Page 99

Where is Lyra? My hands were frantic and stiff, and I wasn’t certain if she’d even understand me.

“I believe she was seen speaking to the queen.” Brynn was the one who answered. She leaned over the pen post. “What is it?”

Something is wrong. Where is she?

“He says something is wrong,” Emi said.

Yanson entered the keep. “My prince, what is happening? That damn…soul is tormenting everyone.”

“Shit.” Emi hopped off the post.

“Why is that shit?” Brynn and Auki directed the young ones to another keeper and made quick work of following when I stormed back toward the entrance. “Why does that matter?”

“It means he felt a threat, soul deep, so the deledan prepares to slaughter.”

“Shit,” Brynn said on a rough breath.

I had no qualms about peeling my own mother’s soul from her blood if she’d done something to my wife.

I unlatched Kyrre’s hold when I stalked past. The wolf had already grown since the battle with the Stav. His back haunches reached my mid-thigh. Hackles raised, a low growl emitted from his jaws, and the wolf seemed ready to pounce and attack, the same as me.

Find her. No need to hand speak to a fara wolf. They understood words from their bonded, no matter what language, what dialect.

Kyrre snarled and bolted from the keep, nose to the ground, racing for the distant gates.

The young wolf narrowly avoided crashing into the queen. Elisabet held her gown in one hand, a flush to her face. Her shoulders slumped in relief when she saw me.

“Roark!”

My mother raced across the courtyard, a few Dark Watch warriors falling in behind her. If she was looking for comfort, she would need to look elsewhere.

I gripped the queen’s arm, drawing her close. Where is she?

Darkness returned, encircling us, our feet, our legs, around our waists. A bit of fear flashed in Elisabet’s eyes. She tried to pull her arm away; I only tightened my hold.

“I don’t know what you’re saying.” To her credit, the queen tried to follow my hand gestures. “I was with Lyra in the willow wood. I turned for a moment and they…ambushed us. They took her.”

Ice chased heat from my blood. Who?

My mother did not need assistance to understand. “Jorvans.”

“But they left the queen untouched?” To my stun, Emi stood at my shoulder, practically challenging my mother.

Elisabet tightened her mouth. “What brings war the swiftest? A stolen melder, or the queen? They did not want me; they want their melding power back. She will be left alive for now, Roark, but there is no time to waste.” The queen faced the courtyard. “The prince will be going to retrieve his wife. They must find this camp before the Jorvans return to Stonegate and Lyra is harmed, or worse.”

“You’re certain it was Jorvans, Bet?” From the back of the courtyard, Virki stroked the head of his gray wolf.

“Who else, Virki?”

“We ought to be certain before we send our army.”

“The Dark Watch will not be going,” the queen insisted. “This must be done in haste and stealth. Not a damn war before we know what threat we face.” She turned to me, her voice low. “I will not attempt to convince you to send others in your place. Choose who joins you, and get her back.”

Low in my gut, a knot of disquiet thickened.

Something was wrong with the queen’s report. Elisabet was not one to act rashly. She was calculated and clever. Not to mention, she was not one to keep the Dark Watch behind the gates if a threat was leveled at our clan.

I took a step closer, towering over the woman who once sang me to sleep as a child. My fingers against her cheek, I spoke the threat, slowly. If you are behind this, I will destroy you.