Rissa’s POV

I didn’t follow him. Not right away.

Mark’s steps were shaky, like he was carrying something too heavy inside him. I could still feel his pain through our bond, faint, broken, but still there. Still alive. It wasn’t as strong as before, but I could still feel that he was in pain.

The dark valley behind me gently reminded me of my mother’s voice, fading away like smoke in the wind. Her words stayed in my mind and haunted every part of me.

“You are both the gate and ...