Page 49 of Elysian

“What is this for?” I wheezed, horrified.

“It is only the first of many insertions, so you best accept this will be happening again.”

Al’s grin seemed sinister. The calculation in his expression made my heart plummet. I had not seen such avarice from him. He never fooled me with his kindness. Al was a scientist studying his subject. Nothing trumped that.

Another roar echoed.

“Your bondmate is quite . . . impassioned,” he mused. “He has not ceased since I took you away.” Al clicked his tongue. “I had to threaten him with never seeing you again to get him to clean the mess he made with his blood.”

Hester turned the clamp in her hand and withdrew, taking the cloth from inside me. Al hurried over with a jar. He angled it for her to place it inside and quickly sealed it with a cap. Hester tugged the fur down to cover me. I lightly touched Al’s arm as he swept past. He hesitated with a questioning look on his face.

“Something has continued to bother me, and no matter how I turn it, I cannot make sense of it.”

“If it has nothing to do with Awakening Warlords, I am happy to provide some clarity.”

“The prophecy states Sigils will appear on bondmates. Why the plural? Are the other realms like this one? Does each council have a blueblood with the Sigil ability?”

“Ah, now this I know about.” He crouched beside my cot, and I sat up, still clutching the blanket to my chest. “Each council from across the four realms was to find one blueblood with the marking gift, and the prophet was to provide information of the Warlords’ bondmates.”

“Except there has not been contact with Jalixo.” I said.

Vaner had mentioned there was no longer access, and I wished I knew what that meant. Did Liadan know this? If there was no longer access to the other two realms, did that mean the Warlords were in a similar position as Cassiel?

“Nor with the Isot realm. For the last century, which is exactly the issue.” Much could change in a century.

“What of Oro?” I breathed. That had been where Liadan would take me.

“It is the only one accessible.”

“If the prophecy was created by the councils, how did they anticipate knowing of the bondmate if the only realm with a prophet was Sycarious?”

“They had not anticipated being completely cut off.” He patted my thigh once. “Is that all, dearie?”

“If not for the Sigil, how would they know they are bondmates?” I blurted.

“Well, that would be impossible since the redblood must be Awakened. Without the fundamental changes, their mating pull would not surface.”

“And the injections to suppress redbloods are across all the realms?”

“Yes, the Registry had spanned across all the realms and dispatched the injections.” He shrugged. “But now, without our prophet, the council is blind.”

“Alchemist!” a bellow echoed.

“And there is our Lord Vaner,” Al chuckled, standing. “Return her to the cage, Officer,” Al said to Officer Brandt who approached.

Hester handed me a fresh frock. I looked at Officer Brandt, and he turned his back, offering me privacy to change.

“He seems almost fond of you,” Hester murmured, eyeing Al.

“Like one would care for a pet subject.” I had no confusion where Al was concerned.

“Hester!” Al shouted from across the work chamber.

Footsteps thundered down the stairs.

Vaner burst into the work chamber. “Return her to the cell now.”

He crossed toward Al in three paces and began to whisper. I did not have a chance to listen. Officer Brandt waved a hand forward. I made my way toward the bookshelf and had to take a moment to crouch to open it.