Ronan dropped to his knees as the air left his lungs.
Reyna had vanished.
Effie’s heart fell as a lone, heart-wrenching cry pierced the air. There was no mistaking the sound of her friend’s anguish. “Ronan!”
Their group sprinted toward the sound, already preparing for a fight. They found him not far from the remains of the battle, just on the edge of the jungle on his hands and knees in the dirt.
Von was the first to reach him, dropping down beside his best friend. “What is it? Where are you hurt?”
He was inspecting him for some sign of a wound, something that would have justified such an awful sound to be torn from him. Effie could have told Von he needn’t bother with his search. She recognized the grief that had etched itself in the lines of Ronan’s face and body. This was no physical wound. This was loss, in its purest form.
Her voice was so quiet it took the others a moment to realize she had spoken.
“Ronan, what happened to Reyna?”
He looked up, and Effie gave an involuntary shiver. His eyes were colder than shards of ice, and they were entirely devoid of life.
“She’s gone.”
“Gone?” Helena asked, eyes narrowed as she scanned the horizon.
Ronan gave a brittle nod. The man was barely holding himself together. He was practically vibrating under the twin forces of his rage and grief.
Lucian exchanged a look with Effie, picking up on the direction of her thoughts. He knelt down on the other side of Ronan, his hand braced on the other man’s shoulder.
“Gone as in dead or taken?” Lucian asked.
Even though the Guardian’s voice had been gentle, Ronan flinched violently. “Taken.”
Lucian nodded, glancing up at Helena. “Say the word, Kiri, and we can begin a search.”
Helena’s eyes swirled with power, her lips twisted down in a frown. “There’s no need. Reyna isn’t here.”
“How do you know?” Kael asked, his own eyes glowing emerald as he scanned the jungle using his power.
“I know what her power looks like. There is no trace of it here. Wherever she is, she’s no longer in this jungle. Likely not even in Bael.”
Ronan’s jaw clenched, and his hands fisted into the damp ground as if he could strangle the truth out of the earth itself.
Effie’s head shot up as the Shadow’s hissed words came back to her. “One of the Shadows spoke to me. I didn’t pay much attention to it. I just thought he was trying to distract me at the time, but he said we had a traitor among us.”
“Reyna would never,” Ronan growled, his eyes wild.
Effie shook her head, hands held up in a placating gesture. “No, you misunderstand me. I wasn’t suggesting she was the traitor, but perhaps someone else orchestrated her abduction?” Her eyes darted around as she studied each member of their party in turn. Could it be true? Who among them would dare to betray one of the Guardians, let alone the Kiri herself? And how? Who had the means in addition to the death wish?
“Impossible,” Helena declared, her voice thick with power. “None of the Circle would dare betray me.”
“Not all among us are bound to you,” Von murmured, his silver eyes dark with suspicion as he studied Lucian and Kael. Beside him Kragen cracked his knuckles and Joquil’s eyes narrowed.
Lucian returned Von’s look with a bland one of his own. “The Guardians are sworn to the protection of this realm and all that inhabit it. We could not betray our vow even if we wanted to.”
Effie bristled at the implication, offended on Lucian’s behalf. No man who walked this earth was more honorable. He slid his hand into hers and squeezed.
“I appreciate your concern, but he would not be doing his job if he didn’t voice the possibility. He is sworn to her, as I am sworn to you. Her safety comes before all else.”
“Your loyalty should never have been in question in the first place.”
Lucian chuckled. “I don’t think anyone has ever been so fiercely protective of me and my honor before.”
Effie squeezed his hand. “Well, get used to it.”
“Peace, fledgling. You can soothe my wounded pride with your kisses later.” His words were light, but Effie knew he was touched by her declaration.
“Just your pride?”
Her Guardian’s eyes flared hot. “To start.”
“If it’s not one of us, who else could he be speaking of?” Kael mused, bringing them back to the conversation.
They eyed each other uneasily, trying to think who else could have the ability to do anything to compromise their mission.
“The Valen Council?” Kragen asked.
Lucian shook his head. “It doesn’t feel right to me. What do they have to gain from such a move? Besides . . . things were going on that haven’t sat right with me long before their involvement.”
Effie didn’t disagree with him. There had just been one too many coincidences for the events of the past few months to feel unconnected. She searched through her memories, trying to recall the first event that truly felt off. It wasn’t their visits to Sylverlands or Caederan. There was nothing about what happened while they were there that felt like a personal attack.
She bit her lip, memories racing through her mind. The lajhár attack. That was the first time that things didn’t quite add up. Kieran’s vision had sent them to the site of the slaughter, and they’d all agreed there was something odd about the manner in which the jungle cats had been killed.
That trap in the jungle. The one they’d found after Kieran’s vision about the missing Keepers. She’d assumed it had been the Shadow-touched, but while lucid, they’ve never been particularly strategic . . .
Heart pounding, Effie’s thoughts turned to the attack on the citadel. Someone had to lead the Shadows to the portal; they never would have found the entrance otherwise.
Effie sucked in a breath as the answer came to her.
Just like a key sliding into a lock, pieces fell into place. Things that hadn’t made sense at the time were suddenly glaringly obvious.
Lucian was rigid beside her, each one of her thoughts broadcasted to him and Kael via their Guardian’s bond.
“Kieran,” he snarled. His face was twisted in fury, his eyes practically black with rage. “He’s the one who’s responsible for the markers being fulfilled. He orchestrated the whole damn thing. If we can find him, perhaps we can stop any more of them from coming to pass.”
Ronan looked up from the ground, his eyes murderous. “Is it possible Reyna is the key to unlocking the last binding?”
Lucian considered the question and then slowly dipped his chin. “If the Night Stalkers are tied to this Father as she says, then it’s certainly possible.”
“Then perhaps it’s time we pay the ex-prince a visit,” Ronan snarled, pushing to his feet.
“How will we find him?” Kael asked. “We have no clue where he went after he fled the Vale.”
“Leave that to me,” Helena said in a voice that was not wholly her own. “If he’s truly behind these atrocities, there’s nowhere he can hide.”
Effie shuddered. It was a voice she recognized. One that belonged to the Mother herself. It was the voice of justice . . . and bloodshed.