Page 75 of The Crowned Queen

“She’s unconscious.” Loren pulled his shadows close around him, forcing himself to ignore how they stretched back the way they had come—back towards her. “Has he said anything about what happened?”

Finn glanced over at the fire where Caela was fussing over Kai. Someone had brought him a clean shirt, and he’d scrubbed most of the blood from his skin. But his gaze was still hollow, the horror of what had happened written across his face.

“Not more than he said earlier,” Finn said. “But I can handle this, Loren. Go back to your mate.”

Yes, the shadows hissed, a furious chorus. Go back. You should be with her⁠—

“Serafina doesn’t need us underfoot,” he said.

It was a part-truth, at best. But Loren couldn’t tell Finn what had really driven him from Araya’s side. That the guilt of his failure threatened to crush him when she looked up at him, her beautiful silver eyes struggling to focus like she didn’t really believe he was there. She hadn’t been able to feel him. Couldn’t take comfort or strength in their bond—because he’d blocked it.

Your guilt does nothing for her, the shadows hissed, lashing against his legs. You leave her alone when she needs you most⁠—

“I’m more use to you here than I am to her right now,” Loren said, speaking over the shadows. “I can’t help Serafina heal her, but I can help plan a defense to whatever response the Arcanum will make.”

Finn eyed him sidelong. “Serafina is going to eat you alive,” he said finally. “Come on.”

Caela looked up as they approached, her face pinched with worry. “Kai,” she shook his shoulder gently. “Loren and Finn are here.”

Kai glanced up, a flicker of awareness in his hollow gaze as he glanced between them. “Is she alright?”

Loren swallowed hard. “Serafina is still working on her,” he said. “There was...a lot of damage.”

Kai nodded, his expression miserable. “I would have stopped it if I’d been there,” he said, echoing his words from earlier. “I swear, Loren. I did my best to protect her.”

Protecting her is your duty, the shadows muttered. One you neglect yet again.

“You got her to us.” Finn clapped Kai on the shoulder, taking the seat beside him. “I just need you to tell us a little bit more about what happened. How did you get out?”

Kai’s face paled. “I don’t—” he shuddered, his throat bobbing. “I don’t understand it. But there were vines everywhere. Attacking the Arcanum soldiers. They ripped through the wall. Killed Caylin.” He cleared his throat, his voice rough. “Jaxon ran by, shouting for the healers, so I went looking for her.”

Finn glanced at Loren. “And then what?” he pushed. “You just walked out with her?”

“Not exactly.” Kai took a deep breath, visibly steeling himself. “Garrick had her. He was…taunting her. I tried to convince him to let me take her. Told him I’d take her back to Jaxon’s tent. But…he wouldn’t let her go.”

“Then how did you get her out?” Loren asked, a trace of impatience creeping into his voice. “Should we be expecting Garrick Shaw to come after us at any moment?”

Kai laughed, his voice taking on a hysterical edge. “I’d be surprised,” he said. “Considering I stabbed him and watched the vines close over his body with my own two eyes.”

For a moment, Loren doubted his own ears. Kai couldn’t possibly have—but everyone else was staring at him too, their eyes wide.

“Kai,” Caela said, her voice forcibly calm. “Are you saying you killed Garrick Shaw?”

“I’m not sure if that honor goes to me or the forest, actually.” Kai’s voice was small. “But yes, he’s dead.”

The ground dropped out from under Loren’s feet. He stumbled back a step, his ears ringing with those words. The shadows were saying something, their hissing words blending together as they spoke over each other. Loren couldn’t hear them anyway over the ringing in his ears. He’d spent twenty-five years in chains because of Garrick Shaw, and now⁠—

Garrick Shaw was dead.

“Loren.” Finn stood, looking at him with concern. “Are you alright?”

Loren sucked in a hard breath. How did he answer that? “I don’t⁠—”

“Loren Shadowbane!”

Serafina’s voice rang out across the clearing, her face twisted with fury as she limped toward the cook fire. Finn jumped to his feet, but she shook him off, her fury trained on Loren.

“How dare you,” she hissed. Loose strands of hair that had escaped her braid haloed her face, Araya’s blood still staining her skin and clothes. “How dare you leave her alone, after everything she’s been through?”