Rowan ran. Gavriel kept pace at his side, and Lorcan, Elide slung over his shoulder to keep her from falling behind, flanked them.
Essar had pointed them away from Doranelle, to the edge of a forest a day away.
So close. He was so close to finding her. His mate. His wife. His Fireheart.
Discarding horses, it had taken all of his will to keep in his Fae body, to hold back.
Every instinct screamed at him to leave the others, to go and find his mate before anyone else could lay a finger on her.
He felt nausea rising as he pictured what they might have done to her. His Aelin.
Then he felt it. A sob of relief formed in his throat as the tug of the mating bond settled within him. They were close. But before he could complete the sound, his breath was torn from him as he was forced to his knees by the wave of pain that hit him.
Hyperventilating, he gritted his teeth and staggered to his feet, with his back, legs, arms, everything screaming in agony.
It felt like the agony channelled down the bond was cleaving his very soul.
Aelin.
What were they doing to her? What were they doing to cause her such pain?
He became aware of Gavriel supporting him, eyes full of fear and concern. He stared at his quickly moving lips, hearing nothing over the roaring in his ears.
Rowan. They were saying his name. Pushing through the pain, he stood upright.
"Rowan, what's happening?" he stared at his friends "Aelin." he rasped.
Turning away, he started forwards again. He would find her. He would find them. And when he did, he would rip her captors apart.