London Harmony: Squid Hugs (17 page)

Celeste reached his side and grabbed the reins of his mount and urged it to a stop.  We dismounted and I ran over to them as Celeste helped him out of the stirrup and to the ground.  I got to the man I owed my life to and he was barely conscious.  The handsomely rugged man raised a hand up to first cup Celeste's cheek then mine as he rasped out, “My Soras.  I have found you.”

He gasped, then said in a pained voice, “Mother Udele has been... kidnapped.”  The man passed out, leaving Celeste and I staring at him in stunned silence.  Mother Udele?