Zarek felt it instantly.
A sharp, tearing pain ripped through his chest, so sudden and violent it made him stagger.
It wasn't his, it was hers.
He closed his eyes, reached through the bond and saw her. She was on the floor, crying, broken.
His vision bled red.
He snapped his eyes open and called, "Maelina."
She appeared within moments, breathing slightly uneven.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Why is my soulmate crying?" His voice was dark, trembling with barely restrained fury. "She was in your care. Why is she crying?"
Maelina swallowed. "She is only...overwhelmed, Your Majesty."
"She was fine when I last saw her," Zarek growled. "What did you say to her?"
Maelina hesitated just for a second.
"I… spoke to her about the bond and the need to complete it."
Zarek's rage detonated. His eyes turned blood-red.
Maelina gasped as her skin heated from the inside, and a searing pain spread through her arms and chest. She dropped to one knee, trembling.
