I nodded.
“Your uncle Everett’s been commissioned to build elevated guard stations down the canyon pass between Far Shore and High Cliff.”
“Elevated guard stations?” My brow furrowed. “And he’s been building them for the past two years? In the canyon pass?”
The prince nodded. “Father visits at least twice a year to inspect the progress.”
I shook my head. “No, he doesn’t. He can’t have. I just went through the pass. There are no guard towers anywhere throughout the entire length. None have even been started.”
“Hmm.” Olivander sent me a troubled glance and rubbed his chin. “I guess dear ol’ Dad is hiding something else, then. I’m not surprised.”
“You think it has something to do with the Graykey tracking ritual?”
Olivander shook his head. “I don’t know why it would.”
“But they had some surprisingly sophisticated perimeter magic set up to catch her.”
I explained the booby trap that had started this whole mess.
Olivander’s eyebrows lifted, impressed. “That does sound extreme. We don’t even have those kinds of measures set up around Elaina. I didn’t realize your uncle was that motivated to end the Graykeys.”
“I didn’t either,” I murmured, growing suspicious. I’d lived with him for three years, and the only things he’d been passionate about was his hatred for the High Cliff crown and reclaiming the Teller title.
Now, he was supposedly working with the crown?
It didn’t add up.
“I want to talk to him,” I decided. I didn’t like how nothing made sense. I needed answers.
“Patience, Moast,” Olivander cautioned. “Just because something’s going on there doesn’t mean it’s what we’re looking for. I wouldn’t be surprised if the king has a dozen different shady deals going on under the table about numerous issues that his council wouldn’t approve of. Let’s keep looking.”
I nodded, knowing he was right. Quilla could be anywhere. The chances that she’d be in the first place I suspected was low. Except I couldn’t ignore the feeling that my uncle knew something about this Graykey locating ritual.
We kept scouring Olivander’s scrolls for days. Then weeks. Whenever he suggested I eat or rest or bathe, or even shave, I merely snapped at him and kept searching for something definitive that would lead us to Quilla.
Whenever I did bother to lie down, I only saw her when I closed my eyes. Sometimes she’d glare at me and threaten to stab me, and I’d grin, enjoying her sass. Sometimes, she’d take my hand and lead me somewhere private, like she had the first time we’d been together.
But most of the time, I saw her beaten and bloody, dying alone and calling out for me, begging, asking why I didn’t help her. Yet, I didn’t know how to even find her.
Soaked with a cold sweat, I gasped awake one night and bolted upright.
Wiping the tormented sleep from my face, I swung my legs over the side of the cot and pushed to my feet. I wandered outside and into a warm, breezeless night.
Looking up at the stars, I wondered if Quilla could see them from wherever she was.
“I’ll find you,” I whispered to the sky. “No matter where you are, I’ll find you. I swear it.” I wouldn’t give up until I at least knew she was okay.
“Jesus,” I hissed, scrubbing my hands over my face. I hated this more than I hated anything. This not-knowing and complete loss of control could ruin me. I just needed—
Hearing footsteps storming toward me, I dropped my hands just in time to see a dark shadow barreling from the shadows.
“Hey!” I shouted in warning just before the figure plowed into me, tackling me to the ground.
“Where is she? Where the fuck is she?” a familiar voice demanded, just before I got an eyeful of fiery red hair and then a blade pressed against my jugular.
“Melaina?” I choked in surprise.
“You fucking High Cliff piece of scum,” she snarled. “I left you alone with my niece for one hour—one hour—and look what happened.” The blade bit into my flesh, producing blood. “Now, where’s Quilla?”
“She was supposed to take you to Earth,” I rasped.
“Oh, she brought me the damn amulet you’d been hiding from us. Bastard. Then she told me to go without her because she needed to save you. You. Can you believe that shit?”
“She did what?” I asked, unable to believe Quilla would be so reckless. Or loyal. She had honestly cared about me.
But, dammit, I had told her I’d be okay.
“So where is she?” Melaina demanded.
“I don’t know. They caught her.”
“They caught her? Wrong answer, asshole. I said, where is she?”
I had a sense she really would cut my throat open then, so I kicked her off me and rolled away, just as the door to the cottage flew open, and Olivander stepped outside, lifting a lamp and peering into the dark.
“Indy?”
“I’m fine,” I called, out of breath, just before diving to the side when Melaina screeched like a banshee and leaped toward me again, her dagger raised with deadly intent.
“Um. You sure about that?” the prince asked, not intervening, simply watching as I panted and dodged, trying to avoid being stabbed to death.
“Yep.” I tossed hair out of my eyes and then grunted when Melaina threw the knife and it hit me handle-first right between the legs, doubling me over.
Jesus, that hurt. I guess I should’ve been relieved it wasn’t blade-first. But I didn’t feel too relieved at the moment.
Clutching myself, I bent my knees in and I slid toward the ground. “Just—just having a little discussion with Quilla’s aunt.”
“Ah.” Olivander leaned against the opened doorway and kept providing light for us as Melaina proceeded to kick the crap out of me, grabbing a hunk of my hair before slamming her fist into my jaw.
“If they have her, then why the hell are you here and not out there saving her, huh?” she roared.
“I don’t know where she is!” I cried defensively, deciding I needed more hands to protect all the parts she was attacking.
Melaina kicked me in the ribs. “Don’t you dare bullshit me. I know that mark of yours can track her anywhere, so I’m going to repeat my question.” Bulldozing into me again, she pushed me onto my back. And then she crawled on top of me and straddled my face, her knees squeezing forcefully around my neck. “Where is she?”
“You know,” Olivander spoke up conversationally. “I’m beginning to think she’s legitimately kicking your ass, and you’re not just letting her win anymore.”
I spared him a glare, and then grabbed Melaina’s thigh and flipped her off me, causing her to scream in rage and surprise when I pinned her down and got into her face.
“Look at me!” I snarled, pointing at my temple. “They took my mark. They took it so I couldn’t find her, and now I can’t feel her at all. I don’t know if she’s okay. I don’t know if she’s alive.” My voice cracked on that word, and I grew defeated as I repeated. “I have no idea where she is at all.”