“Wait,” Alastor said. “We can’t just go charging after them. She left two of her acolytes to search the forest. I dispatched of one behind a tree over there. The other went the opposite direction and will probably circle around toward the ridge. We’ll need to stop her before she can report back.”
“I’m not leaving Marigold in Laitha’s clutches!”
“We need aplan,” Alastor said. “We don’t even know if Laitha knows we’ve returned. We can use that to our advantage, but only if we don’t do something foolish.” He looked past me. “Where’s Rad?”
“Up on the ridge,” I said, stalking around the decimated area, studying the tracks. Marigold’s prints were distinctive, given she was wearing shoes from her home-world.She was lying on the ground right here. And there—she tried to run, but she was ridden down by someone on horseback. They must have dragged her up onto the horse.
“Actually, Rad is not on the ridge,” came Radven’s voice from over my shoulder. “He’s right here.”
I hadn’t heard him approach, but Rad had always been the stealthiest of us. He sauntered out of the trees, looking perfectly at ease, but I knew he had at least a dozen daggers within a second’s reach, including that strap now hidden under his shirt.
“What did I miss?” he said, looking around. “Is the party already over?”
“Marigold’s here, in Therador,” I said. “And Laitha has her.”
Rad whistled. “I knew that girl was the sort to find trouble. She’s too curious for her own good.” A dagger suddenly appeared in his hand, probably from somewhere up his sleeve. “Does that mean Laitha already knows we’re here?”
“We don’t know,” Alastor responded. “One of her acolytes is still here somewhere, and if we don’t find her—”
Rad’s wrist jerked, sending his dagger spinning through the air with deadly speed past my shoulder and into the trees beyond. There was a softthunkof the blade hitting flesh, and by the time I turned around its intended target—a young woman wearing the mark of Laitha—was sinking to the ground, blood blooming from her chest.
“Took care of that problem,” Rad said, sauntering over to the woman. She tried to spit at him, but all that came up was bile and blood.
Rad knelt down next to her, gently closing her eyes and whispering a prayer over her body. He had probably killed more people than Alastor and myself combined, but he always made sure he sent their souls to the afterlife with the proper respect.
When he rose and turned back to us, a touch more serious than he’d been before, he said, “So Laitha doesn’t know aboutusyet. Just Marigold.”
“She screamed Alastor’s name,” I said, suddenly remembering. I turned toward Alastor. “Marigold. I heard her call for you.”
It stung that she’d called out for him, not me, even though the reason was clear—she’d known he was nearby. I could only imagine how scared she must have been, how terrified when she’d realized that my brother wasn’t coming to help her. It didn’t matter how logical his arguments were, or that, by necessity, his truest loyalty lay elsewhere. Right now, I could have killed my brother for letting Marigold suffer.
“So we need to assume that Laitha will be expecting us,” Alastor said. “We need to plan for—”
“Damn your plans!” I roared. “Every moment we stand here talking is another moment Marigold is in Laitha’s clutches. The two of you can stand around and make up all the plans you want. I’m going after her. Now.”
And despite the risks, there was only one option for tracking them down quickly and facing a powerful sorceress like Laitha.
I had to shift.
My brothers must have seen the look in my eyes, because both started to protest at the same time. But it was too late. I was already reaching inside, tapping into the beast within, and—
Nothing.
I almost stumbled. Shifting had always been so easy for me, practically second nature. It had been a long time, yes, but this wasn’t something I could just forget how to do.
Bearing down, I tried again. I could feel the beast inside me—he was still there—but I couldn’t reach him. It was like there was a cage around him, keeping us apart.
I looked over at my brothers, and my horror must have been plain on my face because Alastor said, “What is it?”
“I can’t shift.” Even uttering it out loud hurt. “Something’s wrong.”
I’d felt it from the moment we came through the portal. Something was different,off, but I hadn’t had proof until now.
“We’re still cursed.”
17
Kidnapped
