bCHAPTER /bb109 /b

    Saphira’s fingers flew across her screen the moment Amara’s message lit up. Het pulse kicked hard against her ribs, a thrum of urgency she couldn’t ignoreb. /bShe didn’t even sit up–just leaned forward, elbows digging into the mattress, thunibs moving fast.

    bTrack /bherb. /bLet me know what she’s doing.

    She hovered over the screen, her breath shallow. I should be out there. I should be the one watching her. But the risk wed at her throat, sharp and unforgiving.

    She added quickly:

    I’d help, but I can’t risk being seen.

    Her thumb trembled slightly as she hit send. The silence that followed stretched tight across her shoulders until Amara’s reply blinked back.

    I’ve got it. I’ll keep you informed.

    Saphira exhaled, but the tension didn’t leave her body. Her shoulders remained hunched, her jaw clenched. Good. At least someone’s watching her. Ruby doesn’t move without purpose–and I need to know what that purpose is.

    She turned toward Niksb, /bwho was already pushing himself upright, the sheets sliding off his chest in a ripple of fabric. His eyes bwere /bsharp, balert/b.

    “Ruby’s out of her room,” she said, voice low.

    Niks didn’t hesitate. bHe /bwas on his feet in a blink, snatching his shirt from the back of the chair and pulling it over his head. “Where bis /bbshe/bb?/bb” /b

    Saphira nced at her screen, fingers tightening around the bdevice/b. “She’s still on the stairs. Going slowly. Checking each floor.”

    bHe /bbwas /balready stepping into his jeans, movements fluid and practiced, like muscle memory had taken overb. /b

    “What are you doing?” she asked, rising from the bed, bare feet brushing bthe /bcool floor.

    “I’m going to follow her,” he said, voice steadyb, /bbeyes /balready scanning the room for his boots.

    Saphira stepped closer, her hand brushing his arm. b“/bbIs /bthat a good ideab? /bWhat if she bsees /byou?”

    Niks paused just long enough to meet her gaze, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “This is my house. I know how to move without being seen.”

    She nodded slowly, her stomach tightening. He’s right. If anyone can shadow her without being caught, it’s him. Still, the thought of him out there, bexposed/b, made her chest ache.

    Niks bent toce his boots, then straightened and looked at herb. /bb“/bbAsk /bAmara exactly where she isb. /bAnd let her know I’ming.”

    Saphira turned back to her screen, fingers flying again.

    biNiks /i/bis going to follow heri. /iiWhere /iis she bnow/bbi? /i/b

    The reply came quickly.

    She’s still bon /bthe bistairs/i/bi. /ibiGround /i/bfloor bnext/bb. /bbiShe’s /i/bchecking each bilevel /i/bislowly/ii. /i

    Saphira ryed the message, and Niks stepped closeb, /bcupping her cheek with one hand. He pressed a bkiss /bto her forehead, warm and grounding.

    b“/bStay in the room,” he murmured. “I’ll mind–fink you if I need updates. Or if anything changesb./bb” /b

    She nodded, her hand brushing his wrist as he pulled away. iBe /iicareful/ii, /ishe thought, watching him slip through the door with bpracticed /bsilence.

    The room felt colder now. She moved to the window, phone still in hand, eyes fixed on the shadows beyond bthe /bss. Waiting. Ready.

    b1/3 /b

    Saphire sat cross–legged in the edge of the bed, her phone resting on iher /ithigh, screen dimmed but ready. The silenc fel enn felt thick, like fag pressing nanindi han skin. She’d checked the window three times in thest ten minutes, each time leaning forward, palm t against the ss, as if the enti surface might offer answers.

    Still nothing Nn thevement. No sound. Just shadows and waiting.

    She shiftedb, /babout to stand again, when Niks’s voice brushed against her mind—low, focused, like a whisper through water

    Can you message Amarai? /iFind out where Ruby is nowi. /iI’m at the bottom of ithe /istairs.‘

    Saphira straightened, spine snapping upright. Her fingers moved fast, the phone warming beneath her touch.

    Where is she nowb? /b

    Amara’s reply came instantly.

    bShe’s /bchecking all the doors in the corridor near ithe /igame room. Looks like she’s being thorough.

    Saphira closed her eyes briefly, pressing her thumb to the screen before mind–linking the update to Niks.

    “She’s in the game room corridor. Checking every door.”

    Then to Amara:

    Thanks. bKeep /bme biposted/i/bbi. /i/b

    She set the phone aside and began pacing, her bare bfeet /bwhispering against the floorboards. Each step felt like a countdown. She paused at the window again, forehead brushing the cool ss, breath fogging the pane.

    Why is she taking so ilong/ii? /iiWhat /iis she ilooking /iifor/ii? /i

    The sky outside deepened into bvelvet /bblue, and the silence in the house grew heavier, pressing against her ribs like a weight she couldn’t shift.

    She reached out through the mind–link.

    i‘/iNiksb?/bb‘ /b

    Nothing. She tried again, softer this time.

    i‘/iNiks, iare /iyou iokay/ibi?/i/bb” /b

    Still no reply.

    Her breath caught. Her fingers curled into the hem of her shirt. ‘Don’t panic. He’s careful. He knows what he’s doing.‘

    Then, like a breeze through her thoughts, Vaelora’s voice filtered in–warm, steady.

    i‘/iiHe’s /iconcentrating.”

    Saphira blinked. i‘/iiVaelora/ii? /iHow ido /iiyou /iknow?‘

    i‘/iI asked Vorthari./ii‘ /i

    Saphira exhaled, the tension in her shoulders easing. Of icourse/i. Dragons ialways /iknew.

    i“/iiThank /iiyou/ii,/ii‘ /ishe whispered back.

    bShe /bsettled onto the bed, curling onto her side, one arm tucked beneath her head. Her beyes /bdrifted shut, just for a moment, the silence lulling bher /binto a fragile calm.

    The door creaked open.

    She jolted uptight, heart thudding. Niks stood in the doorway, breath misting faintly in the cooler air, his expression unreadable.

    “Sorry,” he said softly. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

    Saphira rubbed her eyes, sitting up. “It’s okay. Is everything… okay?”

    Niks nodded, stepping inside with quiet purpose. “She didn’t find anything,” he said, voice low. “But she’s definitely looking.”

    He shut the door gently behind him, the soft click echoing in the stillness. His steps were slow, deliberate, as he crossed the room and sank onto the bed beside her. The mattress dipped slightly beneath his weight, and his voice dropped to a murmur.

    “I’m sorry I didn’t reply.”

    Saphira turned toward him, her smile faint but warm. “It’s okay. Vaelora told me you were alright.”

    Niks’s brows lifted slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, wrapping her against his chest with a quiet sigh. His warmth enveloped her, grounding her in a way the silence never could.

    “I think our dragons might cause us some mischief in the future,” he murmured, his breath brushing her temple.

    Saphira hummed in agreement, her cheek resting against the steady rise and fall of his chest. They already are, she thought, a flicker of affection blooming in her chest. Vaelora’s voice had been calm, reassuring–like a tether in the dark.

    Her fingers curled lightly against his shirt, and the tension that had gripped her all evening began to melt away. Sleep tugged at her againb, /bsoft and insistent, she let her eyes drift shut.

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