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“Too young to know what those creatures are,” Syrra muttered to herself. “When the magic is unsealed you will see.”

We ran to the lake under the cover of Riven’s shadows. Gerarda had torn off her bodysuit and was outfitted with her bow and countless blades. “I set fire to one of their ships. I was hoping to torch three more but I was almost seen.”

“You’re alive, that’s all that matters,” I said, not caring to hide my relief. “We know the island best.” I pointed to Gerarda and Syrra. “Syrra, take Nikolai. Gerarda, take Vrail. Your parties will search the Order after Riven and I will run the grounds and take care of any guards we see.”

Each of them nodded. Riven and I left first, curving around the northwest side of the island. There was a single sentry standing guard at the watch tower. The sound of his body falling into the sea was covered by the waves crashing along the rocks below.

Riven moved to continue along the edge of the island, but I grabbed his arm. I pointed toward the castle. “This way.”

Riven’s brow furrowed. “Traveling in the open field is more dangerous.” His last words were slow, realizing I was well aware of therisk. He turned back toward the tower. “You don’t want to cross by the tower?”

I shook my head. “I don’t want to cross by thegravenear the tower.” My throat burned. I had never returned to that spot and I had no intention to.

Riven opened his mouth and I could see the question sitting on his tongue. In that moment, I knew he knew. That Killian had told him that it wasmewho stabbed a blade through Brenna’s chest. His eyes softened and I didn’t know if it was with pity or disappointment. There was no time to tell him the truth of it now, no time to learn what he thought of me.

He only nodded. “Lead the way.”

We cut through the middle of the island. There were no other soldiers stationed at any of the watch points. I clenched my jaw. Hildegard and Gerarda had maximized the guard positions to train as many Shades as possible each night, but this few men felt neglectful.

Or like a trap.

As we neared the Order, I saw a group of soldiers standing on the terrace. They had no weapons drawn and their gazes were locked on each other and not the grounds they should be watching. I signaled to Riven and he covered the nearby windows and entryways with shadow before I shot an arrow through each man’s heart.

Riven knitted his hands together and hoisted me up onto the terrace. We both dragged two men to the edge and dropped them onto the ground below, hopefully out of sight to the rest of their crew. I loaded my bow with two arrows as Riven unsheathed the long sword behind his back. His hand shook for a moment as he gripped the hilt, his magic was beginning to drain. But Riven didn’t say a word. Instead, he raised a hand toward the white stone wall, turning his shadows into nothing.

We stalked along the third floor, checking rooms for guards or Shades but found no one. Riven’s cheeks became more hollow with every room we checked. “Something isn’t right,” he whispered.

I pointed to a small hallway that led to a narrow staircase. “There are dormitories up here. But the soldiers may have turned them into barracks.”

Riven’s jaw pulsed as he took the lead up the staircase, flooding the narrow passage with shadow.

I pressed my hand on his back and followed him up step by step. “One more turn and then you’ll reach a small landing. The door will be directly across from the last step.”

Riven’s shadows curled protectively around my legs. Just as I felt the flatness of the landing beneath my foot, Riven kicked open the locked door in a single blow and filled the room with darkness.

I drew my dual blades and followed Riven into the room, crouched and ready. There were no other heartbeats apart from his and mine, but there was a thick stench of shit in the air. Something about it reminded me of death.

Riven sensed something too and let his shadows fade into the walls, revealing the horror about the room. Fifteen bodies hung from the bed posts, their boots just scraping the floor underneath them.

Soldiers not Shades.

Riven grabbed one of their hands and choked. “They’re still warm.”

Every bit of warmth drained out of me. Thishadbeen a trap, but I had no idea who set it.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

THE SOUNDS OF CLASHING STEELfilled the air as I reached the lower levels of the castle. My heart pounded against my chest, unable to slow despite the way my panic wrapped around it. I stowed one of my blades and held my bow in the other hand, ready for whatever I found waiting at the end of the large stone staircase.

I had almost reached the great hall doors when the palace went silent. Finally, my heart slowed, my panic crumbling as the quiet lingered. It stretched out over the grounds until it felt like time had stopped.

I reached the top of the last staircase. Behind me was a statue of a fearsome warrior dressed in Elvish armor. In front of me was Lady Curringham protected by a guard on either side of her. It seemed the schemes of the late husband had been picked up by the wife.

The air in my lungs was so hot as I exhaled, I was sure it was smoke. The wife of the late Lord Curringham and the daughter of one of the largest trade allies to the kingdom. Now, she was trading in Halfling blood. I swallowed the vile taste in my mouth and reached for an arrow, ready to make the kill.

“Don’t shoot!” Gerarda’s desperate plea did not reach my ears in time, but the thin blade she had thrown at my arrow did. It fell at my feet in two even pieces, each bouncing down the steps.

The guards glanced at each other in confusion, raising their blades an inch but neither moved, unsure of who to attack.