I nodded once, already rising.
“He took her,”Pantar growled into my mind.“And the Binding One with her Faction.”
Nathan surged forward. “Do you know where they went?”
Pantar’s voice trembled with fury and something like fear.“Trent. He masked his scent—but not well enough for a Fellat. Mira and I followed him as soon as I awoke.”
My heart slammed into my ribs. “You’re tracking them?”
“Yes. Through the trees. Through stone. He went to holding cells beneath the mountain—outside of Bellona.”I repeated this information out loud.
“I know where those are located.” Sly moved silently into camp.
“Where were you?” Adelaide untangled herself from Jesse and John and threw herself into his arms.
We hadn’t noticed him missing either.
He seemed defeated by life, but his face lit up when he held his Nexus. “I woke up and realized Reverie was missing. I hoped she had just woken early and was checking out our surroundings. Sadly, I saw no sign of her and came back this way.”
“Do you know how to get in?” I asked Sly, not giving a shit as to where he was.
“No. I can get us there, but they were closed years ago. Or at least that’s what I thought.” He kissed the top of Adelaid’s head. “Maybe that’s where Rue has been held all these years. Selene knew I’d been searching for him, and I’m almost positive it wasBeatrice who mentioned that the Resistance had destroyed those chambers.”
A cold feeling twisted in my gut. “Pantar—are they all alive?”
There was a long, terrible pause.“Yes. Our Nexus is fine. The Binding One, too. Though her men are frantic.”He growled low.“Trent smells more unstable than before.”
Nathan swore softly. Stroking the kestrel who had landed on his shoulder.
Zeke stepped closer to me, Frynn humming under his skin. “Pantar—can you lead us to them?”
“We can. But not alone.”His voice shifted—lower, protective, ancient.“Danger coils there. A predator older than your wars sleeps in those tunnels. Even two Fellat cannot defeat it without help.”
Before I could respond, a second voice rumbled behind Chloe.
Kharox.
The large Varruk emerged from the shadows like a rising mountain, his eyes glowing like embers.“Reverie is touched by the Ancestors—no creature bound to Aurathia will ignore the call to help her.”He looked deadly in that moment. The urge to kill was evident on his face, with sharp teeth ready to rend and tear flesh from bones.
I knew the feeling.
Oliver drew Chloe away from him and into his arms. Deshawn placed himself subtly in front of her.
Kharox continued, his gaze on me.“I will summon others of my kind. Varruk, who still honors the old oaths. Some will answer. Some will come hoping to regain the favor of a queen once more.”
“How fast?” Zeke asked, his voice echoing slightly as Drakk surged closer to the surface.
Kharox lowered his head, listening to something none of us could hear.“The signal has been sent. They will be waiting in the forest surrounding the mountain.”
Nathan paced like a caged storm. “We can’t delay for them. If they’re not waiting, I’m going in.”
“We won’t,” I nodded in agreement.
Pantar appeared at my side, fur bristling, tentacles twitching with distress. He pressed his broad head against my chest—a gesture he hadn’t used since he was much younger.“Hurry, Oren. Hurry before all is lost. He knows not what he’s doing, and the Ancestors won’t allow another betrayal.”
Everyone froze.
Nathan’s voice was barely a whisper. “Betrayal?”
