Chapter 43: Chapter 43: That Was the Something

A Clearing

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Cas hadn’t felt this kind of parental fear since he saw his sons lying dead on the river shore. He’d forgotten how strong it was—stronger than any storm, stronger than winds that could fell trees.

Fear was the heartbeat of some terrible, shadowy beast within every living thing. The thud of its beating was louder than a storm and it rattled all five senses, the throbbing pushing aside all reason but for the desire to flee the danger.

But if the fear’s core was love, then its desire was to run toward the danger.

Shani was in trouble. Casimir would be damned if he let anything bad happen to her.

“She took off with her lover,” Arian panted as they careened around corners, “right before I came here. Neither of them seemed happy that—”

He shoved aside a thick curtain of lichen and vines to a back entrance. Cas heard the snarling and yelping before he fully left the tunnel.