Page 79 of Wraithwound

“What?” Lena managed.

The woman pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and threw it at the ground in front of Cross. He bent to pick it up, not taking his eyes off the woman and passed the damp piece of parchment back to her. Lena slowly unwrapped it to reveal a drawing of a woman standing near a splintered tree, hand outstretched to brace herself on it. Lena’s world cracked and shattered, the pieces she’d managed to put together crumbling before her.

It was a drawing of her. One that she’d seen before. But when she’d first seen it on the worn writing desk in Ada and Eduard’s cabin, she didn’t understand it was a depiction of her right when she’d arrived at the meadow. The horrific scene replayed in her mind more vividly than ever before. Eduard approaching her on the path. Ada’s body bent over his as he lay dead on the ground. Every part of her shut down. Even the whispers seemed to cease.

“Yes. I killed them,” she heard herself say.

Cross didn’t so much as flinch, the blazing sword unwavering in his grip.

But then a familiar face with long, sandy-brown hair, striking features, and high cheekbones emerged from the cottage behind the woman. Riley took up the spot beside her and slipped her hand into the woman’s, squeezing it gently.

“That’s the woman who saved my life, Taya,” Riley said, voice low but still easy for Lena to hear.

Taya turned to look at Riley, searching her face.

“As I understood it, you saved her life too,” Taya said.

“Taya, please,” said familiar voice. Leonid emerged from the cabin. Once he caught sight of Lena, he paused.

“It’s you,” he said, voice filled with surprise.

Cross extinguished and sheathed his sword but maintained his position in front of her. The eleuth shifted and then scurried up her back and perched on her shoulder. For the amount of damage it could cause to larger predators, she’d thought it would have weighed more. Nevertheless, she felt comforted by its presence.

“I take it you’ve come for some answers?” Leonid asked.

Lena nodded once, the movement foreign in her disconnected state.

“Good. We have questions as well. You’re welcome to enter, but . . .” he said, choosing his words carefully, “in your state of transition you would have to agree to confinement.”

“What do you mean by confinement?” she asked.

“A cell,” Taya said firmly.

Lena exhaled a shaky breath through her nose. She’d done everything in her power to avoid being locked in a cage. But considering how she’d almost lost control in Lythara, she thought better of protesting. For Henry, she would do it.

“What if . . . what if she had a guardian like some of the others?” Riley asked, assessing the warrior.

“Soulbounds are not welcome here,” Taya said, clearly appalled at the suggestion. Leonid eyed Cross, clearly mulling over Riley’s suggestion. But Lena didn’t know if the soldier could stay, or if he’d want to. Surely, he had to return to his duty.

“I’m not sure—” she started.

“I’ll do it,” Cross said, cutting her off.

“No. You don’t have to—” she tried again.

“I’ll do it,” he repeated.

“Then it’s settled,” Leonid said, exchanging a meaningful glance with Taya despite her obvious objection. “Come, my muscles are already getting stiff.”

“And the horses?” Cross asked, looking back at Kharon.

Leonid gave him a long look. “Someone will be out shortly to lead them inside, Cross.”

A blink was the only sign Cross had been caught off guard. He turned to face Lena, conducting one of his silent assessments, but whatever he’d gleaned, he didn’t voice it. After grabbing their belongings, they headed for the door.

Chapter

Forty-Seven