The book he was reading snapped shut on its own. The sound cracked through the room like a whip making Kaelen flinch. His heart hammered against his ribs again for some reason he was suddenly scared. The sketch of Vaelthrix burned behind his eyelids all of a sudden. Those smiling mouths, those closed eyes and a face that looked too much like his own dead reflection.
He pressed his nails against his thighs. The fabric of his trousers was rough beneath his fingers the pain was grounding.
The bond hummed in his chest in comfort. Lysander's presence. Steady and warm. A tether to the living world. He focused on that sensation. Let it pull him back from the edge of panic.
The system flickered again. An alert pushed its way to the forefront of his vision.
[System Alert: External Disturbance Detected]
