“We have no idea where the ludrako’s made its lair,” I exclaim.
“No, but we better figure it out,” Barowalt growls. “We don’t have much time to find them.”
Pacing, Hallgrave asks, “But how? Where do we start?”
“If we knew where to find the beast, we wouldn’t have been biding our time here all winter,” Rogert adds.
I glance at the sky. The clouds are on fire with the glow of the impending sunset, and the vineyards and fields beyond the gardens are gold. We only have an hour or so before dusk.
Fear grows in my chest, its icy fingers stretching through my veins, threatening to make me worthless. I fight the feeling back. If we’re to find Milly and Letta, I have to keep a level head.
“We have to go to Grace,” I say. “She’s the only one that may have found enough information on the ludrako to know where its lair might be.”
Keven shakes his head. “If she knew, she would have already told us.”
His newly-dark hair still makes me uncomfortable, and I don’t quite meet his eyes. “If you have a better idea, by all means…”
We stand in tense silence for several moments.
“Fine,” Barowalt says. “Let’s ride to the castle.”
I want to tell him to stay here, to be careful not to overexert himself. But I can only imagine what his wrath would be if I did.
We reach the castle in record time, but Grace isn’t in her quarters, and she’s not in the library. Finally, we find Javid in the practice yard.
“Where’s Grace?” I demand, out of breath.
He’s startled by our abrupt entrance, and he has to think for a moment. “I believe she mentioned she was going to walk to the lake this afternoon. Why? What’s happened?”
Keven, Rogert, and Barowalt stay to explain the situation to Javid, but Irving and I mount our horses and ride through the castle’s gate, off toward the nearby lake.
The sun is just sinking behind the horizon when we find Grace on the dusty road, sketchbook clutched under her arm, walking toward the castle, lost in her own world.
With as oblivious as she is, it’s fortunate she wasn’t kidnapped as well.
“Grace!” I holler, and her head jerks up.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’ll explain on the way back to the castle.” I hold my hand out to her, offering to help her onto the back of my horse.
The duchess’s eyes widen when she realizes what I mean for her to do, and she takes several steps back, shaking her head. “No, I don’t particularly like horses…”
“Grace!”
Irritation flickers in her eyes, but it’s quickly replaced with determination. She strides to my mare, half-terrified. After several attempts to swing herself up, she cries out in frustration. Finally, Irving hops from his own horse and holds his hands out, offering her a step up. With me yanking on her arm and Irving boosting her foot, she’s finally able to find her seat.
“This better be an emergency,” she hisses in my ear.
“It is.” I kick my horse back the way we came and warn, “Hold on.”
Like bars of iron, her arms clamp around my waist.
“Don’t fall off,” I call over my shoulder.
“I’m trying not to!”
I tell her of Milly and Letta’s disappearance as we ride. As soon as we reach the castle, Grace half-slides, half-falls from my horse.
Javid looks shocked that I convinced her to ride, and he reaches out to steady her. It takes her several moments to find her legs, but as soon as she does, she’s hollering for us to follow her to the library. Irving’s at my side, and our knights and Barowalt are right behind us.
Grace practically runs through the halls, and people stop to gawk at her, surprised that the duchess is moving at a pace that is anything but dignified.
She bursts into the library and goes straight for a large, teetering stack of books and parchments on her desk. Apparently she hasn’t cleared the area yet. She thumbs through them, murmuring titles and thoughts as she goes.
“Do you have any idea where the lair is?” I bite my thumbnail.
Irving, seeing my distress, pulls my hand away from my mouth and winds his fingers through mine. I lean into him, grateful he’s here.
The knights finally show up behind us. Barowalt’s face is twisted with pain, and he sinks to a nearby bench as soon as he walks through the doors.
“No.” Grace’s eyes flicker to mine. “But I was able to find more information on the ludrako when I last visited Constelita.”
Finally, she finds the book she’s looking for and whips it open, flipping pages until she locates the one she’s marked.
“They make their lairs in wooded, rocky areas,” she summarizes as she runs her finger down the text. “They stay close to freshwater sources such as lakes, and they prefer warmer regions, so I think it’s safe to say it will make its home near the coast where the elevation is lower.”
I cross my arms. I’m not sure how any of this really helps.
“Now,” she says, shoving the book aside. “We just need to look at a map and see how many areas fit this description.”
She unrolls a map that’s leaning against the desk and slaps it on a nearby table. With a charcoal stick in hand, she begins circling places on the thick parchment.
“No, not that one,” Javid says, leaning next to her. “It’s a lake near the coast, but it’s not wooded.”
Grace nods, undaunted, and crosses out the one she just circled.
Together, they go through the map. Grace’s hand hovers as she searches, and then her fingers stop abruptly. She turns to Javid. “Did I circle that one?”
His brow furrows, and he examines it closer. “No. It’s not even the same charcoal stick.”
I shove my way in to see what they’re speaking of.
A previous, hastily drawn circle marks an area just like Grace spoke of—a lake at the base of a ridge, near the forest’s edge.
“How far is that?” I ask.
“Several hours,” Javid says.
Grace looks up, worried. “Why would that have been circled? No one comes in here but me and you.” She lowers her voice. “You don’t think it’s a trap, do you?”
I stare at the area, somehow knowing it’s where we’ll find Milly and Letta.
“I don’t know,” I answer. “But someone wants us there.”
“What if that someone is hoping to lead us astray?” Barowalt demands.
Everyone stares at me, waiting for me to make the decision.
I rub my temples, thinking. My responsibility seems so much heavier now that Milly and Letta are involved.
“How many other options are there?” I ask Grace.
“Seven that fit the exact description from the book…probably hundreds that are similar.”
That makes up my mind.
“We’re going to the area that was already circled,” I decide.
The men look uneasy, but they nod.
Javid yanks Grace into his arms, playing dashing, and kisses her square on the mouth. With a quick smile, he says, “I’ll be late tonight. Don’t wait up for me.”
“I don’t care how late you are,” she says. “Just be sure you come back.”
Irving squeezes my hand, and I turn away from the couple.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay here with Grace?” he whispers just loud enough I can hear him. “No one would think less of you.”
I shake my head. “No. I’ve trained for this my whole life, and Milly’s my dearest friend. I’m going.”
He doesn’t try to talk me out of it. Brushing his thumb over my knuckles, he nods.
After Javid and Grace say their goodbyes, Irving slides his drachite sword from its sheath and hands it to Javid. “You’ll need a weapon that stands a chance of slaying the beast, and I’m better with my bow.”
Javid’s eyebrows shoot up when his eyes land on the ugly blade. He grins as he accepts it and holds it up to inspect further. �
��You weren’t joking. This is the most hideous sword I’ve seen in my life.”
I glance at Barowalt, wondering how he’s faring. He’s the only one of us without a drachite weapon. Even though Milly’s in the beast’s clutches, he’s in no shape to fight.
“I’m coming,” he says when he sees the pitying look I’m giving him.
We all begin to protest, but he holds up a hand, silencing us like the regal king he is. “I’ll hang back on my horse, but I’m not going to sit here and wait.”
Stubborn fool.
As if reading my mind, a wry smile flashes across his face.
Shaking my head and waving a casual goodbye to Grace, like this is just a quick trip and we’ll be back by morning, I lead my men from the library and into the night.
***
Two hours after dark is possibly the worst time to infiltrate the lair of a massive, nocturnal armored wolf, but we’re certainly not going to wait around until dawn.
The lake is neither small nor large but somewhere in between. Clouds shift overhead, occasionally letting the moon shine down to light our way. Most of our ride has been in the twilight hours, but now, even the western horizon is as black as pitch. Huge boulders line the lake, one time fallen from the gradually sloping ridge to the north of us. It’s almost impossible to find a route the horses can navigate.
On all other sides of the lake, the shore is thick with trees and brush.
I’m uneasy. I feel as if there are eyes on us, but I don’t know if my senses are picking up on something that’s truly lurking, or if I’ve spooked myself.
The others are tense as well, and we haven’t spoken since we neared the lake.
Keven holds up his hand, silently getting our attention, and then he points to a dark area toward the side of the cliff.
He’s found our cave.
Without a word, Barowalt holds back as we move forward, just as he said he would. It’s probably killing him, but he knows if he were to go in with us, he’d only be a liability. Since Milly and the child are his top priority, he waits.
We dismount, leaving the horses in a grassy, weeded area near the mouth of the cave.
Keven and Rogert take position in the front, swords drawn. Javid and I follow, and Hallgrave and Irving take the rear. Stealthy as possible, we take our time moving forward, careful of rocks, stalagmites, and holes in the uneven cavern floor.
The cave smells musty, and the air is heavy. Lying underneath the usual cavern aroma is the encouraging odor of wet dog.
Every hair on my arms stands on end, and my skin prickles as the cool, damp air seeps under my armor. Not only am I wary of finding the beast, I am half-expecting an ambush. I wish we could light torches, but that would only alert others to our presence.
We walk for what seems like hours, but at the snail’s pace we’re moving at, we’ve probably made very little progress. As we venture from the lake, the air becomes slightly drier, still damp but dustier.
My nose itches as the dog scent intensifies.
I squint in the dark. Up ahead, it almost looks as if there’s a dim glow, but my eyes may be playing tricks on me. We continue to inch forward, and the light grows brighter. When we get close enough that we can see each other’s silhouettes in the dark, Keven and Rogert flatten themselves to the cave wall and continue on. We all do the same, moving at a cautious but slightly quicker pace now that we can somewhat see the obstacles in front of us.
Rogert is the first to peer into the lit cavern. He creeps forward, half-crawling, half-squatting on the ground like a frog. He hides behind a boulder and peers around it. He makes a frantic motion back to us with his hand.
He’s spotted them. After several moments, he makes his way back to Keven. They have a conversation that’s so quiet, I can’t even hear their whispered words. Keven passes the message to Javid, who then turns to me.
“Milly’s tied up off to the side,” he whispers. “But there’s no sign of Letta or anyone else.”
“What of the creature?” I ask.
Javid shakes his head.
After several moments of hushed conversation passed along from person to person, it’s decided that Keven, Rogert, and Javid will go in first and Irving and Hallgrave will linger here, ready to shoot if necessary.
We wait, but nothing happens. Eventually, Milly must have spotted them because she lets out a muffled squeal that sends hope washing over me because I now know she’s alive. At the same time, I’m terrified of what they might have done to her.
With no sign of imminent danger, Hallgrave, Irving, and I rush into the cavern.
Keven’s already undoing the ropes holding Milly to a tall stalactite that hangs from the ceiling, and Rogert unties a gag from around her mouth. A lone torch burns nearby, but except for us and Milly, the cavern is empty.
“Where’s the beast?” Rogert asks as soon as he pulls the fabric from her mouth.
She chokes back a sob, but she puts on a brave face. “You just missed him. I’m sure he sends his best.”
“I’m so glad you’re all right!” I crush her to me, so relieved she seems to be uninjured.
“They’re going after the blessing.” Milly urgently pushes me back. “Kidnapping me was a distraction to lead you farther from Asher’s land.”
I freeze, horrified.
Milly may have been scared, but now she’s livid. “And Audette, you were right.”
“About what?” I pull the torch from its makeshift stand and am already heading toward the passage that will take us back to the lake.
We don’t have time to linger.
“It’s Giselle.” Milly spits the name out.
The men are obviously shocked, but now’s not the time to rub it in that I was right. Later, though. Later.
“Did they take Letta with them?” I ask. “Is she all right?”
We’re able to move at a much swifter pace now that we have a light.
Something about Milly’s silence makes me pause. I turn back to find Milly’s face is twisted, and her eyes brim with tears.
“What is it?” I ask.
Surely Giselle wouldn’t have hurt the girl. She’s just a child. Innocent in all of this.
Milly motions us forward, knowing we can’t stop. “She’s with them.”
“We’ll get her back,” I promise.
With a choked sob, Milly yanks my arm, making me look at her. “No. She’s with them.”
“She’s part of it?” I breathe.
How is that possible?
“The gypsy is working with Giselle,” Milly says. “She sprung him from the prison to make it look as if he were the wizard behind the whole thing. He orchestrated the mirage that the girl from Vallen Harbor witnessed. They set us up.” Milly pauses. “Letta is his daughter.”
She’s not an orphan at all. She lied to us…so did the orphanage. How much did Giselle have to pay them to do that? And why?
“We have to keep moving,” Keven says.
I nod, still stunned, and we continue on.
“Letta’s been spying on us this entire time.” Milly trips but rights herself before she falls face first on the rock-lined ground. “And it was Giselle who told her to ask me to take her on a picnic. She had all this planned.”
The beast attacked the night I ran away to marry Irving in Vallen Harbor…after Irving told Letta where we were going. And Letta knew Barowalt and Milly were visiting Aunt Camilla the other evening when Giselle pretended to sneak from Irving’s chambers.
The thought of it makes me ill.
“But why? Giselle has all she wants. She’s killed off everyone in line for the throne—she’s going to be the Queen of Ptarma. What does she care about the blessing now? Why not let them be? Why draw more attention to herself?”
“Payment to the beast for services rendered,” Javid says darkly.
“That,” Milly says, “and Giselle hates Audette. What happened between you two in the hall this morning?”
I wrinkle my nose. In retrospect, it
probably wasn’t wise to antagonize the woman who controls the beast that has the power to decimate the unicorns I’ve been charged with protecting.
“It’s not important right now,” I answer.
The unicorns are sitting ducks.
There haven’t been any attacks in over a month. Asher’s not expecting it, and why would he be? The silly things are probably out grazing right now, completely oblivious to the creature that stalks them as we speak.
“How did they find the location of the blessing?” Hallgrave asks. “We’ve been careful to keep that information from the girl.”
“I don’t know,” Milly says. “But I overheard them say they were going to attack while you were all out looking for me.”
“Other than the gypsy, did she have any men working with her?” Keven asks.
“Five or six guards? I’m not positive.”
We reach the mouth of the cave, and Milly steps out. She jumps back when she sees the silhouetted figure of a man on horseback almost hidden in the nearby trees, but when she realizes it’s Barowalt, she races toward him.
He has his bow at the ready, prepared to protect us from someone who might sneak in the cave behind us. Now he balances it on the back of his horse and climbs down from the saddle.
The moment Milly’s in his arms, she begins to cry. He clings to her, holding her like his life depends on it. Tears prick my eyes. I blink them away, pretending it’s just an itch.
I stride toward Barowalt. Hating to interrupt them but knowing I have no choice, I say, “The beast is going to attack the blessing.”
“When?” he demands.
“Now.”
He nods, solemn. “Go. I’ll take Milly to the villa.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” I whisper, suddenly realizing I’m in over my head.
Meeting my eyes, he says, “You’re ready. I know you can do this.”
Choking back my panic, I nod.
I wish I were as sure as he is.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
It’s well into the wee hours of the morning when we arrive at Asher’s estate. The clouds have cleared out, and the moon shines on the sea. The only noise besides the breeze blowing over the grass is the gentle, rhythmic sound of waves lapping at the rocky shore.
Audette of Brookraven (The Eldentimber Series Book 4) Page 22