* * * * *
Varrik opened his eyes and groaned. Light stabbed into his brain, preventing him from identifying his location. His hands and feet were bound, and his wrists were secured to something behind his back. Heat emanated from the bodies pressed against his sides. The faint scent of blood complicated the distinct smell of sweat. He sat against a cool wall, the only thing keeping him upright. Moving his head from side to side, he watched the world swell in and out of focus.
What the hell had happened to him?
He’d been creeping through the maze with Echo and Saebin when… He’d just blinked out. Had Saebin lost control and zapped his mind again? That didn’t account for his new surroundings or the people huddled around him.
Think. Focus. Push through the pain.
He blinked repeatedly, and his eyes responded to his determination. Smooth, matte-gray walls surrounded him, with no adornment, no obvious door. The room was long and narrow. Held in a position identical to his, other men lined the walls. Not just men, hunters and sweepers. His muddled mind gradually identified the other captives. Had his actions somehow triggered this event? How could he assign blame when he didn’t even know where they were?
His gaze landed on one of the men slumped against the opposite wall. Curly blond hair drew his attention, and the man’s unusual clothing made him stare. This man was not from the world below. In fact this was the man who had been kissing Echo the night she was captured.
Kicking out with his bound feet, Varrik jarred the blond’s boots. With a throaty moan, the man shook his head and opened his eyes.
“What’s your name?” Varrik asked.
It took a moment for the blond to figure out who had spoken. “Where am I?”
“I have no idea, but you’re the only one in this room I don’t know.”
Little by little, the other men regained consciousness. Varrik waited for the blond to answer, but he remained silent, his turquoise gaze assessing.
“What’s going on, Commander?” Bryant asked. Despite the fact that he had replaced Bemzire, the lad was likable.
“Does anyone remember being captured?” Varrik asked to the room at large. No one did. “We all have something in common, except for you.” He returned his attention to the blond. “How did a royal bodyguard end up with us?”
The man’s eyes narrowed with speculation. “I’m not a royal bodyguard. What made you think I was?”
“Your tongue was down the throat of one of the princesses when we—” Bryant muttered a curse and looked at Varrik. “Sorry, sir. I’ve always had a big mouth.”
Varrik studied the blond as Bryant’s slip registered. Fury filled his gaze and he jerked against his restraints. “Where is she, you bastard?” the man snarled. “If you’ve so much as touched her, I’ll—”
“Now that’s interesting. We captured two women that night, but you only seem concerned about one.”
“Are they on this ship, too?”
“How do you know this is a ship?”
“I recognize the vibration.” The subtle smirk curving his lips hinted at a deeper meaning.
“My name is Varrik. I returned the royal twins to their parents.” He ignored Bryant’s gasp. “The situation we find ourselves in now has nothing to do with that incident.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because I was with Echo and Saebin when I was captured. We were in the process of averting a war.”
A long pause followed. The blond stared at him as hushed comments passed up and down the line of hunters.
“What war?” Bryant asked, appointing himself spokesman for the others.
“Elder South was ready to move against Elder North. South intended to use the royal twins as an excuse to escalate hostilities.”
“That’s been brewing for longer than I can remember,” someone near the end of the row muttered.
“We fought for the House of Joon during the Great Conflict. We’ve been enslaved by the elders ever since.” Varrik paused for effect before adding, “Is anyone else tired of bowing to laws that only benefit a few?”
“You sound just like your brother,” Bryant told him.
Varrik met his gaze directly, his tone unapologetic. “Sekall was right. The age of Shadow Assassins is past. We need to join the world above.”
“My name is Lor, but I have no idea what I’m doing here.”
“Do you remember anything about your capture?”
“I was in the forest where you snatched Echo, searching for anything the others might have missed. I knew it was futile, but I had to do something.”
“You’re a Mystic?” Varrik asked.
“Master Level mage.”
“What are your abilities?”
Lor tried to hide his smirk and failed. “I can manipulate fire.”
“You’re a pyrokin?” Bryant sounded inordinately interested.
“How is catching the room on fire going to better our situation?” Varrik asked.
With a secretive smile, Lor gaze off into the distance. “Master Tal is still teaching me to control it.” He pulled his hands in front of him. The restraints were still hooked to the wall. “Shapeshifting runs in my family, too.”
Royal Obsession (Shadow Assassins 1) Page 32