Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Thirty-Six

Tolya pulled me to my feet, keeping his hand on the middle of my back to make sure I didn't collapse as I ran my hands over my face, trying to adjust to being in the real world again.

I'd spent so much time in my mental space. It was the longest I'd ever been in there. I felt like I had sea legs. Reality was different.

I was trying really hard to focus on the task at hand and save falling apart until after we had the sword. I figured I'd reserve that for the two day flight to Ravka, long enough to get it out of my system and shut down again.

My hand flew out as I felt the desire to anchor myself to something real. Someone's hand connected with mine, and I turned to see Jesper standing next to me, gripping my hand tightly. His eyes were reddened, and he was sniffling back tears of joy and relief.

"Is everyone... alive?" Wylan called.

"We're alive." Inej replied.

"I owe you my life." Tolya said to Inej, who nodded.

"How long was I out?" I asked urgently.

"Ten minutes after I woke up." Tolya replied.

"You were in there for an hour!" Wylan called. I rubbed my free hand across my forehead.

"We almost died, didn't we?" Jesper asked. "Same time... I had the most incredible hallucination," He said, barely holding back tears. "Did anyone else get lulled into a comforting sense of joy?" He asked, and I looked at him in disbelief. "Oh. Well, not you."

"I didn't see anything." Kaz said, his back still to us.

"Neither did I." Inej lied.

"Oh, you're both so full of it!" I said in irritation, before letting go of Jesper's hand and turning to the wall. "Enough of this!" I threw my hands out, letting my emotions fuel my power as I curled my fingers and ripped them apart.

The door forced open back to Wylan, just enough for fresh air to get through, and I let out a sigh, lowering my hands.

"Wow." Jesper commented. "That was..."

"Incredible." Tolya breathed, and I turned around to face the group, my hands on my hips.

"So are we coming up with a plan, or what?" I demanded.

"You said there was another heartbeat in the house." Kaz said to Tolya and I, and we both nodded.

"Southeast corner. The heartbeat's weak." Tolya confirmed.

"I suspect she built all of this to protect that heart. Along with a different way in to get to it." Kaz said, before turning around with a glint in his angry blue eyes.

"You have an idea." I said.

"He has an idea." Jesper agreed.

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