Training For War: The Bond Once Severed Book 2 (Updating)

Buried Shadows

"I can't... breathe."

Rian's chest heaved, her fingers clawing against the unforgiving earth pinning her down. The cold soil pressed in, dense and unyielding, wrapping her like a leaden shroud, crushing, compressing every inch of her. Her hands scraped against the compacted dirt, nails snapping and splitting as she fought against it, desperation mounting as her strength dwindled. Every drag of her fingers was met with resistance, her efforts swallowed by the relentless weight above, trapping her deeper in darkness.

Her vision blurred as her lungs screamed, each second stretching into an eternity of searing agony. Her pulse throbbed erratically, the beat faint and fragile beneath the suffocating press. Then, from deep within, she felt the faintest flicker of power, a familiar warmth pulsing beneath her skin like a forgotten heartbeat. She latched onto it, a single thread of strength guiding her out of the despair that threatened to devour her whole.

With one last surge of effort, she forced her hand upward, her fingers digging with renewed fury. The soil shifted slightly, but it was enough to fan the spark of hope. A pale trickle of light filtered through a small crack, just a sliver, piercing the darkness. Gritting her teeth, she pushed harder. Every inch won with grueling, clawing determination until, finally, her fingers broke through.

The air hit her like a shock of ice, and she gasped, the first breath flooding her lungs raw and painful. She clung to it, trembling, her whole body shuddering as life surged back into her.

Rian's eyes flew open, her pulse hammering as a sharp twist from the child in her belly yanked her back to the present. That dream—again. She took a shaky breath, dread pooling in her chest as she recognized the place her mind had once more dragged her: that windswept mountaintop where, eight months ago, she had buried Til. Each time the dream returned, it grew clearer, the edges sharper, the weight of her guilt more crushing. It had begun almost immediately upon her entrance to the Vale, settling over her like a curse—a relentless reminder of the man who she could never have.

The child within her had awakened a painful clarity, stirring guilt over Til, the father she'd chosen for reasons she couldn't fully explain, even to herself. Til had been the first man she had felt such a profound connection with, and her decision to generate life together had been her only concession to that feeling. He could not live. He was her enemy, and yet...

Her hand drifted to her belly, feeling the reassuring kick beneath her palm. Cyrus had assured her the baby was healthy, its movements normal, but she couldn't shake the gnawing anxiety. Before bearing this child, Rian had never felt such anxiety about another life. Had she miscalculated?

She should seek out the dark Fire journeyman again and ensure the child's health. He had a very calming presence for one filled with Fire magic. She trusted him more than Destan, who monitored Natalia's pregnancy. Destan's unsettling resemblance to the Queen made Rian's skin crawl, stirring old instincts of distrust and wariness.

Rian pushed her feet against the cold marble floor, grounding herself, letting the Earth's power flow up to meet and steady her. Her room was stark and bare, stripped of any softening furnishings that might distance her from the raw power beneath. Her father had taught her to stay rooted this way, to draw strength from the Earth itself—a lesson that now kept her anchored against the storm of guilt and grief within her.

Her thoughts drifted to her parents, whose suspicions still hung heavy over the Earth Council and the mysteries surrounding her supposed death and return. Zem's explanations hadn't convinced them; they saw only shadows and lies. Rian couldn't help but smile at the memory of her father, Jordan, usually so calm, meeting the Earth Council Leader for the first time since her return. In an uncharacteristic outburst, he'd struck Zem with his power, showing the old Earth Master how much stronger he was—and how little he trusted the Council's story. Rian did not think her father's actions had served any purpose other than to confirm the belief to the Council that sewing discord amongst her family was the surest way of limiting their power. She had seen this tactic used often in the Queendom. It was frequently her task to initiate it with a quiet death.