Broken (43 page)

A twig snapped ahead and a flock of tiny birds scattered into the air. Althros threw his head to the side in protest, but kept going. She pulled her bow from around her shoulder and loaded it with an arrow. She held it firmly in one hand as she held the reins in the other.

Kira’s senses came alive with the sounds and smells of the forest. When something moved in the shadows, she took in a deep breath. She could smell them now, but she had no time to react. Two Royals leapt into the air, landing a few feet in front of her. She drew back her bow and took aim, her increased heart rate making her eyes burn cold. She’d forgotten about how the Crystor and Octavion’s blood had given her the ability to see in the dark, so was surprised when her night vision sprang to life. It was as if millions of tiny fireflies lit her way.

Althros came to a halt and clawed at the dirt with his hooves. Nostrils flaring, he lurched forward, warning the attackers to get out of his way. Kira tightened her legs around his belly to keep from falling off.

“Well, well. What do we have here?” She recognized them as the same men who’d attacked her before—Draego and his brother. Draego sported a long thin scar on his cheek where she’d scratched him. Their presence brought her future into focus. Octavion had failed.

“It appears we get a late snack,” the brother said. “The king will be pleased with our flawless hunting skills.”

Kira leaned into her bow, making sure she had a good strong aim at the brother’s heart. “I don’t suppose you boys would consider postponing our little play date?”

In the time it took them to take in one quick breath, they transformed into ferocious beasts. “Not even in your wildest dreams,” Draego said.

Octavion and Luka spent most of the day waiting to see King Tyrious, only to find he’d had a change of heart. He sent word through an advisor that only the death of the red haired foreigner would satisfy his craving for revenge. It didn’t matter that his son joined forces with Shandira and entered Kira’s world with evil intentions, or that his only heir tried to kill Cade, a Morganstar Royal. His singular focus was avenging his son. He had five armed guards and three Royals escort Octavion and Luka to the main gate with instructions to never set foot in Kazedon again.

Luka suggested they hunt before returning to Xantara in hopes of satisfying some of Octavion’s rage, but Octavion refused. He knew Kira would worry about the outcome of the meeting—and knowing the Kazedon Royals still sought her death made the urgency of their return critical. She would not be out of his sight again, even if that meant spending every night camped out on her balcony.

As the Royal guards threw the bolts to the castle gate, a familiar voice enter Octavion’s thoughts. The urgency of her tone seized his heart.

Octavion! Come quickly
, Altaria shouted in his mind.

“We must go. Something is wrong with Altaria,” he told Luka. They both appeared in the king’s chambers, only to find it empty.

Altaria, where are you?

On the main floor, in the sitting room. Be quick, something has happened.

Before she’d finished her thought, he appeared at her side. Luka entered seconds later to find Octavion kneeling in front of his sister.

“What happened? Are you all right?” Octavion asked.

Altaria’s fingers pressed against her forehead. “They cannot find her, Octavion. I heard her thoughts in my head and now they cannot find her. She will not answer me.”

Mara sat next to her, one arm around Arela, Ethan cradled in the other. The only women in the castle Altaria could share thoughts with sat next to her.

“Altaria, who are you talking about? Who is missing?” Octavion asked impatiently.

“Kira, you idiot. Who do you think?” She slammed her fist into the couch cushion. She pressed her fingers back to her forehead in concentration.

Octavion turned to Mara in disbelief. “What happened?”

Mara shook her head. “I do not know. The men are searching the castle, but have yet to find any sign of Kira. No one has seen her since this morning.”

Altaria’s head shot up. “That is not true. Cade saw her before sunset. She said she was going to her room to rest.”

Octavion took his sister by the arms and made her look at him. “What exactly did Kira say? What were her exact thoughts?”

She pushed his arms away. “She said . . . ‘
Altaria, I’m in trouble. They’ve found me.’
That’s it. She sounded terrified.”

The Kazedonian Royals had made quick work of obeying their king. And the meeting had obviously been a ploy to lure Octavion and Luka away from Kira to make her an easy prey. The very thought of Kira fighting them alone made his world crash down around him. He felt the muscles in his back swell. “Luka, go to the tower and sound the alarm. I want everyone looking for her. See if anyone saw her in the village today.”

“I’ll be right back,” Luka said, then disappeared. Seconds later the bells on the tower rang out in warning.

Octavion told his sister to keep trying to reach Kira, then stood and headed for the stairs. When he heard Cade’s voice behind him, he turned and reentered the room. Cade stood in front of his mother, questioning her about the alarm.

Stood!

Octavion blinked hard to make sure he hadn’t imagined it. “Cade. Explain your sudden recovery.”

Cade turned to face him. “I am sorry, Octavion. She made me promise not to tell you.”

Octavion didn’t bother taking the steps between them, but appeared an instant later in front of his cousin and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. “Tell me what?” he roared.

“Octavion!” Mara blurted, but he cut her off with a glare.

Cade spoke in a rush. “She came to my room and said she found Lydia’s ruby in your lair, that it somehow brought the Crystor to life.”

“And you let her heal you? You were willing to trade your legs for her life? She could have died.” Octavion tossed him aside. Cade hit one of the side tables and knocked the vase of flowers onto the floor. Mara opened her mouth to protest, but then stopped when she saw the rage in Octavion’s eyes.

“Where’s Ussay?” Octavion asked. “She will know where Kira is.”

“Most of the staff had the day off,” Mara said. “Ussay did not come to the castle today.”

“Cade, get her. Bring her here
now
.” Cade disappeared as voices rang out from the courtyard. Octavion started for the door, only to be met by Luka, who closed the door behind him—six guards by his side.

“Search the grounds, leave no stone unturned,” Luka barked.

“Has anyone seen her?” Octavion asked.

“Nothing yet, but most of the staff are arriving to help. Several headed out to look near the lake and go north toward Kazedon. They will check with the field workers to see if they have seen her or any strange Royals on one of the roads leading out of the village.”

Cade appeared with Ussay by his side. Her eyes were wide and Octavion could see the fear in them. “She knows nothing, Octavion. She has not seen her.”

Octavion looked into her eyes and saw her deceit. His gaze shifted to her right hand where she wore no bandage and no sign of her sacrifice for Ethan. He grabbed it and pulled it into Cade’s view. “Then how do you explain this?”

Cade knocked Octavion’s hand loose and stepped between them. “You will not touch her.”

“She knows where Kira is.” Octavion shoved him out of the way and stepped closer to Ussay. Mara sprang to her feet. Luka had to hold her back to keep her out of Octavion’s way.

“If you know something, you need to tell him,” Cade said to Ussay.

“All right.” She took a few hesitant steps toward Octavion. “It is your fault,” she blurted.

“What? How dare you blame me for this? I was not here.” He reached for her, but stopped in front of her face and made a fist instead. He was so close to hitting her, it scared him. He turned away.

“She saw you,” Ussay whispered.

Octavion turned back to see her face again. “Explain yourself.”

She looked back over her shoulder at the others, then turned toward Octavion again. “She came to my cottage this morning. She said she was bored and wanted to tour the marketplace. We had such a grand time. She picked something out for you and we got our hair braided and—”

“Ussay!” he interrupted. “When did she see me?”

“With Serena. She saw you with Serena.” She stepped closer and slapped him on the chest.

He pushed her away and growled. “It is not what you think.”

“I saw you, too, Octavion. You held hands with her. You kissed her and touched her face. How do you explain that away?”

“Not that it is any of your business, but I tried to pay for Kira’s shawl. She refused, so I took her hand, placed the coin in it and held it there. I kissed her
hand
, as do most gentlemen. And as for the face, she had something in her hair so I brushed it away.” He took a step back and put his hands on his hips. “Who are you to question my love for Kira?”

She wiped the tears from her face and straightened. “You did not have to stand there and hear Kira’s heart break in two.”

Octavion tried to ignore her words, but they pierced him to the core. Kira’s impression of what she saw was the reason she disappeared. He had to find her.

“Where is she, Ussay? You know—I can see it in your eyes.”

She shook her head. “I do not know. She ran back to the castle and I followed her, but then . . .” She paused.

“Tell me,” he roared.

Before she could answer, Nestor appeared with King Belesgar.

“Octavion,” Nestor called. “I have found something.” He stepped closer, holding a handful of what appeared to be splintered wood. “I found it in her chambers. It was on the floor near her bed.”

Octavion examined it carefully. It appeared to be a small box, now shattered into several pieces. There was a small piece of blood stained fabric with two canine teeth from a tiger. “Toran,” he whispered.

Cade stepped closer and picked up the teeth. He held them to his face and took in a breath. “Octavion, these cannot be Toran’s, the blood is fresh.

Octavion’s mind wandered back to the meadow where two playful white tiger cubs romped in the tall grass. His heart sank at the thought of their mother being killed. “Was there anything else?”

Ussay stepped forward. “Yes.”

Cade looked at her like she’d confessed to murder. “You have seen this before?”

She nodded without looking at him.

“Start talking, Ussay.” Cade folded his arms and motioned with his head toward Octavion.

“There was a heart shaped medallion on a silver chain—tiger’s eye I think.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of crinkled parchment. She held it for Octavion to take. “And this. I did not understand the words, but Kira did.”

Octavion grabbed it from her and quickly smoothed it open. When he saw the handwriting, fear struck him like a bolt of lightning. “Shandira is here.”

“Ussay, is there anything else you are not telling me?”

“She was stronger, Octavion. That bracelet did things to her. I saw it happen with my own eyes. I am sorry. I should have sent for you, but she said Shandira would kill Arela and she was . . .”

Octavion held up his hand, cutting her off. “I will find her.” Then he turned his attention to his father and Nestor. “Take the women and children to my father’s chambers immediately and lock down the castle.”

“Father,” Cade said. “Will you take Ussay, as well?”

Nestor agreed, then helped Belesgar gather the girls and disappeared.

Octavion returned his attention to the paper. He was used to deciphering Shandira’s dark verse, she’d been writing it for years. He read the words again, certain he knew exactly where Kira had gone. “She is in Pride Meadow.”

Both Cade and Luka clamped their hands on Octavion’s shoulders and an instant later they stood near the stream where he’d watched Kira play with the cubs. Though completely dark, the silver light from the waxing moons showed them all they needed to see.

With his first breath, Octavion picked up the scent of Kira’s blood beyond the trees. He saw himself perched atop a fallen pine and an instant later he was there. He spotted one of Shandira’s blades lying in the dirt, but nothing else at first. He jumped to the ground and searched—from the amount of blood on the blade, and no other signs of it, he guessed Kira hadn’t been hurt badly.

“Octavion,” Luka yelled. “We have found her.”

Luka stood near the log that spanned the stream—Octavion joined him in an instant. Cade knelt in the grass blocking Octavion’s view of her face, but her lifeless legs and blood-soaked torso were in full view. Octavion grabbed Luka’s shoulder for support.

“Breathe, cousin. It is not Kira,” Luka said.

Octavion took the scent into his lungs and immediately recognized it. Shandira. “Is she dead?”

“Yes,” Cade said. He stood and handed Octavion a bloody piece of fabric. “This is the only thing that has Kira’s blood on it. It appears to be the sleeve from a woman’s shirt. It is not Shandira’s so it must be hers.” He pointed to the end nearest where the shoulder would be. There was a small cut and the strong smell of Kira’s blood. Even though it was soaked with Shandira’s blood, it still made Octavion’s throat burn.