Page 61 of A Warrior's Fate

“They put him in one of the upper wings,” Adrien said. “It’s pretty abandoned and isn’t holding any other patients.”

She’d figured that much.

“Is he okay?”

Sebastian scoffed. “That’s a loaded question.”

She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. “Where were you when this was all happening anyway?”

“Taking care of something for Dad.”

“Like what?”

“You know I can’t tell you.”

Isla pursed her lips. She did know—of course.

As had always been the case and would likely always be—no matter what she achieved in her lifetime—Sebastian would be issued respects she never would be, able to access information she never could. The Imperial Beta’s firstborn, the only true candidate to take the mantle once Adrien took leadership—she couldn’t argue that he hadn’t earned it as he’d claimed earlier. For as conniving and obnoxious as he could be, her brother had completed the Hunt and knew how to use his snake-oil charisma to his—and whoever’s bidding he’d been set on—advantage. And she knew it was used frequently.

“I know that he’s restrained and tranquilized,” Adrien broke in between them. “But his wounds are being taken care of.”

“He’s still restrained?” Isla asked with wide eyes.

“He pulled a knife, Isla.”

“He didn’t hurt anyone.” Her response earned dual doubtful looks, and she sighed, directing back at her friend, “You’re the one who thought he could help us figure out whatever’s going on. Has he said anything at all that gives us an idea about what happened? Or shown any signs that he remembers who he is or why we’re here?”

“I don’t think anyone’s been able to get to him. The order from my father’s been to steer clear.”

At the mention of the Imperial Alpha, Isla blinked and then held back the snarl as Ezekiel’s malice-laced words about her pack’s leader, her best friend’s father, her best friend’s future, rammed into her mind. “Your father knows now?” she asked, and Adrien nodded. “What does he think?”

“That there’s a problem that we don’t understand and that it needs to be taken care of—quickly,” he said. “And he doesn’t want any of it leaving Callisto.”

Perplexity fluttered across Isla’s features. “What does that mean?”

“No one’s to speak of it outside of these pack borders.”

“That sounds…how is that possible? People from all over came to see them re-emerge.” Isla shook her head. “And don’t people know what happened to me in there, to us?”

“We do. Some of Io’s Council do,” Adrien rattled. “The Alpha and Beta of Deimos, and whoever got you out, vaguely, but other than that, no.”

“But I thought there was that alphas’ meeting? To figure out what to do?”

“Apparently, they didn’t talk about the Wilds at all. It just kept the alphas busy while they canvased.”

Isla dropped her gaze down to the blankets beneath her and trailed her eyes along the embroidery as she thought. “They’re trying to cover this up.” The realization hit her in a particular way she didn’t like. “I almost died in there. K—the Alpha of Deimos. Lukas.” His name went through like a shot, and she darted her gaze back up. “What are they going to do with him?” The boys exchanged more wary glances. Isla pressed again, “What are they going to do with him?”

“Valkeric,” Sebastian said, a grimness to his tone.

“You better be talking about a cabin in the mountains and not the prison.” The silence that followed, confirmation of the worst sort, roiled through Isla’s veins. “He’s a victim, not a criminal.”

“It wasn’t an actual plan, just a possibility we heard tossed around,” Adrien attempted to mollify her.

It wasn’t enough to quell the frustration, the ire.

“He has a family,” Isla snapped. “He has a mom, dad, sister, and new nephew who love him and want him to come home. He went into the Wilds, and he killed a bak. He earned what’s his. He deserves to go home and to be a warrior.” A thought that had been simmering since Lukas had emerged, finally boiled to the surface. “And—I—I was with him. That could just as easily be me up there in that room, restrained and tranquilized. Would you let me get thrown into Valkeric?” They both responded with similar answers of vehement disagreement. She settled back, feeling a sense of relief, release, and hope she’d gotten her point across. “So, let’s not let it happen to him. There must be something we can do.”

Sebastian was beaming as he said with mirth and no detectable taunting, “Alright, General, what’s your plan?”

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