Nisha's expression changed. Not dramatically, like the way people do in stories when they hear something terrible. It was smaller than that. The slight loosening of her jaw, the way her eyes went from suspicious to something else entirely.
"What do you mean you can't summon your spirit?"
"I mean exactly what I said." My voice came out steadier than I felt, which was a small mercy. "I tried to summon Maggie. Nothing happened. I tried to force it. Nothing. I tried to enter my soul plane and there's..." I paused, trying to find the words. "There's something between me and the Nave. Like a cold and massive wall. I can feel my soul plane out there but I can't reach it."
Nisha stared at me. Then she looked at her obsidian beast, which was still flaring its tentacles about like nothing in the world was wrong.
"Try again."
"I just tried..."
"Try again, Cade."
Something in her tone made me obey without argument. I closed my eyes, reached inward, and pushed toward the Nave.
