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“Illarion?Protecting people?”Valerius lifted an eyebrow.

“Okay… well, maybe that’s a stretch except… when you’re in charge, hedoes,” Caden said with a helpless shrug.“Think about it.He kept his word to you during the War and--despite the amount of times he’s threatened to leave--he’s stayed and is trying to help.In his own way.”

“We would be at each other’s throats if we were connected though,” Valerius said with a hiss of breath through teeth.

“Or since we’d all be connected, warring among ourselves might be something that has too high a price,” Caden suggested.

“That is worse, Caden.Illarion, despite his stupidity, has done many evil things,” Valerius said.“Heisdoing evil things.Not protecting his people, but imprisoning them.I cannot… I do not think I can allow that to stand.So if we are--areconnectedwhen we fight the Behemoth, what aboutafter?”

Caden bit his lower lip.“Yeah, I guess I see your point.But--”

Caden did not get to finish that sentence as Celestine hurried out to him with a phone in her hand.She normally did not hurry.But this time he could almost see her feathers ruffling as she practically ran towards him.

“It is Chione, my kings!”Celestine got out as she laid the phone on the table between them.It was on speaker.

“Caden?Valerius?”Chione sounded breathless as if she had been running with the phone.

“Yes,” he and Caden said practically as one.

“You’re at Valinor?”Chione asked.

Knowing this wasn’t what she needed to know or tell them, Valerius growled, “Yes, what of it?”

“I’m glad!I’m so glad!”And Chione did sound utterly relieved when he had expected her to chide them for avoiding their duties.

“What’s up, Chione?”Caden pressed.

“Landry sent another text,” Chione explained.“And this time her phone hasn’t been shut off.”

“What did the text say?”Caden was practically hunched over the phone now as if getting closer to Chione’s voice meant getting closer to Landry’s whereabouts.

“Just two words,” Chione said, her tone grim, “Wall.”

“Wall?”Valerius repeated.

“Yes.And death.Wall and death,” Chione explained.

“That doesn’t mean anything!”Caden cried.

“Perhaps not, but maybe Landry herself can tell us what she meant,” Chione rushed out, “We’ve tracked her phone’s signal.It’s right by Valinor.Just the next valley over!”

And in the silence that followed Chione’s words, Iolaire repeated its earlier statement about the Behemoth,Close.

Obliteration

“We’ve got to get Landry!”Caden cried, his heart in his throat at the thought of her in the mountains at the mercy of Humans First and the crazed Faith.

“I’m sending you her location,” Chione said over the cell phone.

Valerius and Caden both looked down at the phone.A pin appeared on a map of the area.It looked pretty close to where they were.At least it did on the itty bitty map on Valerius’ phone.

It won’t be that far as the Dragon flies!Caden thought.

He then jumped up from the table, but groaned and curled forward.Valerius immediately was looking up at him in concern.

“I’m okay, just full stomach, moved too fast,” Caden admitted.

Valerius gave him this crooked smile that Caden loved.“Do not worry.Your stomach will soon be much bigger.”