Hmm.With all our immediate attention having been on Winter’s disappearance, she hadn’t yet debriefed us on what had transpired with her father in the Dracoryn Realm earlier. Had she been punished?
“So much royalty all pulling for Winter,” Ambrose commented, cutting off my train of thought.
My panicked train of thought.
Very unlike me.
I detested it.
Immensely.
“And intense fire power,” Sylas said, giving Zayn a chin lift.
Zayn’s smile at that acknowledgement faded all too soon as Sylas shook his head at the three of us and rumbled, “Winter’s situation has become known to me.”
Damnation.
“The culprit behind Winter’s abduction left me no choice,” Ketheron told us. “Winter’s teleportation path was compromised by him. My gorgeous intervened and brought Winter here. However, he was overpowered by said culprit, and Winter was taken.”
“Overpowered?” Zayn choked, eyeing Ambrose. “You? How the fuck?”
“We are dealing with a True Celestial wielding a perversion of Celestial magic,” he responded. With a grave glance at Sylas, he added, “And access to necromantic power.”
We were dealing withwhat?
That couldn’t… for that to be the case—
Remnant’s words cut my thoughts to the quick as he looked upon me. “Our means to track Winter are far too detrimental to many involved. Fortunately, Ambrose was able to determine that you have a safer, albeit incredibly taxing method.”
I nodded. “Vibrational tracking.”
“A barely known Basilisk ability,” Ambrose said.
“Barely known for a reason,” I answered pointedly.
“It won’t be spoken of beyond us,” Remnant assured me.
I cracked my knuckles. “And this culprit. A True Celestial as you said.”
I wanted to ask how on earth that was possible, given the Severance. But the priority was facilitating the tracking and extraction of Winter.
Ambrose frowned. “He’s aware of the tether?”
“Aware or merely anticipatory. He’s been teleporting continually, breaking my hold on the link—eight times so far.”
“I see. He’s also slowing you down, causing such strain.”
“Yes.”
Sylas stepped forward.
But then Ambrose pressed a hand to his chest. “No. As we discussed, we can’t risk your necromantic magic connecting with Ruxnoth. Even a slight access point for somebody as astute and opportunistic as him could be enough to tap your power. When it comes to the actual extraction, your magic must only touch Winter, not him.”
Ruxnoth.That was this creature’s identity.
Evira, Zayn, and I exchanged a look.
That was the name of the being who’d taken our love.
