Gabriel woke to fire in his chest.
Not his power. Something else. Foreign. Invasive.
He sat up fast, hand moving to where the sensation centred. Just below his sternum. Burning like a brand pressed against bone.
Tess stirred beside him. "Gabriel?"
"Something's wrong."
The burning intensified. Not painful exactly. More like pressure. Like something hooked into his ribs and was pulling.
Northwest.
The direction was absolute. Undeniable. He could feel it in his marrow.
No.
Not now.
But he knew what this was.
The debt.
Six full moons. That's what the mage in Bridgedon had said. Six full moons before she'd call in the price for the illusion that saved his life when he escaped Eldenreach.
It hadn't even been two full moons.
The burning pulsed. Insistent. Growing stronger with each heartbeat.
"Gabriel, what's happening?" Tess was fully awake now, her hand on his shoulder.
"The debt." Gabriel's jaw clenched. "The Bridgedon mage. She's calling it in."
