My stomach knotted. “Please tell me he has not discovered where Callum is.”
“As far as I know, he hasn’t,” Emil replied. “We know where he is.”
I frowned. “Then he’s not missing.”
“Yeah, I never said he was.” Emil jerked his chin at Reaver. “That one did.”
Reaver lifted a shoulder.
“So, where is he?” The options were limitless, as was why his presence in any of those locations could be concerning.
“He’s on the Cliffs of Sorrow.”
My gaze shot to Attes. “What?”
“That’s where he is,” the Primal said.
I stared at him.
“He’s been going up there a lot,” Attes added, and fuck if that didn’t shock me again. “I considered checking in on him but thought twice about it. He’s going to say something that irritates me, and I didn’t want to end up having to punch my great-grandson.”
“I don’t see a problem with that,” Reaver commented. “He could benefit from several punches.”
“Good luck to the fool who carries out thatbenefit,” Emil murmured. “Don’t think it’ll be the Dark Lord who ends up bruised and bloody.”
“You all need to stop calling him the Dark Lord,” I bit out, unfolding my arms.
“Why?” Emil laughed, but it wasn’t his normal deep laugh. I hadn’t heard one of those since shit had gone down. “He’d probably love it.”
“Which is why he’d benefit from a good punch in the di—”
“Enough,” I snapped, silencing the draken. “Believe it or not, he wouldn’t be humored by it.” My stare met Emil’s. “As you should know.”
The Elemental ducked his chin, having the decency to look embarrassed.
“I’ll go see what he’s up to.” I pushed off the desk.
“Should we wish you luck?” Reaver asked.
“Should you go fuck yourself?” I countered.
The draken snorted.
Attes’s eyes met mine briefly as I passed him. He didn’t say anything, seeming to be the only one in the room who knew when to keep their mouth shut.
Entering the narrow hall, I avoided the vines. Wayfair was eerily silent, empty of voices, the flutter of wings, and the croaks of ravens.
Fucking creepy birds.
Bypassing the Great Hall, I headed for a door without ornate decor. Pushing it open, I entered one of the many servant halls. The castle was a damn maze of them, but it was the quickest way to get outside.
Snow was now falling in lazy flakes, but I stayed under the roof of the colonnade. I turned my head to the east, toward the Cliffs. Without the inner wall, they loomed over the elms, their jagged edges dusted with snow.
What the fuck was he doing up there?
I eased the tension from my jaw and settled my breathing. Saddling a horse would take too long, and while I loathed the shadowstepping shit, I had to get over it.
Summoning the essence as I pictured the Cliffs, it responded in a hot rush that melted the snow that had drifted in under the roof and lay along the tiled floor.
