Chapter 18

18

City of Rannora

“ What do you mean Arya is missing?” Yasmin demanded.

Dain stood in the kitchen with the evening sun streaming through the windows. The curtains shaded most of the rays, but it still hurt. He looked from the human to the Sun Elf beside her. “ I can’t find her. She missed a dinner with her parents, and they’ve not heard from her.”

“ This is about Shaldorn .” Ravi’s copper gaze was hard, his golden hair skimming his shoulders.

Dain nodded and squeezed his tired eyes shut. It felt as if someone had dumped sand in them. He leaned against the wall, more exhausted than he had been in years. He hadn’t slept. After hours with Arya’s parents, he had returned to The Crossing to do another sweep with Sidiq . Then , he had come here.

Yasmin’s long, black hair was in a single plait over her left shoulder. Her brow was furrowed, and her dark blue eyes were filled with concern. Hearing a sound above them, she lifted her gaze to the second floor. “ Are the children in danger?”

She had been looking after six humans who didn’t have homes. When she and Ravi got together, they became a family. Dain had been there when one of the little ones had nearly died from an illness. He wouldn’t let anything happen to them now.

“ Not while I’m around,” he replied.

Ravi wrapped an arm around Yasmin and pulled her against him. “ We won’t let anyone get to the kids.”

“ I knew when Gita got away that she wouldn’t stop until she got revenge.” Yasmin leaned her head against Ravi .

Dain inwardly shook himself to stay awake. “ There’s a price on our heads. We all need to be cautious.”

“ I thought nobody at Shaldorn saw Arya ,” Ravi said.

Dain shrugged. “ I didn’t think they did. She didn’t believe she was seen, but someone must have. I came to warn you but also to help get all of you into hiding.”

“ You aren’t fighting them alone. I’ll be with you,” Ravi announced. Then he turned Yasmin to face him. “ Gita won’t get near you again, my love. I promise.”

Gita had nearly killed Yasmin last time. It had taken multiple healers to repair her body. Arya had brought Yasmin to the Mountain Elves for safety, but she had detailed Yasmin’s injuries to Dain . No one had expected Yasmin to survive such an assault. It still amazed Dain that she had. Which was why he understood why Yasmin didn’t want to be anywhere near Gita .

Yasmin briefly closed her eyes. When she opened them, she had a new resolve. She placed her hand over Ravi’s heart. “ We went into Shaldorn together. We will do this together. I wouldn’t be here without Arya .” Yasmin swung her head to Dain . “ We can only trust each other.”

“ That isn’t entirely true,” Dain told them. He blew out a breath. “ There is another we can trust. She and I have been working together to figure out who tried to kill Kendrick and Esha . Savita might be the only other one we can count on.”

Laughter from upstairs floated down to them. Dain looked up at the ceiling, trying to imagine what the kids were doing. For the first time in their young lives, they had a stable family and constant food in their bellies. And now, their lives would be disrupted because of evil.

“ I think we could include Durga in that group, as well,” Ravi said, mentioning his mentor and superior.

Yasmin pressed her lips together. “ We need a plan. First , Dain , sit down. You look ready to fall over.”

“ I’m fine,” he argued.

Yasmin quirked a brow and pointed at the table.

“ It’s just easier to give in,” Ravi advised.

Dain pulled out a chair and sank into it. One of them set a glass before him, followed by a plate of food. He was starving, and there was no use denying it. He dug in.

Yasmin picked up the conversation again. “ I agree about Durga . She listened to you, Dain . About Shaldorn . She wouldn’t have done that if she was involved.”

Dain nodded and continued eating.

“ There’s also Manu ,” Yasmin said.

Dain paused in eating to look at Ravi . Then he slid his gaze to Yasmin . “ Manu helped us out before, but that doesn’t mean the Mountain Elves will do so again.”

“ Manu will for Yasmin ,” Ravi replied. “ At the very least, it’s a good place for the kids.”

Yasmin nodded. “ Far from all of this. Manu and his people won’t let anything happen to them.”

“ We should get moving, then,” Dain said.

Ravi held up a hand. “ Finish eating. Then you need to rest. We’ll get the kids ready.”

“ I want to look for Arya some more.”

Yasmin nudged his plate forward. “ You can’t do that in the state you’re in.”

Dain went back to eating while Ravi questioned him about the places he had searched. The moment his plate was clean, Yasmin directed him to the sofa. He remembered sitting down, and then…nothing.

When Dain opened his eyes, he was curled on his side, and it was dark outside. Something tickled his cheek. He pushed it away and discovered it was a brightly colored blanket someone had placed over him. A child’s giggle caught his attention. He looked at the other end of the sofa to find Jaya , the youngest of the children.

It warmed his heart to see her cheeks pink with health. Her dark eyes contrasted beautifully with her blond hair. She smiled as she came closer and climbed onto the couch to sit next to him. Her tiny finger traced the scar that bisected his eye.

“ Did it hurt?” she asked.

He wanted to smooth away the frown that puckered her brow. “ Aye .”

She traced a second one. “ This , too?”

“ Aye . Scars are proof we survived, little one. Don’t ever be afraid to show them.”

She grinned. “ I won’t.”

“ Jaya ,” Ravi called.

Dain missed the child when she jumped down. He sat up as Jaya ran to Ravi , who lifted her into his arms. He whispered something to the girl before kissing her cheek and setting her down. Jaya waved at Dain before running to the stairs and disappearing up them.

“ You’re really good with them.”

Dain grunted and swung his legs over the side before running his hands through his hair. “ How long did I sleep?”

“ Almost two hours. I’ve spoken with Durga to get her up to speed.”

“ And your pinched lips mean?”

Ravi sank onto the other end of the couch and rested his forearms on his thighs, his head lowered. “ I saw the list of those who are missing. And I doubt it’s everyone. It’s …considerable.”

“ It’s good someone is collecting names.”

“ That’s about all they’re doing. The population doesn’t know the full extent of what’s happening, and the Conclave doesn’t want them to.”

Somehow , Dain wasn’t surprised. The elected officials of the ruling government of Shecrish liked to keep everyone complacent. “ Then we make sure they do.”

“ I’m going to do that while you take the kids to Manu .”

The meal and sleep replenished Dain’s energy, but it was about to be depleted again. He couldn’t take all the children at once. That meant two trips from Rannora to the Dangerous Peaks . But he wasn’t about to leave the kids in danger.

Within moments, Yasmin had all six children downstairs and dressed in warm clothes. Jaya rushed to Dain . He caught her when she leapt at him. Then he held her with one arm as two others came to him.

“ We’ll see you soon,” Yasmin said to the kids.

Dain called the shadows as Jaya’s little arms wrapped tightly around his neck.