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Andrues made it through the front doors first, pushing them open wide enough for us to see Elric pacing back and forth on the grass, his hand gripping the pommel of his sword like usual.

We raced down the steps toward him and his eyes darted up from the ground, relief and what looked like stress flaring in his irises.

“What has happened?” Landers snapped, sliding his hand into mine and pulling me closer.

“Brakan is in Locdragoon and he knows Dukovich is alive. Wren is interrogating him now, but we need you back,” Elric said, the words rushing from his mouth as Landers’s grip on my hand tightened. I didn’t recognize the name, but from the look of absolute horror on the three men’s faces, I knew it wasn’t good.

“Call Nithra,” Landers said, turning to me. “We need to get home, now.”

Chapter nineteen

ATALIIA

Myhandtappedagainstthe tonic tucked away in the breast pocket of my coat as I made my way back up the hill from Nethkar to the castle. A giant shadow rolled over the ground, blocking out the afternoon sun and I looked to the sky to see Nithra flying toward her stables.

They were back.

My stomach filled with lead as I swallowed back the lump forming in my throat. This was not going to be a pleasant conversation and I prayed I could keep my mouth shut long enough to get through it unscathed.

I hadn’t done anything wrong this time.

I sucked in a deep breath, swearing into the frigid air as I tethered to the throne room.

Pri, Asrai, and Dukovich were already waiting. Asrai stood with her hands clasped tightly at her back as Pri paced back and forth nervously in front of the steps leading to the throne. Dukovich sat on the second step, casually leaning back onto hiselbows as he waited. Pri’s footsteps echoed into the otherwise silent room as Elric tethered in.

“He is here. Where is Brakan?” Elric clipped, his gaze avoiding mine as he looked to Pri.

She stopped her pacing, pulling her hair nervously to the top of her head. “Wren is retrieving him from the prisons.”

Elric nodded as the sound of tethering echoed through the room again and Landers, Cin, and Andrues appeared.

A growl ripped from Landers’s throat as he took three quick steps toward Pri. “Howdareyou bring that man into our home. Where is he?”

I took a small step backward and right on cue Wren and Brakan tethered into the room. There was no time to stop Landers as he rushed toward them, his hand outstretched. A small whimper left Brakan’s mouth just before Landers’s fingers wrapped around his throat, the sound of snapping bones ringing through the room.

His body thudded to the marble floor.

“This is your source?” Landers snarled, pointing to Nox’s crumpled body as he looked to Pri.

“Was,” I interjected, immediately knowing as the word left my mouth that I should have kept it shut.

He was not in the mood for my snarky comments.

I pressed my lips into a hard line, trying to hide the smirk that was desperately trying to form. From the corner of my eye I watched Dukovich drag a hand over the lower half of his face and hold it there.

Apparently, he was also trying to hide the amusement my words had triggered.At least someone understood my humor, I thought to myself and shifted my gaze away before he could notice.

I would prefer it to be anyone else, but I suppose he would do.

Landers’s eyes flickered to me with disdain before they fell back on Pri, and I realized I’d never actuallyseenhim kill anyone. Creatures, yes, but never a person. I knew he had, of course, but this was the first time witnessing it.

There was a lethal side to Landers that we had not truly seen yet—a dark, gritty underbelly that he hid so well behind his calm demeanor. And as I stared down at Nox’s lifeless body, the realization that should have dawned on me the moment I met him, finally sank in.

Landers was dangerous.

He hadn’t given Nox a moment to plead for his life—not that I blamed him. Wren had already interrogated him and I probably would have done the same thing now that I knew who he was, knew the damage he had caused for centuries.

I pulled my eyes away from Nox and glanced at Cin. She said nothing as she watched Landers, her face set in an unreadable expression.