The Lost and the Chosen (The Lost Sentinel, #1)

by Ivy Asher

“Sabin, you don’t even like me,” I say, confused. “Vinna, that’s not true. I was drawn to you from the first minute I saw you, but it scared the shit out of me. You fit so seamlessly with us, and I convinced myself you were too good to be true. I know I fucked up and pushed you away. I hate that I did that. I hate that it hurt you. I realized just how wrong I was the night my runes showed up.” Sabin brushes the back of his hand lightly against my cheek. “I could feel that rightness that you and the others were talking about. I could feel my magic responding and being strengthened by yours. Magic in its basest form is pure, and my magic wants to be tied to yours. That blew all of my doubts and reservations away. It forced me to wake up and see you for what you are.” “What’s that?” I ask quietly. “Ours.”

I get what he’s saying about our magic making it clear what we should do. I felt drawn to these guys before I could make sense of it, and right now with him is no different. “Sabin, how am I supposed to trust this?” I ask earnestly

His arms are wrapped around me as we ride back, and I’m finally close enough to take in the details. I find a silhouette of a deer tucked into the trunks of the trees, and the stars are so life like I almost make a wish on one that’s falling.

“I’ll take you there sometime,” Sabin tells me, catching my intense focus on his sleeve of tattoos. “Where is this?” “It’s here in Solace. It’s somewhere I love to go to just sit and sort things through. You may not know this, but I can be a bit serious and overthink things sometimes. This is my place to sit and make sense of it all.”

I dodge his attempt to manhandle me, and sprint around the corner to escape. I come to a screeching halt when I find a group of familiar and unfamiliar faces rising to their feet in the living room.

“What’s going on?” I ask no one in particular. Keegan is on the opposite end of the couch from Lachlan. Aydin and Evrin are standing in front of armchairs, and Silva is leaning casually against the fireplace. I quickly observe how tense they all are, and it puts me on edge.

“Vinna, I’d like to introduce you to the Elders Council.”

“The Elders accompanied Reader Tearson here,” Aydin offers, finally answering my question.

Lachlan glowers at Elder Balfour. I don’t know what exactly is going on here, but it doesn’t seem friendly, and I feel like I’m missing something.

“Well, I don’t know you, so there’s that,” I offer Elder Cleary. Elder Balfour sputters, seemingly surprised that I’ve spoken and inserted myself in whatever the hell is going on here. A calculating smile appears on Elder Cleary’s face.

Elder Cleary, however, is harder to get a read on. There’s hostility in his presence, but I’m not sure if it’s aimed at me. It’s possible it could have something to do with what happened between his son’s friends and me, but I’m not sure. What’s even more confusing about Elder Cleary is that, aside from the veiled undertone of aggression, he seems incredibly eager about something too. He’s trying to mask that eagerness with the apathetic look on his face, but the gleam that occasionally sneaks out of his gaze is giving him away. Elder Nypan seems nice enough.

“My son mentioned that he had the privilege of meeting you,” he tells me, his smooth cadence piercing the silence. “It seems you left quite the impression on him.” “The encounter was enlightening,” I answer, my voice monotone. He stares at me, seemingly in no hurry to leave. “Yes, I can see what all the fuss is about,” Elder Cleary muses, and a cool mask of satisfaction slides over his face.