The Gathering of Masters: The Bond Once Severed Book 1

47. Surviving

Lukas sensed movement in his room and realized he had made a miscalculation. The guard at the door slid slowly down the wall, and a figure slinked by. How had an assassin arrived in the palace? The Mind Master threw a shield around the bed where he lay, hoping it would be strong enough. The assassin laughed when he bumped against it.

"You have hobbled yourself to protect your lover. If you were at full strength, I would be dead by now, as would my partner."

Lukas turned to follow the veiled man's glance; another assassin crouched low just outside his shield. They had flanked him while he had been focused on Prince Theodore. The assassin had spoken the truth. He had weakened himself, having given much of his strength to make the link between him and the Prince. However, the Prince had just left, and it would be hours before he was at the port. By then, Lukas would have recovered more. The assassins had timed their arrival perfectly.

Then, many things happened at once. Water rushed into the room, transforming to ice as it crashed against his shield, and a body landed with a thump on his chest. The unknown sensation that pierced his heart had to have been fear. Someone had penetrated his shield. That fear developed into wonder as his brain registered the body on top of him as a disheveled but ecstatic Natalia. The assassins could not move as the Water hardened to ice around them. A woman with vaguely familiar features walked into the room from the bathing chamber without a hint of slipping on the ice she stepped on. This woman had to be Destan; he had been expecting him, but not in this form. Natalia turned and held up a hand, stopping Destan's approach, then waved it at the assassins with a frown.

"Their hands remain free, so they are still deadly. Lukas, I cannot yet do to these men what you can, Lukas, so take my strength and don't make Destan harm them. It is against his nature, but he would do it for you."

Lukas barely registered her words as she pressed her lips to his, her strength surging through him with an almost electric intensity. His mind locked onto the assassins, and with a ruthless flick of his will, their hearts ceased to beat. There was no room for hesitation or mercy; every second counted. Theodore's life was on the line. This ambush was far more cunning and lethal than they had anticipated.

Lukas pulled Natalia close, his heart pounding as he opened his shield to let Destan in. The priest slipped onto the bed, and Lukas shivered as Destan's wet hair brushed against his bare chest, sending a chill down his spine. Despite a moment of hesitation, Lukas extended his free hand, drawing the feminine version of his friend closer into their embrace.

Destan's healing power flowed through them like a river, silent and potent. Without a word exchanged, the energy of Water surged through Lukas and Natalia, intertwining their essences. The shield around them solidified, becoming an unbreakable barrier—a seamless blend of Lukas's mind magic and the ice conjured by the Water Priest.

Later, Lukas would look back in awe at the extraordinary events, but at that moment, his entire being was focused on the urgent task of aiding his friend.

***

"Jordan, will you link with me?" Paulo asked, sensitive to the awkwardness of this long-delayed conversation.

"Yes, though it would likely be easiest if we use Leena as our bridge," Jordan answered calmly. Agnes was with Mara; they had chosen the Fire room for the portal in part because of Agnes' nerves. Jordan hesitated to do anything that would overstimulate her, but both would be necessary to rescuing Rosalind. Paulo smiled. Agnes was still the one person who made his rigid brother bend.

"Agreed," Paulo answered and waved Leena to the bench. She sat between her brothers and put a hand on both men's legs. Mara's hands pressed on his back, and through her, the Brothers' power surged through him. At the same time, the Mother and Lady joined him. This was what being The Elemental Master meant: harnessing the power of other Masters and all four Elementals to create or destroy. Today, they would build a portal, but instead of anchoring it to a place as initially planned, they would anchor it to Theodore himself.