Mind Destroying 3

“—the others?” the captain was demanding. “Or Ireena herself?”

“Just—just sitting there in the midst of it all, sir!” the soldier sobbed. “Staring up at me, like they didn’t even know who I was! Didn’t even recognize their own names when I called!”

“Good gods,” Sevrien whispered. “All right,” he said, and Paldor knew from the shift in volume that he’d turned to face another of his seconds. “Where’s Lieutenant Calran? I need him to—”

“He’s in the hallway, sir,” a third voice intoned, so softly Paldor could barely hear through the speaking tube. “He’s just … sitting there, sir, playing with his sword and giggling like … like a schoolboy.”

Silence fell, save for the frightened, labored breathing on both ends of the tube.

***

Agents of Artifice, Chapter 22