Bound by Blood

Cai

I woke up alone.

For a moment, disoriented by sleep, I reached out toward the other bed, expecting to find Amara still curled up under the blankets. But the sheets were cold, untouched for hours. My heart kicked up a notch, but I forced myself to breathe. If anyone could handle herself, it was Amara. Still, if she wasn't back by the time I washed up and dressed, I'd go looking for her.

The small inn room was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the old wooden floorboards beneath my feet. A weak sliver of dawn's light crept through the warped glass of the window, casting long shadows across the walls. Outside, the town of Galston stirred to life—muffled voices, the distant clang of metal, the rhythmic clopping of hooves on cobblestone.

I freshened up as best I could, splashing cold water on my face from the basin before changing into a clean tunic and dark riding leathers. My boots thudded softly as I crossed the room, rolling up my bedroll and shoving the last of my belongings into my pack. As I reached inside, my fingers brushed against something smooth and familiar.

The whispering stone.

Frowning, I pulled it free. If we'd gotten any word from Kade, I'd have missed it while I slept. I gripped the stone, focusing on its cool surface as I sent a pulse of energy into it, activating the magic woven within.

A loud, distorted noise crackled from the stone. I flinched. It wasn't words—more like... music? A short burst of sound, barely more than a heartbeat long. Too quick to identify.

The door swung open, and Amara stepped inside, balancing two wooden mugs and two plates of food.

"You're up," she noted, nudging the door shut with her hip.

I didn't respond right away. My gaze was still fixed on the stone in my hand, and Amara followed my line of sight, instantly picking up on my tension.

"What is it, Cai? What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure." I shook my head, gripping the whispering stone tighter. "Listen."

I focused again, urging the stone to repeat the last message. The same fragmented sound came—short, sharp, gone in an instant.

Amara's brows furrowed. "What... what the hell is that?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "Kade must've touched his stone, but I can't make out what the noise is."

Amara let out a slow breath, setting the mugs and food down on the small wooden table. "Alright. Someone used their stone, that much we know. Let's try again. Send another message and see if we get anything clearer. We might still be too far, which could be why it sounds distorted."

I nodded, pressing the stone between my palms. "Kade, it's Cai. Where are you?"

The stone grew warm for a brief moment, then cooled again. Silence followed.

I sighed, setting it aside. "Nothing."

Amara handed me one of the wooden mugs and a plate. "Then we eat."

I took the mug, inhaling the rich, spiced scent of the tea. "Where'd you run off to, anyway?"

"Didn't feel like wasting time waiting for you to wake up," she smirked. "Figured I'd grab food and get information about the roads ahead."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not that bad."

"You're impossible to wake up. I could've set this inn on fire, and you'd have slept through it."

I snorted. "Doubtful. Cai-fire beats Amara-fire."

She grinned. "Cai-fire is dramatic."

We ate quickly, trading easy banter, but my mind kept drifting back to the whispering stone. The sound hadn't been natural—it wasn't static or interference. It had been something intentional.

After finishing our meal, I grabbed the stone one last time, but no new message had come through. Frustration curled in my gut, but there was nothing more I could do.

"Let's go," I muttered, tucking the stone back into my pack.

We gathered our things and headed downstairs toward the stables. The air smelled of damp hay and horse sweat, mingling with the morning chill. As we approached our horses, a lanky stable hand blocked the way, arms crossed over his chest. His smirk was the kind that made my fists itch.

"You two were supposed to leave at dawn," he drawled, shifting a piece of straw between his teeth. "Got another rider lookin' to take these beauties if you're done with 'em."

My temper flared instantly. "You sell our horses, and I'll set your damn stables on fire."

Amara sighed, stepping between us before the situation escalated. "We already paid," she reminded him, her voice smooth but edged with warning. "And we'll be on our way now."

The stable hand shrugged, unimpressed. "Coin only buys so much, lady. Time's extra."

I stepped forward, fire crackling beneath my skin, but Amara shot me a look that told me to stand down. Instead, she pulled a single silver piece from her pouch and flicked it toward the man.

"Time's covered," she said flatly. "Now move."

He caught the coin and let out a low whistle. "A pleasure doin' business."

I gritted my teeth as we mounted our horses, my fingers tightening on the reins.

"That was a waste of silver," I muttered as we rode through the city gates.

Amara smirked. "It was a waste of time arguing. I'd rather pay than watch you burn down the only exit."

I huffed but didn't argue. The tension in my chest didn't ease, though. Between the stable hand, the whispering stone's strange message, and the unknown dangers ahead, I had a feeling today was going to be a long ride.

And something told me we weren't going to like what we found at the end of it.