Page 53 of War Queen
And then she remembered, she’d felt him in her dream as well.
“How is this possible?” But she didn’t care how it was possible, she only cared that he was there. He wasn’t gone—not completely.
She pulled back and looked up at him. He was different, somehow. He seemed to recognize her… but notknowher.
“Is this what happens when you leave life?”
His expression changed, but she couldn’t read it. The wall of her chamber fell away to reveal the tree-lined walk that had been in her dream. He gave a slight motion toward it with his hand.
A walk?So… strange, yet not. So seemingly familiar, yet not. Like him. Slowly, she started forward, and they made their way down the path.
“Please, talk to me.”
He glanced down at her for a moment, then looked ahead again. How she wished he would speak.
“I miss you, Alexander.” The sudden sorrow returned, and she had to stop. Stupid emotion. She hated it. It crippled her. She clutched her chest. “It hurts,” she breathed.
But the hurt turned to anger. It wasn’t anger at him, or maybe it was. Maybe it was anger at herself, at the gods, at the world. He’d been taken from her.
“I need you.” She needed her lord justice. He knew her, knew her heart. He’d always been someone who knew what to do, someone she trusted, someone who listened. She needed someone to listen now.
He took her hand. She stared at it a moment before looking up at him. His eyes moved back and forth between hers, their blue so settling. He was listening.
“I feel so lost. And scared.” Just talking to him made her feel better. “Mikael went back to Kharav. And, of course, he’s made Soren stay with me. He’s all alone.”
Alexander stilled. It was as if words were trapped inside his lips. He didn’t speak.
“I’m worried for him. If Japheth and Rael attack before he makes it through the Canyonlands, it could be disastrous. He’ll try to make it through the western pass. If he does, he’ll be safe. But until then…”
Until then, she’d be sick with worry. Should she have done something different? Should she have sent a legion of Northmen? She still could. They’d be only a few days behind the Kharavian army.
“Should I send a legion?”
But he didn’t seem to be listening anymore. The garden path around them flickered.
She caught his arm. “Alexander.” He stiffened and leaned back, pulling away. A darkness crept around them, and once again they were back in her chamber. Their walk was over.
“Alexander,” she said softly, but he stepped back farther. Why was he so distant, so cold? “I don’t understand. Have you only returned to take silent walks with me? Why have you come?”
He stepped back, farther into the shadows.
“Are you leaving?”
His eyes held a stone gaze.
“Wait. Will you come back?”
And he disappeared into the darkness.
Norah paced the floor of her chamber. Her hands were sweaty, but chills prickled her skin. She clasped the vial tightly. She still didn’t understand it.
A rough knock sounded at the door, and then it swung open. Soren stepped inside. “What’s wrong?” he said as he swept the door closed behind him. “Bhastian said it was urgent.”
“It is.” She swallowed and clenched her hands around the vial. It had taken her two days to gather the nerve to tell him, butnowit was urgent. “I need to tell you something, and it’s going to sound completely mad.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Sit down.”
