I shifted as I leapt, my cry of outrage turning into a howl, mind a frenzy when I barreled into him.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Two kind words from Monroe and I’d walked right into an ambush.
Ethan’s fingers twisted in the fur at my chest, shoving me away so my fangs snapped just short of his throat. He spewed curses as he writhed beneath me. I wrenched free of his grasp, but before I could tear into his unprotected flesh, someone else slammed into my back.
Arms and legs wrapped around my torso, clinging tightly, refusing to let go. I snarled and bucked, twisting my head around as I tried to free myself of this new assailant. I couldn’t get a good look at the attacker nor could I manage to sink my teeth into the arm locked around my chest. A deep masculine whoop and the sound of laughter only fueled my rage. I crow-hopped and whirled in a circle, desperate to throw him off.
The laughter was coming from Ethan, who’d jumped to his feet and was watching me struggling with a satisfied smirk on his face.
“Ride ’em, cowboy! Only eight seconds, Connor, and you’re golden,” he said. “You’ve already made it to five.”
“Stop this!” Monroe loomed up between me and Ethan. “Calla, I gave you my word. You aren’t in danger here. Connor, get off her.”
I thrashed as the rumble of Connor’s laughter rippled through my back. “But Monroe, this is almost a new record for me.”
“Welcome to Wolf Rodeo.” Ethan was laughing so hard he’d bent over, hands resting on his knees so he wouldn’t fall.
“I said stop.” Nothing in Monroe’s voice was amused.
I was so startled when Connor slid off me that I continued to buck and nearly tumbled over.
“Whoa there, sleeping beauty.” I whipped around to find Connor grinning at me. I had no trouble remembering him: the other Searcher who’d ambushed Shay and me at the library. And he’d been at Rowan Estate as well, scooping up Shay—unconscious and a wolf—and whisking him away from Bosque’s onslaught of wraiths, succubi, and incubi. I shuddered, both at the memory of the horde and at the sick dread I still felt at not knowing what had happened to Shay.
Unlike Ethan, whose gaze had made me certain he wanted to stick a knife in my gut as much as I wanted to sink my teeth into his throat, Connor was working hard not to laugh. With that expression he looked boyishly appealing, even a little innocent, but I recalled too well the way he could wield swords. Two swords, curving sabers like Monroe’s, were sheathed at his waist at this very moment. I snarled at him, backing slowly away from the three Searchers.
“Not a morning person, are we?” Connor smiled. “I promise we’ll get you some breakfast, wolfie. You just can’t eat Ethan. Deal?”
“Calla.” Monroe was walking toward me, shaking his head. “We aren’t your enemies. Please give me a chance.”
I met his dark eyes, which had locked on me, intense and a little fearful. Pulling my gaze off Monroe, I glanced at Ethan and Connor. They’d taken flanking positions behind Monroe, but neither had drawn a weapon. Conflicting impulses paralyzed me. All my instincts were screaming to attack, but the Searchers had only acted defensively. And they weren’t trying to hurt me now.
Still uneasy, I shifted forms.
“I like her better this way, don’t you?” Connor murmured with a sideways glance at Ethan, who only grunted.
“What are they doing here?” I pointed at the other two men but spoke to Monroe. “I thought you said I’d be safe with you.”
“They’re members of my team,” Monroe answered. “And you’ll be working closely with them. You can trust them just as you can trust me.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “No way. These two have tried to kill me more than once.”
“No more fighting now that we’re on the same team,” Connor said. “Scout’s honor.”
“Like you were ever a Boy Scout.” Ethan’s smile was there and gone in less than a second. “Besides, she just tried to tear my throat out!”
“Ethan.” Monroe spared him a stern glance.
But Ethan’s hostility offered me more reassurance than Monroe’s promises or Connor’s jibes; at least Ethan’s threats made sense. These were Searchers and I was a Guardian. What could we offer each other besides bloodshed?
“Calla,” Monroe said. “Our worlds are changing faster than you can imagine. Forget what you think you know about us. We can help each other. We all want the same things.”
I didn’t respond, wondering what exactly he thought I wanted.
“Will you come with us?” he asked. “Will you hear what I have to say?”
Pulling my eyes off him, I looked up and down the curving hall. Nothing was familiar. If I ran, I wouldn’t know where I was going. At least I could keep an eye out for an escape route while I was following Monroe around.
“Fine,” I said.
“Fantastic!” Connor laughed. “No more fighting! I guess that means we’re bosom buddies now? Very nice.”
With that he looked pointedly at my chest.
“She’s a wolf,” Ethan snapped. “That’s twisted.”
“Not at the moment,” Connor said, not moving his gaze and taking a few steps closer. As he drew near, I caught the scent of cedar and violet tinged with the aroma of coffee. The mixture was familiar—one I’d been close to before. I snarled and jumped back, shaking away the new cloud of memories forming in my mind.
“Are you sure she’s an alpha?” Connor asked, tucking me against his chest when I stirred. “She doesn’t look that tough.”
“You have a selective memory, moron,” Ethan snapped. “Just because she’s a pretty blonde now doesn’t mean the wolf is gone.”
“Silver lining, man.” Connor laughed. “Gotta live in the moment. And in this moment there is one fine-looking girl in my arms.”
“Stop talking about her like I’m not here!” Shay yelled.
“Oh, horrors, I’ve angered the Great One,” Connor said. “Will I ever gain his forgiveness?”
“Don’t push the boy, Connor,” Monroe said. “We’re nearly at the rendezvous point.”
“Sorry, boy.” Connor smirked.
“That’s it.” Shay snarled and I heard the scuffle of feet.
“Whoa!” Ethan’s body loomed in front of me. “Can’t let you do it, kid.”
“That’s enough,” Monroe said. “There’s the portal. Just go.”
I tried to move again, squinting to see more of my surroundings. The air seemed to sparkle; cold gave way to warmth. Connor’s arms tightened around me as I slipped into unconsciousness again.
Staring at Connor’s puckish smile, I knew I’d seen it before—even if the memory was fuzzy. He returned my gaze, eyes sparkling with mischief. I balled my fist, gauging whether I’d get the most satisfaction out of hitting him in the gut—or just a bit lower. If he wanted to avoid a fight, he’d need to bite his tongue around me.
But Monroe got there first. “Back off, Connor. She could use a little adjustment before she has to deal with your sense of humor.”
“Sir, yes, sir!” Connor stood at attention, but he was laughing.
I was back to being confused. Ethan grunted, still eyeing me warily, but he didn’t make a move. Apparently they weren’t looking for a fight. Having encountered these men only when I was trying to kill them, I couldn’t make heads or tails of their strange, casual banter. Who were these people?
“Anika’s expecting us in Tactical,” Monroe said, not quite masking his own laugh with a clearing of his throat. He turned away and headed down the hall. “Let’s go.”
I practically had to trot to keep up with him. I still wasn’t comfortable with Connor and Ethan at my back. It took a lot of willpower to keep from looking over my shoulder at them, if only to bare my teeth in warning.
The farther we walked, the more confused I became. The hallway curved constantly; we passed many doors, but no corners or turns. Whatever this place was, it seemed to be circular, all of it flooded with sunlight, brightening every minute as morning blossome
d into day. I had to blink against the light, which glittered in the air. Even the walls were sparkling. Tiny veins of multi-hued crystals ran through the marble floors and walls, slicing through the surfaces in rivers of color that joined with sunbeams to fill the space with ghostly rainbows. The hypnotic patterns of light held my focus, so when Monroe came to an abrupt stop, I just avoided smacking into him.
We’d reached a point where the curving hallway was interrupted by a broad open chamber with new paths that led off to our right and left. The path on our left, which headed into what must have been the center of the building, wasn’t a hall but glass doors that opened onto a bridge of the same marble. My eyes followed the carved stone walkway and I lost my breath at what I saw. The walls dropped away to reveal an immense courtyard below. It must have been fifty, maybe sixty feet to the ground.
Looks like Monroe was telling the truth about the windows.
The courtyard was filled with . . . glass houses and gardens? They looked like gardens, but there weren’t any growing plants. Then again, it was almost winter. Or was it? How long had I been here?
I looked up and saw that unlike the hallway we’d followed to this point, the courtyard opened up to the sky itself. On the other side of the glass doors, thin flakes of snow drifted lazily to the dark earth below.
A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped.
“Business first.” Monroe was smiling. “I promise you’ll have a tour later.”
“Right,” I said, following him down the hall to our right. A blush bit into my cheeks, and I hoped I hadn’t looked too dumbstruck when I’d been ogling the building.
This new hall was much wider than the one we’d come from, and unlike the first hall it was straight. There were doors on my right and left and two solid wooden ones directly ahead of us. When we reached them, I gasped. Carved in each tall surface was the alchemical symbol for earth—the same triangle that had marked Haldis Cavern on the pages of The War of All Against All.
“She’s done her homework,” Connor said. “Silas will be thrilled.”
Monroe and Ethan ignored him and I bit my lip, trying to remember that I needed to keep my reactions hidden. But all such thoughts fled when Monroe pushed open the doors. We walked into a great room with a single table in the center. It was round and massive, like something that had been lifted out of King Arthur’s court. The walls were lined with books—old and leather bound, like those we’d hunted through at Rowan Estate. The similarity was enough to set my teeth on edge.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw two people standing near a set of bookshelves, talking quietly as they looked over the titles on the spines. And one of the two people was someone I knew. And loved.
Shay’s head tilted as he listened to the girl with him. She looked about my age and had large liquid brown eyes half veiled by wisps of mahogany hair that had escaped from the thick knot caught with a metal clasp at the back of her neck. The girl was the first Searcher I’d seen who wasn’t armed to the teeth, though, like the others, she was dressed in fierce apparel: heavily worn leather pants, thick-heeled boots, and a close-cut tunic of undyed linen. Clothes just like those I was now wearing. Slung low on her hips was a wide belt, from which two strange, slender metal spikes hung. I couldn’t puzzle out what they were. About two feet long, they looked like skinny, bright silver railroad ties that tapered to needle-sharp points. In one hand she held a sheaf of folded papers, which she tapped rhythmically against her thigh.
I bristled when I saw her other hand resting on Shay’s arm. Jealousy’s bite startled me, and its teeth sank in deeply. I didn’t want any other girl touching him. He was mine.
Shay lifted his head as if he’d heard my thoughts. But when he turned, I realized that he’d recognized my scent. The thought made my skin hum and I found myself running to meet him, casting the dark-haired girl a menacing look as I pushed past her.
“Calla!” Shay said, reaching for me. “Are you all right?”
My heart was beating too fast and I could barely catch my breath. I’d been afraid I might not see him again. That neither of us would live through this ordeal.
I started to nod just as my legs gave out, but Shay was there. His arms caught my waist as I collapsed. I clung to him, knowing that he was as strong as I was now. I could crush him in my grip without fear that I might hurt him. Shay tightened his arms around me and I pressed closer. One of his hands came up and cradled my head against his chest, his lips brushing the crown of my hair.
Shay. Shay. I took a deep breath. His scent, the scent of spring, warm and hopeful as the sunlight that filled this place, poured through me.
Burying my fingers in his hair, I pulled his face to mine. I could taste his surprise, sweet and bright, when I kissed him. The sweetness turned to warmth, then heat as his mouth trailed over my cheek.
“Calla,” he whispered, catching my earlobe in his teeth—a wolfish gesture that made me nuzzle his neck affectionately. Mine. He is mine.
“It was killing me that I couldn’t be with you,” he said, pulling back so he could look at me. “God, it’s good to see you.”
Connor whistled, and the girl’s curious gaze sparkled with mischief. Despite my relief at Shay’s presence, I silently cursed the momentary lapse in caution. I should know better. This wasn’t a private reunion. Our every move was being observed. I’d missed Shay, every ounce of my being ached with wanting to touch him from the moment I laid eyes on him, but I didn’t need the Searchers to know that. I forced steadiness into my muscles, wriggling out of his embrace.
“I’m fine, Shay,” I said, trying to ignore the wrench of loss I felt now that he wasn’t holding me. “For the most part. A little confused.”
“That’s why we’re here,” Monroe said, coming toward us. “Shay, I trust you’re well.”
“I’m better now,” he said, not taking his eyes off me. My toes curled as he ignored my attempt to distance myself and pulled me back into an embrace.
“I’m pleased that Calla has made a full recovery too,” Monroe said. “It would have been tragic if we’d lost her.”
I barked out a harsh laugh. “Lost me? I seem to remember being shot by him.” Ethan didn’t flinch when I threw an accusing glare his way before looking back at Monroe. “And that you knocked me out.”
He nodded, offering an apologetic smile. “We needed to know more about who you were before we knew if you could be an ally.”
I cast him a suspicious glance.
“And we did everything in our power to ensure that you recovered swiftly.”
This time it was Shay who snorted. “Yeah, like I have any reason to trust your healers.”
I turned in his arms to look at him. “Healers?”
My memories of the time between the battle at Rowan Estate and waking here were jumbled at best, terrifying at worst. It was obvious something had healed me, but I didn’t remember when my wounds had been treated.
“I don’t know what they did to you.” He shot an angry look at Monroe, who shrugged.
“The bolts kept her under for a long time,” Monroe said. “That’s what they’re designed to do. Our healers made sure all the toxins were removed from her blood. There shouldn’t be any lingering effects.”
I howled, struggling across the floor to his side. Each step was agony. The crossbow bolts still protruded from my chest. The blood in my lungs was slowly drowning me.
When I reached him, I shifted forms, buried my hands in his fur, and shook his shoulders.
“Shay! Shay!” Even as I clung to him, I could feel strength ebbing from my limbs.
“Enchanted bolts; hope you’re enjoying the ride.” Ethan’s gravel-rough voice drew my eyes to the side. He had the crossbow trained on me once more. “Are you the one who turned him?”
My chest was on fire, my vision blurred. I nodded and slumped to the floor, rolling alongside Shay.
My fingers flew to my chest again, which had tightened at the memory, at the thought of bolts piercing my flesh.
Kept me under?
“How long?” I whispered.
“What?” Shay had put his hand over mine, curling my fingers in his own.
“How long was I out?” I asked. “How long since we left Vail?”
“About a week,” he said.
A week. In some ways it didn’t sound like much time at all. But when I thought of what could have happened to my pack in a week, what could have happened to them in a matter of hours once my flight from the union had been discovered, it sounded like an eternity.
And Ren. What had they done to him? He’d lied so we could escape the pursuing Bane pack, and there was no way the Keepers hadn’t discovered that treachery.
I trembled and Shay tightened his grip on me, but in my mind I was in the arms of someone else.
Ren’s voice seemed to come from right behind me.
“I don’t know how to believe you. Any of this. What else is there? This is who we are.”
“That doesn’t make it right. You know I wouldn’t abandon my pack unless I had to,” I said quietly. “Unless it was the only way to help them.”
His eyes met mine, strained and uncertain.
“We don’t have much time,” I said. “How did you get ahead of the others?”
He glanced in the direction from which we’d come. “There was an uproar when they found Flynn’s body, but I caught your scent and took off. The rest of them were still regrouping. My father’s pack. The elder Banes.”
He tensed and cold flooded my limbs.
“What about the Nightshades?” I asked.
“They’re being held for questioning.”
“What happened in Vail?” I had to pull away from Shay, needing to get my bearings.
No one answered me, and I fought off a chill like the one I’d felt the night of our escape.
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