Page 27 of When Storms Ruin

Isaac turned as we approached, clearly frustrated with Kenna, but happy to see us back safely.

“What happened?” Liss asked, her hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll tell you what happened—” Kenna started, before she was cut off by a cutting glare from Isaac.

Kenna was beautiful, with long black hair that fell to her waist. She was petite and feminine, but something about her demeanor told me it made sense that her shifted form would be a raven.

“Not here,” Isaac spoke as he shook his head, his eyes darting around the room. “It’s not safe.”

Tess and I glanced at each other with alarm, but followed Isaac as he led us up the narrow staircase to a room on the third floor that appeared to be an office. He closed the door behind us, moving to sit behind the desk as we all settled in.

“Isaac, what news?” Liss appeared concerned, and a lump formed in my throat before he even opened his mouth to respond.

“It’s Donika. She’s located a number of resistance members at an alternate safe house. She has held them captive for the past day or so. She agreed to release them if we delivered Diana to her by last night.”

I swallowed down the bile that rose up the back of my throat, my stomach roiling with nausea. We were in the mortal realm last night, with no way for Isaac to even contact us to inform us of Donika’s terms.

“They’re gone,” he confirmed with a slow nod, his eyes trained on the ticking clock that sat atop the mess of papers on his desk.

“There’s nothing we could have done for them,” Liss replied, lifting her chin.

Her words were cold, and they sent a shiver down my spine. Despite her callousness, I knew deep down that she was right. I couldn’t turn myself over to Donika again. There’s no way she would honor her word and release the prisoners or stop the fighting once I was in her custody.

She couldn’t be trusted.

Trying to stage a breakout for the prisoners would have only resulted in even more losses for the resistance.

“Do you know what this means?” Isaac met her eyes across the desk and held them, a silent conversation taking place between them.

Was something going on between the two of them? I hadn’t thought about it before, but the way they were acting now, it felt more intimate than merely two members of the resistance who knew each other. There was something…familiar between them. The tension was palpable.

“It can’t be, we’ve taken every precaution…” Liss shook her head, unwilling to believe what Isaac was insinuating was true.

Nik spoke for the first time since we had entered the room, and his voice was glacially cold as he stepped forwards. “There is a traitor in our midst. The last group of people that Diana saw Donika slaughter, they were innocent civilians. If Donika foundactual resistance members, with all the spells and safety measures we have put in place, someone has betrayed us.”

Isaac nodded in agreement.

“It can’t be,” Liss argued, leaning forwards with her hands on the desk before her. “We have hand-picked all of these members ourselves, I refuse to believe one of them has turned on us.”

“Maybe not turned on us, but never on our side to begin with,” Puck offered from his place by the door. He crossed his arms over his chest. “A spy for Donika.”

Isaac rubbed a hand down his face before turning to meet my gaze. “Your safety is at risk if the location of one of our safe houses has been compromised. We must move you at once and keep your location a secret. Only the council members with the highest clearance will know where you are.”

“And who, exactly, is on this council?” I asked.

“It’s a small contingent. Liss, Zion, Nik, Puck, Warrick, and myself. And now you and Tess, of course.”

“Where will you move us?” I asked.

“We have another safe house in Dragon’s Hollow. It’s much smaller, and empty. Few know about it. It will be only the four of you, Liss and I will remain here as we try to determine who could have leaked information to Donika.” Isaac met my gaze as he nodded to himself.

I swallowed hard. I was anxious to get out of here if there was even aninfinitesimalpossibility that Donika knew where to find us. I didn’t know the members of the resistance, so I wasn’t sure who we could or couldn’t trust, but I trusted Liss and Isaac.

“Only the two of us”—Liss pointed between herself and Isaac—“will know where you are. Do not tell anyone where we are bringing you, do you understand?”

I nodded as I squeezed my pack tighter against my chest, the energy of the book of shadows humming softly against me. Not only did we need to ensure Donika couldn’t find me, but we needed to keep the grimoire out of her reach as well.

“What were you fighting with Kenna about?” I asked.

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