Page 17 (1/2)

Alek shot me a look “Uncomplicate it”

I arched an eyebrow at“What exactly would you likewith her or sitting silently while she scries and casts, looking for Avi She’s coain with no result was excruciating She started each day fresh and full of hope, and finished it drained with dark circles under her eyes

“Fuck!” He sla the stone “She didn’t just disappear into thin air!”

The cha to voice the question we’d all no-doubt wondered: was she still alive?

Lachlan cleared his throat “Alek, there is the matter of Conclave justice—”

Alek’s phone rang and he whipped it out of his pocket and tossed it onto the table, reaching for the decline button, but pausing “Unknown,” hethe call “Who is this?” he snapped

“Alek?” Avianna’s voice was soft, but clear

Holy shit, she’s alive Relief hit me with the force of a two-ton truck None of us had even let the unspeakable possibility of any other outcome pass our lips, but the fear had been palpable

Jocelyn needs to know

“Oh thank God” Alek hit the speakerphone button “Where are you? Are you hurt?”

“I’m not actually sure where I am,” she whispered, “but I’m not hurt I don’t have much time”

We all leaned in, the only sound in the roo from our indrawn breaths Our princess was alive For now

I bolted over to the security equipment and computers that covered one of the walls, and juht noould have been the perfect tienius—to rid for their honey up a mutter of thanks that he’d trained me on the basics of the syste Avianna’s call

“Did the twins take you?” Alek asked, resting his head in his hands

“Yes” There was a pause “That part wasunpleasant”

“I’ll fucking kill theht just shatter the da There was a frenzied desperation in his eyes that had ray area of morality when it came to our missions, but when it came to Avianna, I had no doubt he’d set fire to the whole fucking earth to get her back

Guilt was a powerful force, and he’d been assigned as her bodyguard since Olivia was gone Butto have to deal with some day