After a second, I hear some muffled words. “Ludo’s here,” Willow tells us, rejoining the call. “They've lost her, Ludo. They can't find Theo.” She’s talking to the janitor. “There was a crazy riot at the ball last night, and she got lost in the chaos. Umm, hold on. Ludo is writing something on his phone.”
We wait.
I can hear my own heartbeat thumping in my ears like the drums of war.
“Gods,” her voice cracks. “Wes is missing as well. He did some kind of spell on Ludo then left. Ludo says he’s only just regained consciousness.”
The air in the car suddenly feels like it’s been sucked out through the vents.
Wes.
“That fucker…”
Suddenly it’s obvious it wasn’t Dono who was with Theo.
Realization hits everyone in the car.
“He’s taken her,” Lexi growls, and I can hear the beast in his voice. “I’ll kill him.”
My cousin turns to Donovan, eyes burning, and I see the soldier coming to the surface. “Where has he taken her?”
“I don’t know, but don’t jump to conclusions. If she’s with Wes, it’s probably fine. They’re just…reconnecting.” Donovan’s voice trails off like even he doesn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. “I’ll call him.”
As I stifle the urge to punch the back of Donovan’s head, Cosmo pinches the bridge of his nose, looking like he’s in actual pain. “Striker is pulling up security footage from the Capitol,” he mutters. “Maybe she’ll find something.”
Willow’s voice comes through the speaker again. I’d forgotten she was still on the line. “OK, Ludo’s got another message…he says he’ll scour the grounds and buildings here.”
“We can go to the Rotunda and try and retrace their steps,” Alexis decides. “And, Hart, if your brother has hurt a hair on her head, he’s going to pay. Drive, Drakeward.”
The hellhound inside me whines for attention, so I take on board his suggestion. “I’ll shift, see if I can scent her.”
“Great idea,” Cosmo drawls. “Turn into a giant fucking monster in the middle of Havengard City.”
Yeah, OK, maybe he has a point, but I don’t know what else to do.
Fuck.
I smash my fist into the back of Donovan’s seat. It’s not enough, so I do it again and again.
“No answer from Wes. Can you knock that off, Max?”
I can’t. I keep punching until finally my knuckles split.
The pain is good. Stops the pain in my heart from breaking me completely. This is a fucking nightmare. Sparkles…anything could be happening to her.
Anything.
It’s only minutes until Cosmo pulls the car into the lot next to the State Capitol. We’re out and moving instantly.
There are police and WMO cars everywhere. Yellow tape doesn’t keep us out, nor do the pissant ‘peacekeepers’ who try to block our path.
Cosmo drops his name, and they reluctantly stand to one side.
Good choice.
“I’ll see what I can uncover with the actual Conclave members,” Cosmo says. “You all search the buildings.”
—Sparkles? Where are you, baby?—
