Sora’s head spun. He felt light-headed and disjointed. The words were nonsensical; he couldn’t wrap his head around them. It was as if Sahan was speaking a foreign language, something Sora’s ears couldn’t decipher. Then, with a snap, those words made entirely too much sense. The reality was a harsh slap that rang through him like a discordant chord.
He pushed roughly past people, not noticing or caring who they were, until he was eye level with Sahan’s own eyes. “You lost Ravi?”
Sahan visibly deflated, cringing. “Sora, I’m so sorry. The Jaeggi appeared out of nowhere on the Charles Bridge. I lost track of Ravi as they took him. I tried searching, but to no avail. And my stupid phone got lost in the shuffle. I chose to fly back here for help.”
No.
Kami-sama, no.
Please. Not Ravi. Not when Sora had only just found him. Not when they’d finally gotten their hearts on the same path.
Sora’s heart was screaming in panic and rage, but his mind analyzed the situation in a cool, collected manner. It had always been that way—his emotions had to catch up to his mind. It had always bothered Sora, growing up, because that’s not how most people responded to stressful situations. He felt like there was something wrong with him, some days.
But now, in this moment, he blessed the trait. Because Ravi didn’t need his panic, his despair. He needed Sora’s help. And he could only provide it if he wasn’t lost in emotions.
Sora sucked in a deep breath and let it out again, a controlled movement. “Switch over, drink something, recover. Then we’ll figure out exactly what happened.”
This calm response clearly worried Sahan. “Sora?”
A hand landed on his shoulder, and Sora turned, meeting King Alric’s eyes. There was worry there, worry for Ravi. Sora was never so glad as in this moment that King Alric viewed Ravi as a brother.
“We’ll send out a rescue party at once,” King Alric told him, mouth in a flat, firm line.
“Good. I’m issuing a call to quarters.” He knew King Alric would be familiar with the military term, having no doubt used it in the past. He’d call for every able-bodied dragon and mage who could come and help with the rescue. With Sora’s connections, that was quite a few people.
King Alric blinked. “You can do that?”
“Technically, no.” Sora pulled out his phone and made a call to his mother, putting it on speaker so King Alric could listen in. She answered with a sleepy, worried greeting that he cut off without hesitation. “Kaa-san. Ravi was taken by the Jaeggi.”
His mother swore immediately in Japanese. “SHIMATTA.”
“I’m issuing a call to quarters.”
“Done. Tell King Alric.”
“I’m listening in,” King Alric informed her. “I can get a rescue party together and airborne in thirty minutes.”
His mother was in complete agreement. “We’ll meet in the courtyard. And breathe, my son. We’ll get your mate back.”
“We will,” Sora agreed, as if there were no doubt. There couldn’t be any kernel of doubt. His heart wouldn’t be able to take it. Sora wouldn’t be able to breathe or process any of this until he had Ravi safely in his arms once more. He hung up, then paused, not sure what to do next.
King Alric, fortunately, had no such hesitation. He caught the back of Sora’s arm, urging him into the castle.
“We need a Noh seeking spell, I think. Cameron and Cassie both excel at them. If we have a direction, we’ll be far more effective.” King Alric pulled out his phone and called, his feet eating up the ground as he jogged into the castle. “Liebling? Ravi was taken. We don’t know where. Good, we’ll meet you there.”
“His workroom?” Sora guessed.
“Ja.” Alric eyed him sideways as they moved.
The worry was clear on the man’s face, anger etching into lines around his mouth and eyes. He moved like he was ready to go to battle this very second, and only needed a viable target before unleashing a furious attack. And still, he watched Sora cautiously.
“You’re taking this calmly?”
“No,” Sora said, the word rasping from his throat. “No, I’m anything but calm. Do I seem that way to you?”
“You look like a volcano that hasn’t decided to go off yet.”
“Ah. An apt description.”
Sora wanted to tell him that it was imperative they get Ravi back safely. That it wasn’t only the dragon’s life, but Sora’s sanity at stake. But he felt that King Alric already knew this. From personal experience, having lived through