Chapter 42

Forty-Two

I spentthe next morning on tenterhooks. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Jake now had Luk and Thigad to guard him, and of course the baby dragons were very vocal (and bitey) if anyone even looked at Jake cross-eyed. They adored him to bits. I couldn’t blame them. I did as well.

Still, even with my precautions, I couldn’t shake that gut feeling. I also knew better than to discount it completely. That feeling had saved my ass too many times for me to ignore it now.

Finally, I found a breaking point in my tasks that morning and went in search of Jake. He could literally have been anywhere, as Jake didn’t really stay in an office to work. He could, I’d seen him do so, but he preferred to be on the move. His ability worked better around people, anyway.

I tried the garden first. He liked to keep the babies out there with him, give them a safe place to roam around and play in. Snow threatened to fly in hard and fast any day now, and Jake often took the babies outside to give them as much outdoor time as possible. It was empty, though. All right, greenhouse?

Backing out, I went down the main street, checking with people as I walked.

Have you seen Jake?

No?

Anyone seen Jake?

No matter who I asked, no one had. Stranger and stranger, this situation. Jake was popular—everyone wanted to chat with him or ask a favor—I couldn’t imagine him being out and about and not a single soul seeing him.

My gut now sent up more and more red flags, and I was inclined to agree. Something was very wrong. Very, very wrong.

I reached the greenhouse, and already I could hear dragonlings crying inside. Phew, okay, perhaps my instincts had been wrong for once. Where there were dragons, there must be a Jake. It was a universal law with the dragonlings, if you asked them. Sounded like he had his hands full, though. I should probably help out with the kidlets until we could get them down for an afternoon nap.

I opened the door, intending to quickly slide in, as we didn’t want the heat to escape. The second I got the door open a crack, a blue-scaled body slammed into me. It rocked my balance, and I almost fell, catching myself on the door.

“Cole! What the hell?—”

The dragonling clung to my chest, literally shaking, with big liquid tears rolling down his face.

Shit. My gut had been right.

I held him close even as I shoved the door fully open. The greenhouse was large, but it was also a straight shot. I could see the back wall from here. There wasn’t a single soul in here except the babies.

Where were the knights?

I backed out, or tried to—I now had two dragonlings clinging to my legs, with Flame on my back. Seeing them this panicked did nothing to reassure me.

“Where’re the knights?” I demanded of Cole.

Cole pointed to the side.

I took the ten steps to get over there, waddling, and quickly found them. Both Luk and Thigad were out cold, piled up on top of each other like someone had dumped them there without care. I could tell in a glance they were under a sleep spell. Fuck.

I canceled the spell with a snap of power, and they both jolted awake, at first clinging to their heads as they sat up. Then Thigad lurched to his feet, his large body almost crashing against the glass in his haste.

“Your Grace, Jake?—!”

“He’s been taken.” It wasn’t a question on my part. That seemed obvious enough. “Who?”

“I don’t know.” Thigad looked like he was crying internally as he said that, which was a very odd expression on his Orc face. “They hit us with the spell before I even knew they were there. I heard voices, Jake yelling, just as the spell sucked me under. But I never got a look at them.”

Dammit. Whoever did this knew what they were about. “Take the kids. I’m calling for the wolves.”

Both knights immediately took dragonlings from me, looking like they were kicking themselves the whole time. It wasn’t their fault, though. You had to guard specifically against sleeping spells, and I hadn’t thought to give them that protection. This was on me. It was my oversight.

I half knew already who had done this, but on the off chance I was wrong and someone else had kidnapped Jake, I wanted to track him. Also, I might yet catch up with them.

Panic nipped at my brain, urging me forward, insisting I just grab a horse and go now. It wouldn’t do any good. I needed backup before I went for Jake because if I was defeated, it did him no good.

I spotted Gren and flagged him down. “Jake’s been kidnapped.”

Gren blinked like he wasn’t sure if he’d heard me right, then rage slammed into his expression. “Jake’s been kidnapped?!”

“Someone knocked out his bodyguards and trapped the dragonlings in the greenhouse. I need trackers and a party ready to move.”

“I’m on it.” Gren spun on his heel and sprinted up the road toward the castle, calling for people as he went.

I lifted two fingers to my lips and blew a fierce and loud whistle. The dire wolves were trained to come to me at that sound and I needed them like never before. Panic still beat at my heart, as harsh and damning as war drums.

Jake. Jake. Jake.

It was all I could think, his name laced with panic and a fear I’d never experienced before. I couldn’t lose Jake. I just couldn’t. My world would end without him.

Nox and Portor arrived in seconds, looking at me curiously, tails up—a silent sign they were ready to work and waiting on my word.

“Jake’s been taken.” I hated those words. Hated having to say them. “He was kidnapped from the greenhouse?—”

I didn’t manage to get the full command out. In a second flat, they sped past me, heading for the greenhouse, already moving to pick up his trail. With the same speed as they went, they came back my way, noses to the ground. Jake’s scent mingled with divine power, which the wolves were sensitive to. This led to ease of tracking on their part. I was never so thankful for it as I was now.

They weren’t waiting on me. I sprinted after them, struggling to keep up because of course a wolf’s speed could put any bi-pedal creature to shame. I raced after them, praying all the while that the abduction had just happened. That Jake was within reach. That I’d be able to get him back today without injury. I’d sacrifice a lot to make that happen.

The wolves hit the main road leading south, then paused, looking back at me to make sure I was still with them.

I held up a fist. “Hold.”

Neither was happy to do so, but they obediently stopped, milling in place, eager to resume the hunt.

Only I wasn’t sure if I could. If they’d gone this direction, then I knew my hunch was correct. It was those High Temple bastards who had taken Jake, which changed how I’d approach this. This wasn’t a simple abduction anymore, and going off half-cocked would do more damage than good.

“Gather the others,” I ordered, already turning back. “We’re going to have to divide and conquer.”

Logistics flew through my head as I ran back into town. I needed a certain size force to go with me, and we had to be small enough to move quickly, otherwise this whole thing was doomed. With the weather this cold and the scent of snow in the air, we could be buried in a blizzard and unable to give chase. If I couldn’t get to Jake before he entered the palace grounds, then I had a wholly different fight on my hands. A fight I was not prepared to win.

Ara met me at the stable, both my horse and hers already tacked up. I saw not only her, but half my knights, my parents, and my grandparents standing nearby. I was relieved to see my grandparents were not holding reins as well, as they didn’t have the mobility and stamina to go haring off on a chase like this.

“We’ll manage things here,” Grandma Haera informed me, more like an order. She looked ready to flay people alive. “You go get our Jakey.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I wanted to do that anyway, but I wasn’t arguing with her. Not in this mood.

Accepting the reins from my cousin, I swung aboard Digger, who was already raring to go. He sensed the tension and need for movement, even if he didn’t understand what was going on.

Ara rapidly filled me in as I settled into the saddle. “Jake was last seen two hours ago, so they have at least that much of a head start.”

Fucking hell. Two whole hours?! We’d have to ride hard and fast and pray we caught up, knowing they would be riding just as hard and fast to get to safety before we could catch them.

“We’ve got enough food on us for three days. The kitchens packed us up quickly.” Ara made a face, determined but grim. “We can eat as we ride, which should buy us some time.”

“Hopefully it’s enough.”

I turned in the saddle to address everyone listening. “I strongly believe the High Temple has kidnapped Jake. They’ve already attempted this once, and the wolves tell me they went due south.”

I paused, letting this sink in. It was one thing to go after kidnappers, but the High Temple could make our lives miserable if we crossed them. I didn’t even need to debate it. It was worth the risk for me. I wanted to give everyone else a chance to back out, though.

Not one soul moved or uttered a peep. They sat there watching, waiting for the cue to move.

They loved Jake as I did. My heart filled with gratitude even as fear jabbered in the back of my mind. I knew what the potential cost for this might be. I also didn’t care.

Jake. Jake. Jake.

“If he’s heading there, we need to catch them before they get into the palace.” Mom gave me a firm nod. “Let’s ride.”

I didn’t say another word, just twisted back around, setting heels to flanks, my stallion eagerly leaping forward. The dire wolves stayed a few paces ahead, still tracking Jake, and I trusted them to guide me to him.

One thing was for sure. I’d rip the palace walls down with my bare hands if I had to, but I was not leaving Jake in their hands.