I woke with a start to a loud squawk.
I sat up and rubbed my eyes.A familiar whisperhawk came into focus, perched in the tree just above me.Zephyra was the first good thing I’d seen in hours.
Sleepy little Cas is awake, finally.
“It’s good to see you, Zephyra,” I said as she landed softly on my shoulder.“But I’m afraid I don’t have any berries.”
Zephyra finds her own berries in the hills.But that’s not all Zephyra finds.Zephyra went to Garrick.Garrick told Zephyra to look for Elena.
“Did you find her?”I exclaimed.
Zephyra did!
If Garrick had been in front of me at that moment, I’d have kissed him.
“Is she headed north with a group of people?”I asked.
No.She’s with a man with straw for hair.They are on the big road heading to the sunrise.
In an instant, my elation turned to dread.Elena, my Elena, was alone with Kael, not heading north to the rendezvous point but somewhere on the East Road.
Kael had captured her.
Chapter thirty-six
Wind Runner
“Canyouleadmeto them?”I pleaded.
Yes, Zephyra can do this.We go on an adventure!
Where could he be taking her?
Oh.
If we get separated on our journey, let’s agree to meet at the wishing well.
Just before I’d left for Pyrehold, I had said those words to Elena.And the wishing well was near Meadowrun, which was east.For the briefest moment, I hoped that maybe everything was okay.Maybe there was nothing to worry about.
But then I remembered the terrible thing at the end of the East Road.
Thornfell Keep.
King Tarnasau’s private citadel stood on the cliffs at the far end of the Jagged Coast.It was rumored to contain the king’s private alchemy labs, where some of his worst experiments were carried out.If they had laboratories similar to the ones at Pyrehold… My mind flashed to the memory of the Emberborn strung up on racks, and I couldn’t help seeing Elena among them.
For a moment, I considered the lone vial of Emberbane stored in my belt.The Order needed it.But it was Mireth herself who’d said that vows made to family were stronger than those made to the Order.And besides, who in the Order could I actually trust anymore?
So many of the things that had anchored me had come unmoored.
Which reminded me of Darion.
Up until then, I had successfully kept my mind off of him.That look in his eyes when he’d seen me hiding in the dark still haunted me.
He didn’t give you up,though,the voice in my head reminded me, intrusive and nagging.Orlik was about to spot you, and Darion distracted him.He saved you.
No.
Darion’s father had murdered my parents, and he’d kept that from me.That was all that mattered.
