Page 5 of A Court So Dark
“Yes.” I rubbed my chin. “Wherever he is, though, he would maintain communication with Mythorne. Now more than ever.”
The fire crackled while we sat in silence, pondering the possibilities.
“There’s something to be said about trusting no one,” Kryn observed.
Indeed, it seemed the only person my brother had fully trusted was Varamede. The bastard with a death sentence hanging over his head, even if he didn’t know it. It was his magic that had harmed Daniella, and he would pay dearly for it.
I cracked my knuckles in frustration. So many healers, and all of them useless. Only one thing kept me from losing hope entirely: the Envoy’s words. She had said Daniella would be my queen.
I stood abruptly. “We go back then. Finalize the preparations for war. My generals are restless.” I couldn’t expect them to make every decision while I was out here, entangled in a hopeless pursuit.
But I wasn’t giving up. Sooner or later, I would have my revenge. Neither Cardian nor Varamede would get away with what they had done.
“Who comes with me?” I asked as I pulled out my transfer token.
I could take only one other person with me, and then they could come back and get the rest, one at a time. It was a limitation of tokens, one of the reasons we had ridden our horses out here. The other had been the hope of encountering Cardian on the road as he made his escape.
Cylea stood and dusted her bottom. “I’ll do it. I’m dying for a hot bath.”
“No.” Silver shook his head. “She won’t come back for us. She should go last.”
“Of course, I’ll come back for you.” She thought for a moment. “One of you at least, then that person can come back for the rest.”
“That means the last person has to come back for the horses,” Silver pointed out.
“If you don’t make up your minds quickly,” I said, “I will take Stormheart and leave your sorry asses here. The long ride might do you good.” I gave Cylea a sidelong glance.
“Fine, I’ll go second.” Cylea sat back down and elbowed Arabis. “You go first.”
Jeondar shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I vote for Cylea to go last.”
“Hey!” she protested.
Annoyed by their bickering, I stepped up to Kryn—the only one who hadn’t said a word—placed a hand on his shoulder, and willed us into the human realm.
“Wuh, hold on.” Kryn took my arm and steadied himself. “It’s been a while since I’ve done that, and I still don’t like it.” He looked ready to vomit.
We stood in the middle of a solitary forest. It was a place near the city of St. Louis. I had been transferring here for no other reason other than it was close to Daniella’s home. Dry leaves crunched under my feet.
Kryn took a deep breath and looked around. “What if Cardian is hiding here?”
“It’s possible, I suppose. Though, something tells me he is not. He hates to lose, always has. He had time to believe himself king. That loss surely left a bitter taste in his mouth. Soon, he will make a move and reveal his whereabouts.”
“Let’s hope so.” Kryn tightened his grip around my arm and nodded to let me know he was ready for another transfer.
In an instant, we appeared in Daniella’s chamber. We hadn’t been there but a second when Larina zoomed over and hovered directly in front of my face.
Adrenaline flooded me, sending my heart pounding and sharpening my senses.
Something was wrong, terribly wrong.
Kryn took out his sword. He stepped forward, eyes searching for danger, but everything was as I’d left it.
My first concern was for Daniella, but she lay in the same spot, as still as always.
“What is the matter, Larina?” I asked, realizing that my claws had unsheathed of their own accord.
The anger and darkness that fueled Wölfe also pushed to the surface, but I held on tightly to the reins and kept him under control. He had become a part of me, so entangled with my sense of self that it was impossible to tell where I ended and he began. Still, there was a sliver of shadowdrifter power that remained solely under my care. A good thing lest I grow used to murdering everyone who made me mad.
