Page 104 of Ex Somnis

“I can’t. I’m tethered here. To him.” My gaze flicks up to Nevan again, who’s still climbing the steps, but when it comes back to Lucien’s, he’s looking almost furious.

“It doesn’t matter if you have a tether on this side.” He scoffs. “You’re stuck in the in-between because you haven’t let go. Let go of him! He doesn’t get to do this again.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Lennon!” Nevan’s voice carries down from somewhere above us.

Not desperate. Terrified.

“I can’t stop.”

My head snaps up. He’s much higher than he was a second ago.

No.

No, that’s not possible.

I was only talking to Lucien for a minute. Maybe less, but the staircase is longer now, and Nevan is almost at the top.

“Nevan!”

His head turns toward me, but his body doesn’t. It keeps climbing.

One step.

Another.

Another.

“I can’t feel my legs anymore.” His voice breaks. “I can feel everything else, but I can’t feel my feet.”

I turn back to Lucien and grab his wrists, making him startle at the touch. “Please, don’t.” Lucien stares at me, and I hold his gaze. “Please.”

Behind us, I can hear Nevan breathing.

Fast.

Panicked.

Lucien’s jaw works. Then he shakes off my grip and looks up too. “Nevan Shaw.”

The climbing stops, and I exhale so hard it hurts.

Nevan stands on the final step, nothing but clouds in front of him.

Thank God.

Thank…

Lucien’s green eyes return to mine, and then a smile blooms on his lips, the sinister edge to it stopping me short.

“Jump.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Paul

“Paul!”