She adjusts her gloves and turns, walking away without another word.
For a moment, I stand there, watching her retreat. I can’t be sure, but I feel as if something has shifted.
ChApter
Forty
The Garrison is just as I remember it: loud, bustling, alive with the clamor of soldiers and the scent of sweat and iron. But as I move through its familiar corridors, my focus is only on one thing.
My uncle’s summons makes me anxious, but the thing that’s clawing at my skin is the concern that he didn’t call me with his telepathy. I need to find out the reason behind the alteration in routine.
I quicken my pace, my boots scuffing against the stone as I push through the last archway leading to his quarters. My fae speed makes me quick, and Sir Holden is soon far behind me, unable to keep up. And the only reason I’ve made it this far so quickly is because my squad isn’t here at the moment to slow me down with their greetings.
The wooden door to his office stands ajar, candlelight flickering within.
I step inside to find Uncle Kormak standing behind his heavy, wooden desk, poring over a spread of parchment and maps. He looks up as I enter, and for a moment, the breath catches in my throat.
He looks better. His skin is no longer ashen, his movements steady as he sets down the quill. The sharp lines of his face, once gaunt withillness, have regained their strength. And yet—there is something in his eyes, something distant, as if a shadow still lingers.
Relief floods me so suddenly, I barely know what to do with it. “You’re okay.” I cross the room, throwing my arms around him like I used to when I was younger.
He hugs me in return without any pretenses of formality.
When we separate, he straightens his uniform and motions to a chair. “You must be exhausted, Celeste. Have a seat.”
I don’t sit. I feel like I could jump out of my skin. “Your message has me concerned, Uncle. What’s going on?”
He lets out a breath, his gaze dropping as he turns and drops into the chair behind his desk. “I needed to see you because I’ve remembered some things.”
My breath gets stuck in my throat. “About your abduction?”
“Yes.”
“But why did you send a nightfeather? I haven’t heard your voice in my head in months.”
He takes a long breath and lets it out. “It has to do with my abduction, what they did to me.”
I swallow hard. “What… did they do?” I’m afraid to ask it, but I feel as if I need to know what happened.
The room stills. For a long moment, the only sound is the distant clash of training blades in the courtyard below.
I want to know everything, but I know I shouldn’t push him, so I force myself to remain calm and patient. “Okay,” I say, finally taking a seat. “Tell me what you remember.”
He reaches for a mug that sits on his desk and takes a swig. “The only thing I remember about the actual abduction is the smell.”
“The smell?”
“I was searching the area Lord Stregasi informed us about—the pit. The squad I took with me spread out. The area seemed to be abandoned, but there were traces of things. Spikes. Chains. And the ground was stained with what had to be blood. One minute, I was inspecting the bloodstained ground, and the next minute, my nose and mouth werecovered. A chemical smell filled my head, and that was it.” He shakes his head.
“So you didn’t see who it was?”
“No.” He sighs. “And when I awoke, I was chained to a wall in a very cold dungeon.”
Oh, gods.I wrap my arms around my middle, waiting for him to continue.
“They were… cruel.” He averts his eyes again. “I won’t go into that, though. But I remember there was a woman in a hooded, red cloak. Her face was masked, so I don’t know what she looked like. But all she had to do was lay her hands on me, and the pain was inconceivable.”
“What?” I clench my hands into fists. “Who was she?”
