Page 182 of War Queen
His eyes grew dark and serious, burning into the sisters. “A threat you described is a universal threat. You think he’ll stop with the world of men? Do it!”
“No!” Norah cried. “Soren! I can’t lose everything. I can’t lose Alexander. Or Mikael. I can’t lose you!”
“You won’t lose us.”
She turned to Naavi. “No,” she begged.
“Do it,” Soren demanded.
Naavi stared at Norah for a moment, and her eyes welled. “I can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t if it’s not what she wants. I can’t do it again.”
Soren let out a snarl. “As long as he’s tethered to her, no one will kill him. And you know what will come. You have to stop him. Break it!”
Sana stepped forward. “Hold her.”
Norah shook her head again. Fear coursed through her as Soren moved toward her. “Soren, no.” She took a step backward, but her back hit the wall. “No,” she begged. “Soren, please! No!”
He brought his hands to cup the sides of her face. “I’m sorry, Salara.”
“Soren!” she sobbed.
The gentleness of his hands hardened, and he gripped her still. “Do it!” he said between his teeth.
“No!” Norah screamed as she clawed at him, but he held her. Panic flooded her, and she lashed out. This couldn’t be happening. They couldn’t do this to her. Not again.
His eyes welled. Still, he held her.
Sana put her hands atop Norah’s head.
But Norah fought. With everything she had, she fought. Pain seared through her mind, melting her from the inside. It was unbearable. But still she fought.
Burning, ripping, tearing.
She fought.
It was agony. Claws of destruction mauled her mind, breaking her. Erasing her.
And then thunder boomed, and suddenly the pain stopped.
A cloak of darkness swept around her.
Soren’s hands fell away. Cool soothed the burn. What was happening? Was it over? But she could still remember…
When she opened her eyes, she was still standing, but leaning against the wall, doubled over. Soren stood against the far wall, steadying himself and holding his head, and Sana lay a few paces away, picking herself up from the floor.
Naavi rushed to Sana’s side. “What happened?”
“It’s him,” Sana panted. “He’s fighting back.”
Him? Lucien?
“How’s that possible?” Naavi asked.
Sana stood and straightened, breathless. “I don’t know. But I felt him breaking through into my own mind. I can’t go back. He’s too strong.”
“How was he able to hit me?” Soren asked, still recovering. They stared at him.
“You felt him?” Sana asked.
