The desert wind whipped her cheeks as they rode deeper into the desolate expanse. Reiya’s mind raced, darting between fear and the faintest flicker of hope.
Her Alphas would’ve found the clues by now. The pendant, the bracelet—they’d know what they meant.
Kaelen would’ve seen the glint of crystal in the dirt, his sharp eyes narrowing as he crouched to retrieve it. He’d be impatient, a storm brewing in his chest—but Alarik would ground him.
‘She’s telling us something,’he’d say, his voice calm but assured.‘We just have to trust her.’
Trust. The word twisted in her chest, both a comfort and a weight. She couldn’t lose faith in them now. Not when she knew they were working hard deciphering the clues she left behind. Not when she knew they’d follow.
First, they’d order Captain Marzius to send a Sparo to Zahalyar. A team of soldiers had been dispatched days ago to increase watch for bandits attacking the water caravans providing relief to the areas most affected by drought.
They’d get the urgent message, and they’d find the Xians.
A sharp shift in Castiel’s posture broke through her thoughts. Hishead turned slightly, his body going rigid as he looked over his shoulder.
“Well, well,” he murmured, his voice low and mocking. “It seems your gallant Alphas are quicker than I gave them credit for.”
Her heart jumped, and she craned her neck to follow his gaze. In the distance, faint silhouettes moved against the moonlit dunes—two riders cutting through the desert at breakneck speed.
Kaelen and Alarik. She knew it with every fibre of her being. And at a distance behind them, a contingent of Asadian soldiers.
Castiel kicked the horse, urging the beast forward. The animal surged beneath them, sand kicking up in its wake.
She clung to the saddle, her mind racing. They were close. They could catch him if he faltered.
But Castiel, as if reading her thoughts, veered sharply to the right, angling toward a jagged outcrop of rocks looming in the distance.
Her pulse lurched, a hollow clench deep in her belly. “Where are you taking me?” she forced out, her voice low and taut, anger coiling just beneath the words.
He didn’t answer immediately, his focus narrowing as he maneuvered the horse with practiced ease. When he finally spoke, his smooth tone was laced with dark amusement.
“Somewhere they can’t follow so easily. I scouted these caves last night and made preparations. Perfect for losing pursuers.”
Her pulse hammered. She had to think, to act.
“You’re delaying the inevitable,” she said, her voice sharp. “You won’t win, Castiel. They’ll find me. They’ll stop you.”
He didn’t answer.
The horse skidded to a halt just outside a jagged rock formation, its hooves scattering loose stones across the hard desert floor. He dismounted with ease, movements fluid as he looped the reins over a weathered rock.
His smirk deepened as he turned to her, sharp eyes gleaming with purpose.
“No sense in bringing the horse,” he said lightly, gesturing toward the cave’s dark, yawning mouth. “It won’t manage the terrain inside. But you and I, dove? We’ll make quick work of it.”
Reiya’s gaze darted to the black void ahead. The air here felt cooler, damp—a faint whisper of stone breathing. Her chest tightened, but she kept her voice steady.
“What’s inside? Another one of your traps?”
He chuckled softly, adjusting his cloak. “Think of it as a shortcut. The caves cut straight through the ridge. And on the other side . . .” His smile turned razor-sharp. “A fresh mount awaits. You should know by now—I never move without a backup plan.”
Reiya’s heart pounded hard. Behind them, the faint echo of hooves stirred the air—Kaelen and Alarik were closing in. She needed to stall him, to buy them precious seconds.
“It’s too late, Castiel. You’re only making this worse for yourself.”
His hand closed around her arm, pulling her from the saddle with a grip that was firm, not yet cruel.
“Come now, dove,” he murmured, voice like silk drawn over a blade. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
