The forest around him seemed to burn with a furious light. Rashien's hands clenched into trembling fists, his breath ragged, each inhale sharp with the bite of rage and helplessness.
Manon...his Manon was gone.
Vrogran's name echoed like a curse through the tangled trees, a poison dripping from his tongue. The Sealed Bound Red. The ancient force locked away beneath centuries of roots and blood. The monster no one spoke of unless they wanted to die.
And now he had her.
Rashien's eyes blazed as he pounded through the forest, every step tearing at the earth like a wound. The magic that had whisked Manon away still lingered in the air, a cruel scar that burned his skin with its memory.
How could he let this happen?
He thought he had fought for her, bound her not with chains but with his fractured love, his madness tethered by hope. But it wasn't enough.
Vrogran had taken her no, she had gone, choosing the darkness for a flicker of power, for a chance to save him.
