Chapter Seventeen

The night passed too quickly. Kendrick lamented the fact, but he could do nothing about it. Exhaustion took Esha, and he finally urged her to rest. It was interesting to learn that elves didn’t need sleep, only meditation.

He remained with her on the pillows while she meditated, enjoying the simple pleasure of holding her. His mate. His heart panged at the realization. In his wildest dreams, he’d never thought to discover that his mate was on Zora and an elf.

He almost woke her several times to tell her that she was his fated mate, but he couldn’t seem to get the words out. They were good together, but her life was with the Rangers. She had made that abundantly clear. Her position dictated that she not bind herself to anyone. He had known that when she’d come to him last night, but that had been before he’d known that she was his mate.

But how could he expect her to give up everything to be with him? What would he do in her shoes?

Kendrick thought about Con and the rest of the Kings. On Earth, the mates remained with the Kings on Dreagan, but Zora wasn’t Earth. A precedent had already been set on this realm. Varek had found his mate with Jeyra. She’d chosen to be with Varek, and they lived with the dragons. They also traveled back and forth to Earth. It could be said that Jeyra’s decision was easy since the people she trusted had been trying to harm Varek, but Kendrick didn’t think anything was that black and white.

Then there was Cullen and Tamlyn. The Banshee hid with her three friends because they each had magic, and Cullen divided his time between Cairnkeep and the underground ruins of Iron Hall right outside the border.

The most recent pairing was Shaw and Nia. She had been a slave to the Divine at Stonemore, and Shaw had helped break Nia free. The two of them now lived at Cairnkeep—at least for the time being.

Kendrick needed to tell Esha that they were meant to be together. A Dragon King couldn’t live without his mate. Would it be enough if Kendrick snuck into Shecrish to see her? Would she even agree since it would break her vow to the order? Could he put her in such a position? If he didn’t, he would be dooming himself. He sighed, his heart heavy. She could leave the Rangers anytime she wanted, but she was a warrior at heart. She had found her place with them.

The night had been the most fulfilling and wonderful of his very, very long life. But the future looked bleak, at best. Until he spoke to Esha, all he could do was worry over the same things when he should be concentrating on their mission.

He heard a sound outside the tent. Kendrick slowly extricated himself from Esha. She didn’t move as he quietly got to his feet and dressed. He pushed aside the tent’s flap to reveal the gray light of dawn. Though the rain had stopped an hour earlier, water still dripped from the edges of the yurt. The magical fire he’d created continued to burn. When Kendrick glanced to the side, he spotted Dain.

The Dark Elf leaned against one of the boulders, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the shelter. Kendrick glanced back at Esha before exiting and walking to the elf. Dain pushed away from the rock and grinned.

“About time you two got together,” Dain said.

Kendrick chose to ignore him. “What did you find out?”

“You didn’t really think either of you was hiding the attraction from anyone, did you?”

Kendrick simply stared at the elf.

Dain threw up his hands. “I didn’t see or hear anything. Is that better?”

“Much. Now, did you discover anything?”

The Dark Elf glanced at the tent and lowered his voice. “Yes.”

Unease slithered through Kendrick. “What?”

“A lot’s happening. Elves everywhere are on edge.”

The flap to the yurt lifted, and Esha came out, buckling her corset. “What’s going on?”

Kendrick stepped to the side so she could join them. “I was about to find out.”

“As I was saying,” Dain said, “the elves are troubled. They’re sending out multiple calls for Rangers. ”

Her brows drew together. “Where?”

“Everywhere.” Dain ran a hand down his face. “And I do mean everywhere. The calls are coming from the mountains, as well.”

“That’s never happened before,” Esha said in an unsteady voice.

Kendrick looked between the two. He then turned to Dain. “Why? What’s causing it?”

“I haven’t gotten a definitive answer,” the elf said.

But he knew something . Kendrick was sure of it. “Tell us what you’ve heard.”

Dain glanced at Esha, unable to hold her gaze. “I should find out more.”

“Tell us,” Esha demanded.

The Dark visibly winced. “Understand that there could be any number of reasons.”

“Dain,” Kendrick warned.

“Your sister is missing,” Dain told Esha.

Esha’s face went slack. “What do you mean?”

“Just that.” Dain blew out a breath. “It happened sometime after you left yesterday.”

“How do you know this?” Kendrick asked.

Dain lifted a shoulder. “As I keep telling you, word spreads fast among the elves. A Reader doesn’t just vanish like that. It has caused concern within every class.”

“I should return to Flamefall. I need to find out what happened,” Esha said.

Kendrick rubbed his chin. “Could she have been called away?”

“Yes,” Esha replied reluctantly. “But, surely, she would’ve told someone.”

“I think Flamefall is the last place you want to be,” Dain said.

Kendrick swiveled his head to the elf, and that same troubled feeling returned. This time stronger. “Why?”

Dain shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he fought to hold their gazes. “I don’t want to tell you because I’ve not confirmed anything yet.”

“Confirmed what?” Esha asked, her gaze locked on the Dark.

Dain sighed loudly. “Remember my warning when we were underground to lower your voices?”

“You said there were things we shouldna wake,” Kendrick said with a nod. “Are you telling us we woke something?”

“We didn’t.” Dain looked away hastily. “Someone else did. ”

Esha shrugged. “I’m sorry for your people, but what does that have to do with us?”

Kendrick understood Dain’s expression, and his gut constricted painfully. “It’s been let loose up here.”

“Yes,” Dain murmured.

Kendrick’s heart seized as foreboding shivered through him. “What is it?”

“A nightwraith. It prefers the underground caverns, but it can—and will—hunt aboveground,” Dain explained.

Esha nodded. “Tell us everything. We can hunt it.”

Dain snorted loudly. “Don’t you think we’ve done that? There’s a reason some creatures are left alone. This is one we’ve learned to avoid at all costs. We’ve abandoned huge portions of cities when one gets too close.”

“Why?” Kendrick pressed.

Dain briefly squeezed his eyes closed. “It’s hard to kill. Even with magic. It’s large enough that it considers us dinner. Its fangs are…enormous, and the venom is lethal with just one drop. There’s no sneaking up on it. Its hearing is impeccable, and even taking out its eyes won’t hinder it. It can even shoot toxic shards from its body. Once it locks on to you, there’s no getting away from it.”

“Is that what came for us yesterday?” Esha asked.

The Dark shrugged but looked away. “I think so.”

“You knew we were in danger,” Kendrick pressed. “I think you know more.”

Dain swung his gaze to Kendrick and shook his head. “I’m telling you all I know. If I had known it was a nightwraith, I would’ve taken you much, much farther.”

That got Kendrick’s attention. He narrowed his gaze. “Why?”

“Once before, a Dark Elf used a nightwraith for revenge.” Dain paused, his lips pursed as if just mentioning it was distasteful. “The elf left the scent of the one she wanted harmed behind when she disturbed the creature. The nightwraith latched on to that scent and sought out the victim over miles and weeks. That’s how we learned there’s no getting away from it, no matter how far you run or how cleverly you’ve hidden.”

Kendrick’s blood turned to ice. He glanced at Esha to see her lips parted in shock. His mind raced with options as he asked Dain, “Did you stop it?”

Dain shook his head slowly. “Hundreds of elves gathered and fought it with magic and weapons, but that only enraged the beast more. Over two hundred Dark were killed that day, including the one the nightwraith sought. Once its intended victim was dead, the creature turned on those around it until the elves retreated. Only then did it leave.”

“Bloody hell,” Kendrick murmured.

Esha lifted her chin. “Well, then. There’s no point in running. And I’m not going to bring that beast into this forest to harm others. If it wants me, bring me back to where you first found us.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Dain asked in disbelief.

Kendrick caught her gaze. There was no way he would let Esha near the creature. “Nay.”

“You heard him,” she stated as she motioned to Dain. “I can’t outrun it, and I don’t want innocents to die while it’s hunting me.”

Kendrick turned to look at the yurts. He used his magic to remove them, along with the fire, leaving no trace of them behind. Then he turned to Dain and Esha. “I’m no’ giving up that easily. Are either of you?”

Dain snorted. “You say that because you’ve not faced a nightwraith.”

“Neither have you,” Kendrick pointed out.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t know how dangerous they are.”

Esha turned to him. “What do you suggest?”

“We were already after a mutual foe. Is this really about you or me? Or is it about the entity?” Kendrick asked.

Dain leaned back against the bolder. “You can’t be suggesting that someone is trying to stop you.”

“Why not?” Esha shrugged. “It’s a good theory. Savita might have limited our time together, but I think that was because of what I did to her. When I saw her the next morning, that was something different. She was deeply troubled.”

Dain’s white brows rose on his forehead. “And you still set out with Kendrick? Savita is a Reader. You should’ve listened to her.”

“Can they no’ lie?” Kendrick asked.

Dain frowned, affronted by the mere suggestion. “They don’t.”

“But they can,” Esha said. “Nothing’s stopping them. Everyone believes them because if we begin to doubt, then everything falls apart.”

A muscle jumped in Dain’s jaw. But he didn’t disagree with Esha.

“Also, she never told me not to go,” Esha added. “She asked me to stay. When I declined, she told me to be careful.”

Kendrick shrugged one shoulder. “She cares about you. I doona think she would put you in danger.”

“I don’t think so either. There’s no way Savita sent the nightwraith,” Esha told them.

Kendrick hoped she was right. “Do you know where she could’ve gone?”

“She’s supposed to remain in Flamefall. The only way she would leave is if a Ranger sent for her. Savita takes her station seriously.”

“Or if she’s called to the Reader Temple,” Dain said.

Esha’s nose wrinkled. “True. Though it isn’t like her to leave without telling someone. No group of Rangers is left without a Reader. Ever.”

“What if a Reader dies?” Kendrick asked.

Dain lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “The Readers stay far from any skirmishes. They’re revered. Protected. At all costs.”

“Even if one of them makes a decision that goes against someone?” Kendrick prodded.

It was Esha’s turn to shrug. “It happens all the time. No one has attacked a Reader in dozens of generations.”

That didn’t mean it couldn’t happen, just that it was unlikely. Kendrick still didn’t understand the full role of a Reader. The way Esha and Dain spoke about them, no one made a decision without consulting them. Kendrick had met Esha’s Rangers, and all of them appeared intelligent. Especially Esha. If she had gained the rank she had, why did Esha need a Reader to make military decisions?

“All right. If it isn’t Savita, then who?” Kendrick looked from Esha to Dain.

Neither had an answer.