Page 255 of Vasmora

“Our bodies aren’t meant to wield the power of gods. Siphoning the life out of something seems like it’d be draining.”

Snorting, I stared at the creature lying on the ground. The conflict in my head must’ve been written on my face, the way he gently cupped my cheek, drawing me out of my thoughts.

“You’ll navigate this as you go. Possessing the ability to take life doesn’t change who you are. Death can be merciful.”

Lips pressed together, I nodded, and he kissed my forehead.

We made our way across the yard, and as we ascended the stone staircase to the entrance, it swung open.

Vendryck peered down at us, brows pulled tighter than usual in a look of concern. “Master, Dolion and Allura are looking for you.”

Zevander groaned. “Is it urgent, Vendryck? We just had to put all three fyredrakes down. Could use a bit of rest.”

“It’s urgent, Sir. It seems your siblings have gone missing.”

Zevander's shoulders snapped back. “Where’s Dolion now?”

“Dungeon, Sir.”

Without another word, Zevander swiped up my hand and strode us in that direction.

At the top of the staircase to the dungeon, Allura and Dolion hobbled along the corridor, the mage’s arm draped around her neck.

Bright red drew my eyes to his limp arm, wrapped in white fabric that carried splotches of blood. It took noticing the significant shortness of his limb for me to grasp the severity of the wound.

“Your arm … it’s⁠—”

“Fine. For now.” He winced and let out a grunt. “I’ve applied a numbing spell that should allow me to sear the flesh and kill off any remnants of infection once I return to my chambers.”

“What happened?” I shifted my attention to Allura’s hand, where a pointed object resembling an oversized thorn stuck out from her palm.

“We were attacked,” Dolion said weakly, turning his gaze toward Zevander. “Branimir’s spider somehow managed to infect your brother and his nest of pets. He ushered them through the portal, but not before one of them swiped up your sister.”

My heart shot to my throat. The very image he’d planted in my head twisted my stomach into tight knots of dread.

Branimir.

His vision.

I stumbled back a step. “We have to help them.”

Zevander released my hand, and I looked down to see his curling to a tight fist. “And where is Branimir?”

Dolion grunted, drawing his arm to his chest. “He went after her. Torryn attempted to follow them, as well, but the portal closed, and I cannot open it again,” he said, raising his trembling, severed arm into the air.

“Fuck.” Zevander paced, raking his hand through his hair. “The entrance to the tunnel … it’s in the House of Sages?”

“Yes. A good day’s ride away.” Dolion unraveled himself from Allura, whose eyes shone with tears.

“I’ll leave tonight.”

I whipped my head toward him. “Zevander, you’re not doing this alone.”

“Agreed,” Torryn said, striding up from behind. “I’m coming with you.”

Zevander let out a sigh and gave a reluctant nod toward his fellow Letalisz. It chewed at me, the way he couldn’t bear the thought of someone accompanying him on such a dangerous trek. My worries were confirmed when he said, “There could be thousands of the infected down there. We’ll be fatally outnumbered.” He nodded toward Dolion. “What of the map?”

Brows pulled tight, Dolion shook his head. “Destroyed in the attack.”