35. Thirty-Five

Thirty-Five

Ardan sat on the edge of his bed, clutching Ata’s crimson sweater between his fingers.

He had been sitting this way for hours.

Unmoving.

He stared out the window and watched as the shrouded mist engulfed the moon’s light. Walking toward him, I pulled the sweater out of his grasp and set it on the black velvet chaise at the foot of the bed.

“You need to try to get some sleep,” I said softly, the bed sinking with my weight beside him.

“I can’t. I can’t sleep while she is still out there.”

I slid my hand into his as I rested my head on his shoulder. “Wren and Landers will let us know everything they have found when they get back.” I pushed from the bed and knelt in front of him.

There was so much pain in his eyes.

I reached out and cupped his weathered face in my hands, my thumbs tracing the lines of worry etched deep into his skin.

His usually golden eyes met mine. They were totally void of hope, filled with desperation. They were nothing more than hollow embers staring back at me.

“Ardan, I know how much you love her, but right now, she needs you to be strong. She needs you to be the warrior you have always been so that you can bring her back home. Back to us.”

His shoulders slumped at my words and I dropped my hands from his face and pulled his fingers into mine.

“You have to sleep. I need you to sleep.”

His grip tightened on my hands, and with a deep breath, he nodded in agreement. I tugged off his heavy boots, carefully placing them aside as he collapsed onto the rumpled sheets and trembled, trying to hold back tears. My throat constricted at the sound, my heart screaming in my chest. I pulled the blanket over him, swiping my hand across his cheek as I turned to head for the door then stopped.

“Ardan?” I whispered, clutching my necklace and turning back to him.

“Yeah, Cin?”

“Can I stay with you?” My voice cracked as the question left my lips.

He lifted the blanket next to him and held his hand out to me as I rushed back to him. I crawled into the bed, my hand finding his in the darkness. I could feel his warmth, his heartbeat, and his strength.

The strength that I wished I could give him.

As I closed my eyes, I silently prayed to the Gods Ata would still be alive when we found her.

The sound of creaking floorboards woke me. Ardan was sleeping deeply, his hand still holding onto mine.

“How is he?”

My head turned to the sound of Wren’s voice. He paced back and forth in front of the dimly lit window as I pulled the blanket under my chin.

“He’s scared,” I answered.

“We found her,” Wren said, his tone biting,

I shot up from the pillow. “Where is she?”

“She’s in Mornos. They have her chained up from the dungeon’s ceiling,” he spat out the words as he dragged his hand over his face.

I was going to be sick.

A sour taste filled my mouth, and a sharp pain clenched my stomach. Nausea flooded my body as the room started to spin.

I leaned over the edge of the bed, and vomited.

“What's going on?” Ardan was behind me in a second, running his hand down my spine. His voice alert but groggy, desperate as he asked the question again. “What is going on, Wren?”

I wiped the bile from my mouth with the back of my sleeve as Wren stopped pacing. He turned to look at us as he slumped into the chair behind him.

“It’s bad, Ardan.”

“What does that mean?” Ardan seethed, pulling himself off the bed.

“They have her in their prison. Hanging by a fucking chain.”

“We have to go. We have to go get her now.” Ardan’s voice was rising, his fear breaking through with every word.

“We will. All of us need to sit down and decide on the plan and pack our belongings. We won’t be coming back after we retrieve her.” Wren stood, locking eyes with Ardan. “We will free her, brother. Whatever the cost.”

“I will get everyone up.” I flicked my fingers over the mess, watching as it disappeared and tried to force the second wave of nausea deep back into my stomach as panic set in.

A deep and ominous growl echoed through the air, shaking the ground and rattling windows. Seconds later, the sky lit up with a blinding flash as bolts of electricity tore through the red, carnage filled clouds, casting a crimson hue against the stone walls.

A warning of the storm’s power—it’s fury. A harbinger of what awaited us outside this haven.

“Is Pri well enough to tether?” Landers asked Andrues as I strapped my knives to my body.

“It will be painful for her, but she is ready,” Andrues answered. Wren tensed at his words, his fists tightening beside him.

“We cannot go to your safe house in Ithia,” Landers said, turning to Wren. “We cannot take the risk if it has been compromised.” Wren nodded. “I was able to get word to my allies in Edvhir, Ithia’s capital, that we are coming. There will be a woman waiting for you at the edge of the realm. She will find you and lead you to a secure location,” Landers said as he pushed a map into the pocket of Wren’s jacket.

Ardan stepped behind me, the sword strapped to his back and glinting against the light of the candles illuminating the room as Taft stepped up beside him, placing a hand on Ardan’s shoulder.

“There are guards stationed at every entrance to Mornos. In order for us to get in, we will need to create a distraction at the south entrance. The easiest way to get down to the prison is through the northwest entrance and follow the corridors down. She is being held in the pit which is in the center of the dungeons. The pit is heavily guarded. There will be no way to get her out without casualties. I need you all to understand that now.” Landers’s eyes flashed to Taft briefly, then rested on me.

“I do not care how many fae, witch or daemon I have to kill to get her back, I will do it. I will rip the throat from every being that has touched her.” The threat was a low growl from Ardan’s mouth and Taft’s jaw tensed at the words.

A shiver snaked down my spine from the cold icing around his words. But I knew . . . knew if it came to that, I would do it too. I sucked in a deep breath then asked, “What’s the distraction?”