Page 122 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

He pressed his hands together and offered the man a bow.

“Rajguru,” Omar said, again using the same title. “I hadn’t expected to ever see you again.”

“We’ve arrived on a matter of some importance. I’m here to see the king.”

Yasen watched Omar’s gaze shift imperceptibly.

“The king is not here,” he said. “Nor do I know when he’ll return.”

“Where did he go?” Yasen asked.

Omar blinked a set of owlish eyes. “I am not at liberty to disclose that information.”

“Omar, please,” Row said. “It’s a matter of life and death.”

Omar’s gaze returned to Row, and the man scanned him up and down. Then he shook his head. “I truly don’t know where he went.”

Yasen was inclined to believe him.

“Where are Zarya and Rabin?” he asked. “We’ll see them.”

Omar shook his head, and a band tightened around Yasen’s ribs.

“I’m sorry, but they have also departed. They returned to Ishaan.”

Now Yasen knew something was very wrong.

“What about Ekaja?”

“She is also… away.”

Yasen was about to launch into a list of accusations, but Row laid a hand on his arm, his expression suggesting Yasen should cool it.

“Then, if you’d be so kind as to set us up with rooms for tonight,” Row said, addressing Omar. “We’ll be on our way first thing. It seems we’ve wasted a trip.”

Omar watched Row, his gaze sliding to Yasen before he slowly tipped his chin. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anyone to travel in this storm.”

“Thank you,” Row said. They followed Omar through the castle. Yasen was set up in the same room as his last visit while Row was placed across the hall. Immediately, they went to Rabin and Zarya’s rooms.

They rooted through their belongings, and it was painfully obvious they hadn’t left for Ishaan, but their search turned up nothing that might suggest where they’d gone.

“I don’t suppose we can break into the king’s room?” Yasen asked, running a hand through his hair.

Row snorted. “We’d sooner all turn into dragons, like Rabin.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Yasen paced back and forth.

“Where can he have taken them? And why?” he asked while they discussed what to do, coming up with various theories and then dismissing them. Nothing felt right, and if they couldn’t access the king’s study, how could they prove any of this?

It took Yasen a moment to notice someone hovering in the doorway. He remembered her as the vanshaj woman who’d been tending to Zarya.

When Yasen met her gaze, her face crumpled into a worried expression.

“Do you know what happened?” Yasen asked, immediately crossing the room. “Please come in.”

He gestured towards the divans around the fire, but the woman shook her head.