YEARS

R

d also said that time healed all wounds

, that Ruby would cool off, that she would stay close, and that she would eventually

e it at first, but as time slowly crept into seconds, minutes, days and

s been capable of cruelty; lying was nothing to them, so I easily chalked up all their excuses as lies. Filthy

est understatement of the century. If there was a bigger word that I could

do about it. The attacks had grown worse. They were more frequent, and more violent. If another one happened, we

l it took to pull me back to the present,

wn and grim. From the look on his face, I already

my voice was l

has risen to sixt

ad news, but I told myself that maybe if I pretended they di

e replied. "That

list for the day, and even though I tried

ve years ago, and I didn't need to ask

R

gs. I wondered what she looked like now, if she still had that stubbor

tirred re

ul now," he murmure

pressed my palms against my

, before I let fear and pressure turn me into a coward. I

e healers?" I

ris replied again. "But the wounds won'

him finish be

arked, anger spilling out unchecked. "I ha

of the council elders cl

began, "if y

h," I

but they weren't wrong. Only Ruby, only my L

ore to myself, "I

beta. "Anything. Anyone. I

ruth. The attack that nearly destroyed us that year had been ordered by her father,

eta burst into my of

any. They supply packs with barrier devices ag

nded. "Where di

world. I did my findings before coming back and they a

the place. Let's go." I was already

He blink

n to argue after that, and in the blink of an e

t out there, but strength without unity, or even hea

dn't help but count down till we eventually got there. Time felt like it

d. I couldn't see it, but there was something about the place that

alfway to lips, and every eye turned toward us. I t

Chris and I had stumbled into an alternate dimension, and we were the only odd ones out. At the far

emotions I quickly recognized as hope

forward. "I want to speak to

." The voice hit me l

life, I would never be able to forget, but I forced

few men stood, crac

eave," one of them said.

ve the biggest advantage, but Chris and I fought our way through them, bodies hitting the floor

u

m

chest made me realize that I missed just how soft her features used

know I could do this all day, Ruby. I'm

r the first time in five years, I

o