My heart dropped the moment Lewis told me.
For a few seconds, I couldn't even breathe properly. The bond between us pulsed faintly, reacting to my shock before I could control it. Jake had only just returned to the city. Years ago, he left to build his career overseas, and we slowly drifted apart. I never thought the first real news I would hear about him after his return would be about his death.
Jake loved motorcycles. Even when the elders warned him about danger, he always laughed it off. When I was little and stubborn, determined to ride before I was ready, he stood behind me, steady and patient. He never snapped at me, never lost his temper. He simply corrected me again and again until I got it right.
He was never reckless in winter.
It took me a long time to find my voice. "H–how did he die?"
Lewis's arms tightened around me instinctively. "They said he slipped into the water after drinking. By the time they found him, he had stopped breathing."
