Page 97 of Spirit Rites
“I was going through my dad’s belongings.” He pauses, and my heart tugs. I may not have liked his father, but I know what it’s like to lose a parent. He doesn’t say anything else but reaches into his pocket and pulls out what looks like a silk cloth. He unwraps the cloth, and I feel Kaldar go still beside me. I take a step forward to see what it is. It’s a ring, a beautifulone. I recognize the jade right away, but I’m not sure what’s so important about it.
When neither of them say anything, I finally ask, “What is it?”
Evren glances at Kaldar but doesn’t say anything. Kaldar reaches out and picks up the ring and studies it. “It was my mother’s.”
I take this in and then look back at Evren. It takes a moment before it hits me.Oh.Kaldar’s mom’s ring was found inside Vaelor’s home.Oh boy.
Chapter 47
“What else have you found?” Kaldar’s sharp voice cuts through the silence.
“Nothing yet, but I just started last night.”
“Let’s go there now.”
Evren doesn’t balk at the order. He stuffs the cloth back into his pocket and heads out. Kaldar follows right behind him but stops at the screen enclosure. He looks back at me. “Will you come with me?”
I nod, but before we leave the house, he lifts my hand and slides the ring onto my fourth finger. It's a perfect fit. He closes my hand over the ring and then holds my hand as we head outside. It’s still pretty early, so there aren’t a lot of people out yet. I take in the early morning sun reflecting off the water and let the peace of this moment wash over me. “You okay?” Kaldar asks softly, squeezing my hand gently. I lift my gaze to his.
“AmIokay. Are you?” He doesn’t answer, but he does squeeze my hand. Jorren falls into step behind us, and I wonder absently where he even came from.
“Where is—” I don’t get a chance to finish my thought before I’m suddenly tackled. My body hits the ground hard, and the breath shudders from my lungs. There’s shouting around me, and I can’t make sense of what is happening.
“Stay down,” Kaldar says right next to my ear right before the weight is lifted from my body. I lift my head to figure out what’s going on, but I don’t see anything. “Jorren,” Kaldar says in a low voice.
“On it,” Jorren says before disappearing.
Evren and Kaldar don’t move for another few minutes. They both have their weapons out and stand alert and ready for anything. When nothing more comes, Kaldar returns to me. He pulls me to my feet and rubs his hands over my upper arms. “Are you good?” His eyes eyes run over me.
“I’m good.” I eye the arrow in the wooden planks and look up at Kaldar. “How did you know?” It all happened so fast.
He scowls. “I heard the whoosh of the arrow; it’s an unmistakable sound.”
Trying to lighten the mood, I smile up at him. “Well, apparently, I need to hire you for my private security.”
“I’m already your private security,” he all but growls at me. “Nobody touches you.”
I put my hand on his back, feeling the tense muscles there. “I’m fine. Kaldar. Seriously. Let’s keep going.” He eyes me, and I notice how much darker his eyes are. “Come on.” I take his hand, and he lets me pull him forward. We continue our walk, but Evren and Kaldar are both on high alert.
Evren leads us deep into the woods to a small house that seems removed from the other homes. I frown as we walk up to it. All the other homes are full of color and life, but this one is creepy. Evren enters first, and Kaldar goes before me. When I enter, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust. The house just feels dark and depressed. No wonder the man was miserable. Before I can ask what it is we’re looking for, somebody calls my name. I turn back to see Taren and Mae enter the house. Mae waves at me and then hugs me when she gets close. Taren heads down the hallway, and I’m just about to follow but Mae tugs on my arm. “Somebody tried to shoot at you?”
“How did you hear that so fast?”
“Jorren told Taren and sent him here. He and Reika are tracking down the shooter now.”
“Well, we don’t know for sure it was for me,” I throw out.
Mae shakes her head. “Jorren said it was for you. Only Kaldar moving as fast as he did saved you.”
“Oh.”
“Why does all this keep happening?”
The guys all converge back in the small living area before I can answer her. “Anything?” I ask.
Kaldar walks over to me, and I look up to meet his gaze. “We need to meet—the council and my team and Zarreth. We need some answers.”
“And a plan,” I add.
