Page 265 of Interion

“I’ll get Zafira. Let me know if the drone in area 3 goes down.”

Kaori tossed him an earpiece, which he caught midair.

“Take this. You’re not known for answering your phone,” she ordered, eyes on the cameras. “And try not to get into a fight with the king.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“That’ll depend on him.”

Chapter 66

“Enlarge my liver,” I said to Adele, who was still clinging to my arm and staring into the darkness, paralyzed with terror.

When I realized she hadn’t heard me, I grabbed her hand, and she jumped, startled. She snapped out of her trance and pulled her hands away from mine. Adele hated being touched.

“What?!” She blinked, dazed. I told her what carniceals were, but explained they were a variation of chimeras—the Yonserian wouldn’t believe in legends and would only become more terrified.

“I’m asking you to enlarge my liver the same way I did with yours. If we don’t do this, we’re going to die. We need to heal Breno to get out of the dome.”

“Don’t make me run through the forest with those beasts on the loose,” she begged, still paralyzed by fear.

I was terrified too, but the possibility of bringing down the barrier had filled my chest with hope, overpowering the fear. We had a mission, and many lives depended on it.

“If you want to stay here, stay. But I need you to heal me so I can go get help.” My hands trembled from fear and cold as I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

“I don’t know if I can—my gift was never that strong,” she admitted, looking outside, searching for movement down below.

“Yes, you can, Adele. We trained for this.”

I unzipped my jacket and exposed my right side to her. I tried to take her hand, but the Yonserian swatted mine away and pulled back. She really hated being touched.

“I’ll try, but I can’t promise much.” Then she took a deep breath and extended her hands toward me.

“Just start and do your best. As soon as you remove part of the blocker, I can help you.”

Adele pressed her palms over my liver and closed her eyes. Her power flooded my skin, radiating in cold waves toward the organ. For long minutes, we remained silent while she worked. As we waited, I noticed Zion’s feelings coming through from the other side. Sometimes he flooded the bond with worry; other times he emanated a hatred so icy that even I trembled. Yet even in the worst moments, he radiated strength, courage, and an unshakeable faith that we would succeed. I was concentrating on not losing control of my own fear and drawing strength from his feelings, because the general had always been strong for me, and now I felt he needed that too. I needed to be a pillar, as I’d promised to be.

Twenty minutes passed, and Adele was panting from the effort. I ran my hand over my face and saw droplets of sweat on my skin. I showed her—a sign that my liver was beginning to metabolize faster. I tried to use my powers, but they still weren’t working, and the Yonserian was growing paler by the second.

“Just a little more—I’m sure I’ll be able to heal myself soon,” I encouraged Adele, who was glowing and sweating more than I was.

With my gift active, I could unblock Breno’s and take him to bring down the barrier. But for that, Adele needed to enlarge my liver; otherwise, we’d be useless.

At that moment, our lives depended on her.

Δ

Zion materialized inside the palace, in the king’s antechamber. He was breaking every rule about visitor entry and exit, but he couldn’t waste time going up the normal way. He threw open the royal door, startling the king on his throne, where he’d been watching the games.

“What is this?” Elitium stood up along with Zafira and Koduz.

Serguei remained seated, as if he’d expected the intrusion. Concern flickered in his eyes—he already knew about the problems.

“We need Zafira.” Zion stopped in the middle of the hall—or rather, he was forced to, because the blocker raised a blue wall in front of him, and lightning crackled in Koduz’s hands. “The test is under attack by chimeras.”

Zion chose to mention chimeras—something more acceptable to the Feeric mind.

“Chimeras? Zafira? What does Zafira have to do with this? Who gave you permission to enter my chamber like this?” The monarch narrowed his eyes, his expression both confused and threatening.