That had to have been Father’s doing—if not generations before him, even. Especially considering how far back our recordswentwhen it came to missingfae.
But why would Dimitri still be letting thisgo onif he knew about it?
Because heisn’tthe same brother you knew, a small voice whisperedin my mind.
Shaking my head to clear the voice, I asked, “Are these papers a lead? Or a clue?I’m… looking for these camps, too.It’swhyI’mhere, even though Ishouldn’tbe.”
The female clutched the papers tighter, gazing into my eyes as though she could peer right into my soul—and I let her. I wanted her to help us willingly. I wanted hertrust. Besides, there was a kid at risk here, too. One that was not much older than Margo.
Slowly, she released her grip on the papers and held them out to me.
“They’remakeshift maps, I think. And one is, I believe, a rough sketch of part of the place. I was hoping to be able to pinpoint the location fromit, andput the map together enough to be able to use it to guide me in and out. But…I’msure you heard I took on a new job recently. It requires me to be in Hollis, and Ican’tspendall ofmy time investigating anymore.”
She paused as she watched me flip through the papers. She was right—there was a sketch along with seven other papers with vague markings, but just enough detail to try to piece them together to make one bigpicture, maybe.
“The Stars led you to me today,” she said suddenly, and looking into her face, I could tell she believed it with her whole being.
Like sheneededto believe it.
Like she needed to believe insomething.
Anything.
My heart ached for her.
“Please, ifyou’relooking for the camps anyway…please. Find my nephew. Take him back to the South with you,anything. Just find him and keep him safe until I can make it to him.” Her eyes were welling with tears.She’ddrawn closer, and her expression was so incrediblyopen,it almost hurt to look at her. Her anxiety, concern, self-doubt, disappointment, and guilt. She looked as though it was so much tobear,it would make her sick at any moment.
She’d lost her nephew.
And I’d lost my brother.
Despite our differing circumstances, I understood her.
I shifted to face her fully and pulled the female into a tight embrace. She stalled, as though not accustomed to being touched. But within seconds, she gripped me back, just as ferociously. Her chest shook with a single sob before sheseemed to holdit all in again—another female forced to remain strong when facing extreme difficulty.
“I’ll find him. I promise he’ll be well taken care of,” I said softly.
We pulled back, putting distance between us,beforeher mouth opened,seemingto remember something. She produced a tiny, well-loved portrait on soft paper of who I could only assume was her nephew. The small boy had black wings—differing from her medium gray ones—and black hair, but bright eyes. Icouldn’thelp but notice that one of his wings hung lower than the other. At the bottom, the nameKaisonwas written.
“This is him?” I asked. “Kaison?”
“My Kai.” She nodded, then held it out toward me. “Take it.It’sthe only wayhe’llknow I sent you, and to trust you.”
“I couldn’t—”
The female grabbed my hand, swiftly placing the now folded portrait in my palm and curling my hand into a fist.
“Please,” she nearly begged.
I met her eyes again and could see the determination and hopethatshone there now.
I nodded.
“Thank you,” she breathed, her relief palpable. “Ihave togo. I must get back to Hollis as soon as possible.”
I watched as she headed toward the mouth of the alleyway.
“Wait!” I called out, causing her to pause.“Whatis your name?”
