"Yes! The true successor to your Pureblood mate." The young man answered.
Ryley's face went pale. His hands instinctively moved toward his abdomen as he staggered backward, shaking his head.
"No..."
The young man stared at him.
"No..." Ryley's fingers curled protectively over his belly. "No, not again."
The young man slowly closed his eyes, gathering what little power remained within him. Then, without warning, he reached through the connection and slipped into Ryley's memories.
He wasn't looking for everything.
He only wanted to see one thing.
What had Ryley thought of first when he heard the words true successor?
The answer came almost instantly.
The young man's breath caught.
He withdrew from Ryley's memories just as quickly, but the strain nearly sent him stumbling. He gasped for air, his chest rising and falling heavily as fragments of the connection continued to flash through his mind.
His gaze slowly lowered to Ryley's trembling hands.
