For the longest time, there was nothing, and I thought I would have to pretend. Then a luminous tunnel glimmered in the dark, something shining within it.
The Chantress had given me something.
When my eyes opened in the mansion, I could see both planes. I could see Madden’s gaze widening as I looked at him, my eyes likely fully white. I could see what the entity showed me.
“I see a tunnel,” I said.
A laugh echoed in my ears, and I couldn’t tell whether it was aimed at Madden or at me.
Chapter 54
Reagan
Reagan stared at the splintered piece of bark, its edges still rough where it had broken. A thin crimson line cut across his palm, the one he had not bothered to mend after driving his fist into the worn wooden baluster. He had torn the carved mark free before he forced himself back into the Hall. His chest held scarcely a breath.
The symbol had been carved into the staircase, subtle enough to be missed by anyone without a trained eye. Finnegan had spotted it first. An oval eye with tongues of flame swirling inside, the fire shifting in a simple animation charm that revealed nothing. Reagan had no idea who had left it beyond the certainty that it belonged to a Scion and that they had stood in the last place Jane had been.
“Brother?” Gwinifer’s voice travelled from two seats away at the table, faintly doubtful, as though she had been speaking for some time and had decided he was no longer listening.
He’d stopped listening once she informed him there were no news from any of the squads searching for Jane since yesterday.
He should have waited to announce her bond. Should have assigned a patroller to escort her. Should have enchanted another relic after Banfgaard.
But he had to be an imbecile, let his own bitterness against Varian distract him.
Now there were so many dangers to her life, so many ways they could hurt her. It was a battle to focus on anything else.
Three hours ago, a lizard familiar had sent a warning about the same location her blood had led them to, then vanished with an apology. The family who owned the Wandering Cup had portalled out of the country. Reagan now knew she had gone to rescue their child.
His temples throbbed from lack of sleep.
“Message Heil again,” he said, even though he knew the captain would have sent word if any of the searches had found something. The patrols he’d joined in the last day hadn’t uncovered so much as a trace.
“Did you hear what Finnegan said?” Gwin asked.
Reagan lifted his gaze to the figures gathered around the dining table.
Finn leaned forward, braced on his forearms, eyes intent on him. All of them wore the battle mage uniform designed to shield from the elements and deflect harmful charms, ready to depart the moment Heil’s mountain lion arrived.
But the sun had climbed high already, and there was no familiar in sight.
“What did you say?” Reagan asked.
Finn pointed to a human town on the map over the table. “We should place patrollers here to warn us if they catch sight of Madden.”
“Why would he go there?” Reagan pressed.
The silence that followed along made him realise he’d missed something.
“Did you hear anything that I just said?” Finn asked.
He hadn’t.
“One of my uncle’s spies sent word about the last place Madden was seen. Apparently, he showed up in this human town a week ago, before Jane was taken. It’s called Vallern, on the border with Erisea. He’s been there more than once.”
That pierced through his exhaustion, and Reagan set the marked bark on the table. “Has he been seen there again since yesterday?”
Reagan had contacted Erisea, Banfgaard and Vaelon to search for her. He’d asked for all the hidden lodgings the Elven Lords knew about. The Barrows had sent a familiar confirming they would dispatch battle mages to search their estate.
