Chapter 607: Call of the Stars
The silver collar clinked softly as it bounced once, then twice, vibrating as it settled on the ground. Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking away tears. I lay on the ground, cheek pressed against the cold stone. Lord Evlon’s boot was inches in front of my face.
"Hmm, that wasn’t supposed to happen," he muttered. His hand entered my field of view, picking up the silver band.
I struggled to my knees, chest heaving from the effort. Every fiber of my being hurt, from the sharp ache of my neck to the burning, half-healed cut on my tail. Golden starlight radiated from my body, casting a faint glow on the ground around me.
With a deep breath, I rose to my feet, staggering once before I reached out, instinctively calling my staff. The crystal haft materialized in my hand in a burst of stars, and I caught myself before I fell.
Lord Evlon stood motionless, staring at the collar. He hadn’t seemed to notice I’d regained my footing, though there was little reason for him to. He was a peak eighth-level inquisitor, and I was a sobbing, helpless child who shouldn’t even have enough mana to cast a spell.
"You lied to me," I said, catching my breath.
His lips curled in a disapproving frown. "Can one even lie to a slave?"
A tremor ran through my soul as a familiar mana signature drifted by. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of such mana traces, and yet...my heart fluttered within my chest, and I bit my lip, blinking furiously to hold back the tears brimming in my eyes. I knew that soul.
Lord Evlon snorted and tossed the broken collar to the ground. "Weeping after only this much? After everything you’ve done, your previous visit to the Divine Throne will seem a paradise."
"I’m here," I whispered, "Please, find me. I’m here."
"What?" he frowned. "Enough foolishness. If you won’t be bound by me here, I’ll see to it you’re bound at the Divine Throne. Fitting, considering it’s where you first became a slave."