Tears spilled from his eyes and down his fur. “Why did you come?” He sobbed. “Why? Why did you come now?”
“What do you mean?” Dyna smiled in confusion. “I came to set you free. To set all of you free.” She looked around but found only empty cells. “Where are the others?”
Sorren laughed wetly, and it switched to a broken sob. The sound heaved through his body, making him shake. “They’re dead,” he croaked. “Dalton … Geon … Yavi … Von. They are all dead!” Sorren pushed her shoulder roughly, throwing her to the ground. “You are too late to save us!”
Dyna shook her head, refusing to believe it. “What?”
“You left us!”
Dyna’s chest tightened. She did leave.
When she had a chance to run, she took it without looking back.
Sorren slumped against the wall, sobbing. “They’re dead. All dead…”
A fist squeezed the air from her lungs, and Dyna felt like she couldn’t breathe. Jumping to her feet, she stumbled backwards for the cell door and ran out of the brig.
CHAPTER 32
Lucenna
Lucenna held onto Klyde’s waist limply, clutching the damp fabric of his coat. The hooves of their horse clomped over the cobblestone as he rode past the glowing windows of homes and establishments in Argent Cove. They had ridden all night. Her body was sore, as were her Essence Channels.
Voices and music drifted from an inn as a dwarf stepped outside. The swinging doors released the smell of cooking meat, and her stomach clenched from hunger. Hopefully, they would find the others soon.
The tracking spell finally led them to the seashore. The crash of waves joined the squalling of seagulls.
“Let’s get down here,” Lucenna said.
Klyde helped her dismount. Her sore legs wobbled, and she stretched her tense muscles. He left their stolen horse tied to a tree before they climbed over the rocky hill that overlooked the beach.
The field of sand was empty due to the coming rain. Up ahead was the pier. A few ships idled in the wharf, but they also looked unoccupied.
“I don’t see anyone,” Klyde whispered where they hid.
Lucenna peeked past him. “Dyna is here.” The purple flames of her tracking spell traveled over the sand and continued over the surface of the sea, leading to a vacant spot by a lonesome dock. “There,” she said, motioning with her chin. The ship was veiled.
“You’re sure, lass? I don’t see anything.”
“Magic doesn’t lie.”
He gave her a half smile as he studied the spot. But the flames that had been flickering all night now completely winked out. Her magic was spent. Lucenna used what she could to search for Dyna’s Essence, but the barrier completely blocked her.
“I can’t feel her anymore.”
“The lass is all right,” Klyde assured her. “Come. Let’s move closer.”
They climbed down the rocks and onto the quiet dock where the ships idled beneath the stormy sky. Lightning flickered above. They ducked behind a stack of crates, attempting to listen beyond the crash of the waves.
“I’ll try an amplification spell,” Lucenna said. She waved a hand and focused on the spot where the ship hid but caught nothing. “I can’t hear anything. That man has her contained behind a veil again.”
“Or she’s not on the ship,” Klyde guessed. “Only way to know is to sneak onto it.”
“That will be difficult when we can’t see it.” Lucenna peeked behind her. “I don’t like this. We shouldn’t be doing this without Rawn or Zev.”
“Aye, but they should be here by now. Trouble on the road?”
“I hope not.” She glanced at the sleepy town of Argent.
