reflection, appearing and disappearing as if it could collapse at any moment.
Kael forced himself upright.
His chest tightened as the bond flickered weakly, still there but stretched thin, like it was fighting not to disappear completely.
He stepped forward without thinking.
The moment his foot crossed into the distortion, the world resisted him.
The pressure hit instantly.
