Chapter 70: Sinking Feeling

River

Something was wrong. River could sense it before the pain even began. He had left the kitchen and headed outside for some fresh air, trying to clear his head, but the more time he spent walking around in the yard, the more he couldn't shake the idea that there was something going on that shouldn't be.

He was standing in the back yard, staring at the forest shrouded in the shadows of day's end when he thought he heard a whisper of a cry for help. It didn't resonate in his ears, though. It was in his head, but not the same way that a mind-link message usually came through. He couldn't even tell who was shouting for him. He just knew that he'd heard his name and the word "help."

And then he'd gotten a sharp pain in his back that almost knocked the breath out of him. It made no sense. He hadn't done anything to injure himself.

Deciding he needed to check on Ellie since she'd headed for home less than an hour ago, River fished his phone out of his pocket, expecting her to decline the