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He switched to battle mode and focused only on the work that needed to be done in front of him. If he worked fast, maybe he could reach Hannah before anything happened to her.
He geared up and sent energy bursts in quick succession that struck the wraiths and their mates. Two pair fell prone immediately.
He wasn’t a mastyr for nothing.
But the remaining Invictus pair fought on, more cunning than the two that had fallen. Then suddenly a golden light appeared and in a flash that almost blinded him, all three pair were swept across the Sound toward the access point.
In that moment, he knew he was too late.
“Hannah!” he shouted.
He rose into the air, searching for her, but didn’t see her anywhere. “Hannah!”
The gold light returned. “She can’t hear you, Jude. She’s already halfway across Kellcasse by now. I found a lesser Mastyr looking for a nice hook-up, who happily tagged along and took Hannah into your realm. He’ll be pleased about the boost in power when he bonds with your woman. It’s just too bad you couldn’t control her.”
And just like that, the gold light winked out and Margetta was gone.
A strong ocean breeze off the Strait blew across Jude’s back. He rose high in the air once more, higher and higher, and away from the crowds that had gathered to watch him battle the Invictus.
Now he was just alone, levitating above the last flickers of the burning bar and the sound of the water still being sprayed over the collapsed building.
He made his way back across the Sound in the direction of the access point. When he arrived, he found the access point guards dead, their throats cut, and showing no signs of having fought back.
Margetta had brought her mist and killed again.
He reached for Malik telepathically, and a moment later, Malik opened his mind. Jude. Everything okay?
We’ve got a disaster. He then gave him a brief update. I have to find Hannah.
I’ll let Longeness know what’s going on.
Good place to start, but I’ve got to think.
Jude slowed his flight as he shut the communication with Longeness down, knowing he was in a state of shock. That old expression rose within his mind that he’d just had the rug pulled out from under him.
He needed to find his footing and he needed it fast. He pathed Malik this time. Meet me on the balcony at Castle Island.
I’m two minutes out.
Taking the first step helped to center his brain. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do yet, but talking things over with a fellow mastyr often brought clarity.
He picked up his speed and f
lew faster than he ever had before, rising high into the air to avoid trees or hills or any of his Guardsmen out on patrol.
A few minutes later, he touched down on the stone pavers of his castle house.
Malik was there, his expression intent, eyes wild. “I can’t believe this happened.”
Jude shook his head. “I know. I’d expected another mist attack, but not Margetta, arson, and the Gold Rush.”
Malik frowned. “It’s not like you to let something like this take you by surprise. What happened?”
Jude shoved his hand through his hair, dislodging the woven clasp. “Hannah was really distressed, demanding to be taken home after what happened here.” He waved in the direction of the peach orchard. “She didn’t even want me around. I couldn’t make sense of what I needed to say to her. It all turned into a fight, and I was completely distracted when Margetta, through these brief flashes of light, brought in three wraith-pairs.” He gritted his teeth. One of the worst things a Guardsman could ever do was get distracted.
Now Hannah was in the clutches of a madwoman.
Jude leaned over the railing, the woven clasp in his hands. “And the fuck if I know what to do.”
