Something also nagged at me. “Wait a second. You didn’t let me win, right?”
‘No way, we beat him fair and square,’Val protested.
But Godric’s faint smile made me wonder anyway.
Before I could press him, a few soldiers rushed out of a nearby tent, their movements urgent as they made their way to us. They saluted Godric.
“We have new word on Songbird,” one said, eyeing me briefly.
Godric nodded, shoulders going tense. “What is it?”
The soldier hesitated, looking between us. When Godric didn’t send me away, and I made no move to leave, the wolfkin swallowed hard.
“Songbird is healthy, but secure. Too secure for extraction.”
My breath caught. The coded language made my skin prickle.
Godric frowned. “How healthy?”
“Mildly, sir. Songbird is… compliant.”
Compliant? The word dropped like a stone. Godric’s expression darkened, fury flashing behind his eyes before he forced it down.
“Thank you.” He dismissed them, and they jogged away.
“Who is Songbird?” I asked, certain it referred to a person.
“Elia’s mother. Val’s and my sister.”
My heart pinched. I stepped closer, grip tightening on Valkaryn’s handle.
“How can we help?”
I might be mad at Kaelric, but for Elia and her mother, I would become a weapon and stop at nothing until she was free.
Godric gave me a sad smile. “That kind of courage reminds me of Valkaryn.”
He squeezed my shoulders gently. “So long as Harrow wields Mind Render, there is nothing we can do.”
I frowned. “Why not?”
“She hasn’t told you yet?” He nodded toward the sword at my hip. “What Mind Render does?”
‘What does wielding Mind Render do?’I asked Val.
Silence stretched for a beat.
‘Last I heard, it gives the wielder the ability to push thoughts.’
I frowned.‘Push thoughts?’
‘You know how Kaelric has an alpha power that allows him to control others against their will?’
I remembered. Hard to forget after watching him subdue the Watchers on the train.
‘Please don’t tell me this guy can do that, too.’
‘Well, it’s similar. He can push a thought to someone to do something, and they do it.’
