The heat came off the wall in long waves, and each wave pushed the air out of Calen’s chest a little more.
He could not reach her. The wall stood between them, bright and roaring, and the outer rope was on the wrong side of it.
So he did what he had done in the cistern drill on Day 30, when the water was up to Dorran’s chin. He raised his voice and let it carry.
“Nell.”
Her head came round. Her face was white at the edges, and her hand was still closed.
“Listen to me. Do not cast. Not now.”
He took a breath, and the heat took half of it.
“Your channels are turned. Any cast you make now goes back through your Hollow channels. It goes into you.”
