Page 62 of In The Shadows

“Four. Dead. Queen.” He stares at me, clutching my arms.

His fingers dig into my skin.

“One is alive,” he pants.

Shock overtakes me.

One survived?And we got to him before the nobu attacked?

“Where is he?” I ask urgently.

Hiram stands to his full height, finally catching his breath.

“Marcus and Silas have him. They are bringing him to The Keep for medical aid. It’s hard to tell in the torchlight, but he’s covered in either blood or the red sap of the bloodwoods. He keeps losing consciousness. They have to carry him,” Hiram replies.

The thread around my heart vibrates softly as if a hand is gliding across it.

Thank the gods!Our prayers have saved one.

“He may need a physician. We should go get one,” I say, turning to Nyx.

His eyebrows are so furrowed they are almost one.

“I’ll handle it. Meet us in the throne room. We’ll need Asher for this,” Nyx says.

I look at my general and captain, whose faces both tense with concern.

“Of course. I’ll go ready the king,” I reply, stepping away and opening a portal to go prepare the Umbra Brutus.

Moments later, Nyx’s stern orders echo in the stone hallway, and I hurry toward him. We nearly collide at the corner as he darts around it.

“How is he?” I inquire about our miracle Lux guard.

I notice what looks like blood on Nyx’s shirt, and I feel the color drain from my face. Was he injured while trying to get the guard back to The Keep?

“It’s the sap from the bloodwood trees,” he reassures, “they bled everywhere. The forest ground is saturated with it. It’s so strange. They have never done that before,” he notes.

Just then, shouts come from the entrance of The Keep, announcing my guards’ return with the captured intruder. We round the corner to watch as they carry the guard under his arms through the hallway as his limp legs drag behind. His clothes are tinted red, and his brown hair is matted. His head bobs back and forth as they carry him toward the open doors of the throne room.

I watch intently as they pass when, suddenly, the limp guard’s head lolls to the side, and I catch a glimpse of ...no. No.No.No.

Theo.

It can’t be him.They wouldn’t send their captain to die!

Panic floods my body, and I can’t think.

I can’t breathe!

My vision goes black at the edges and tunnels. All I see is him.

My shadows rage within me as my entire body begins to shake. Darkness erupts, swallowing me whole. The air sparks as I give into it.

Strong hands slam me into the stone wall.

“What’s going on, Lily?” The question is muffled as if I’m underwater—all noises drowned out by the void engulfing me.

All I can do is stare at my guards standing frozen near the throne room door with Theo’s unconscious body dangling from their arms.

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