“If you two are finished?” Dorion gestured to Laphira’s sitting area window above us, glinting in the late-day sunshine.
I levitated Dorion up until he could peer in through the glass.
“I don’t see anyone inside. Maybe she’s in the bedroom.” His voice barely contained hope.
“Then hold on again,” I said.
He grabbed my shoulder.
I swept my arm around Wildfire and flitted us into the sitting area.
“Who are you?” someone asked in a tiny voice.
We turned to find Laphira's son sitting curled up on the sofa, staring at us with wide, familiar eyes—Dorion'seyes.
I’d bet anything this child held the key to understanding what was happening to his mother.
Chapter 32
Reyla
Dorion swallowed hard and took a step toward the boy, clearly mesmerized. He stopped in front of the sofa and crouched to the child’s level. “I’m Dorion. What’s your name?”
“Mummy said I shouldn’t tell anyone who I am,” he whispered, his wide gaze flicking to Lore and then me.
“Your mummy is very wise,” Dorion said.
“But… But… I’m Brys,” he said in an even softer voice.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Brys.” Dorion shot us a look of unfettered joy. “He is. He truly is. I know it. My mother has a portrait she had made of…” Himself. “It hangs in her bedroom. I’ve seen it many times. The resemblance is startling.” He turned back to his son. “Where’s your mummy?”
“She’s not here.” Brys shrunk into the cushions. “I shouldn’t be talking to you. You came through the window somehow. How did you do that?” His breath caught. “You haven’t come to kidnap me, have you?”
“We have not.” Dorion straightened. “We came to speak with your mother.”
“Felice took her.”
I walked over and sat on the sofa beside him, giving him a sweet smile. “Where did they go?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. They don’t let me go inside with her.” He looked down at his hands. “They make me wait in the hall.”
While they did whatever it was they were doing to her? I’d bet anything Felice took her to Naveer.
“Why didn’t you go with her tonight?” I asked.
“I was with my tutor when they took her.”
Tookher. Lore and I exchanged a long look.
“How long is she inside the room?” Lore came over to stand nearby.
“I don’t know.” Brys yawned. “Maybe youshouldkidnap me?” He sounded excited about the prospect.
“Not tonight,” Dorion said.
Wait. He wouldn’t…
Actually, if Laphira couldn’t protect this boy, he should. I doubted he’d see much protection from his grandmother.
