Page 187 of Sienna Rossi: Beyond Shattered Trust

No, it felt like he was telling the truth, but my power is not absolute; a blood test will help confirm.

Nodding, I whisper a spell and select one of my vials from my pouch. I scrape up what blood I can and, whispering a spell, store it away.

Jayce then glances around and then back at me.

We’ll tread carefully, stay close, he says through the mind-link.

I nod as his gauntlet hand closes around mine just as another pulse travels through the dome. This close, I can feel it moving through the ground beneath my feet.

My gaze drifts across the landscape again, and a chill crawls down my spine. Everything feels wrong here.

Jayce’s hand brushes mine. You alright?

I nod swiftly, looking into his eyes, because it’s true, strangely. I am uneasy but not afraid.

In control. With him by my side.

My eyes drift towards the distant centre of the dome.

The pull is still there.

Subtle and persistent, drawing me forward.

The same sensation I’ve felt in every vision.

I glance at Jayce, and he speaks before I can say anything. This is it, then? Are we doing this now?

Yes. We get to the Will, and… I take control of it, I reply, my heart racing slightly faster.

His jaw tightens slightly. Will you be alright? Are you certain? I know waiting isn’t exactly an option right now-

He stops as the entire dome ripples sharply and a heavy weight forces itself down upon us. It’s weakening… Whatever the Indomitable did to it has messed with the barrier.

If I don’t, the barrier will fall, and the drakaths will be unleashed into our world, and without anyone controlling the Will, that would be terrifying.

Yeah, I thought that. Or if that control falls into the wrong hands...

I nod, and the unease in my stomach deepens. Yeah.

Then let’s get moving, Jayce says through the mind-link. Are we just going with gut instinct?

I smile slightly as he cocks a brow at me from beneath his helmet. I guess; that’s the Westwood way, right?

So, are you saying that you are a Westwood now? he asks with a smirk.

Are you asking me to become one? I counter before I freeze, realising what I just implied. I sense the way he froze, ever so slightly, for only a moment, and I hear him swallow. I was only-

Let’s get this over with, and then I just might. My heart thuds, but before I can respond, I’m relieved by the distraction, hearing the sinister shriek of a drakath from somewhere close.

We exchange looks and keep moving quietly, that tension lingering, knowing we both have left things unsaid. I think we should fly over. Should I carry-

No.

I suppress a giggle. He’s never going to let me, is he?

His hand settles on my lower back, and I feel his aura lightly swirl around me, a protective layer done with impressive precision, as I could barely sense it.

Together, we begin making our way across the dead landscape, heading towards the Will. I’ve been here in my dreams, heard the callings, know what I need to do, but how I am going to do it is the hard part.