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“Busy bickering like an old married couple in the bathroom,” a drawling voice cut in, startling them both.

Ark’s hand shot to his waist on instinct, coming up empty when he should have drawn his sword. But when his eyes clashed with Vawn’s, that strange mix of relief and haunted pain there as always, Ark let his hand fall with a sigh.

“You snuck in,” he accused.

“You were distracted,” Vawn countered, his smile not reaching his eyes. He glanced beyond Ark at Kheir, his gaze skimming over the needle in his bronze skin but not remarking on it. A smile twitched at the edge of his mouth though, a little realer than the one before. “I came to see the prince. A falcon returned with your parents’ reply, but it won’t release the missive to any of us.” He held up his hand, where a red, angrygouge carved across the back of his hand. “He’s causing a serious ruckus.”

“And you’re not enjoying it one bit,” Kheir observed, pulling his jacket up to cover the needle. “Where’s the falcon?”

Vawn tilted his head so they followed him, but he paused in the middle of the room. “Get better at acting fast. You’re both under my control. Got it?”

Ark nodded, drawing himself up, his back straight. Kheir stiffened beside him, but murmured, “I understand. Vawn—”

“No thanks necessary,” Vawn cut in breezily, forcing a smile as he met each of their stares. His voice dropped to a whisper. “And a word of, hopefully unnecessary, warning. When I’m outside this room, I’m usually a mindless drone of the saints, but something miraculous and fucked up happens in this room, and I can think again. I’m me again. It usually lasts an hour after I leave, but there’s always a chance I’ll go right back to being their—what was it you called me, Kheir? Their bitch?”

“Vawn, I’m sorry—” Kheir began, but Vawn was still speaking.

“I don’t know how long it will take to get the missive from this damn falcon, and I’m under orders not to stop until we have the reply.”

“So you might lose your autonomy before that happens,” Ark said, connecting the dots. “Fuck, how are you coping?”

“I’m not.” Vawn smiled, sharp and twisted, his eyes flat. Eyes completely devoid of hope. “Now that we all know where we stand, follow me. And don’t forget to pretend to be controlled.” He gave them a pointed stare. “And if you’ve got any little plans to put into motion, you’d better make it quick or you’ll find me a much harder opponent.”

Sympathy was an arrow in Ark’s chest, but he didn’t hesitate to follow Vawn out of the door and into the hallway for the firsttime in days. Weeks? He’d lost track of how long they’d been here.

Vawn had been missing forweeksbefore they were brought here. That entire time, he’d been controlled, his free will erased to turn him into a servant of saints he so clearly hated. Ark felt like shit for judging him so severely, but there wasn’t time for an apology and Vawn didn’t seem inclined to accept one anyway.

Ark reached across and pulled up Kheir’s collar, making sure the needle was thoroughly hidden. The look they exchanged was tense and fraught with nerves. They would get one chance, and only one. It had to be quick, before the saints realised what they were up to, before Vawn lost control of himself.

Ark scanned the long hallway, searching the many aged-gilt doorways that stretched ahead, tapestries and faded paintings of fae hung between them. The fae of Beven’s court. How many years ago had people lived here? A hundred years? A thousand? Apart from the three of them, the corridor was empty.

It had to be now.

Ark reached for that pocket of his mind where the drakes spoke to him, and asked,Are you there?

Ready when you are, Lord Justice.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Chaos reigned in the crypt below the great library of Sainsa but Isak thrived in chaos,waschaos. While everyone panicked in the aftermath of Rushkar’s attack and Tynenn’s death, Isak lifted Rush’s sword and drove the heavy pommel into the back of the guard’s head. He collapsed so suddenly to the floor that Isak wondered if he’d used a little too much force. Harth was quick to kneel beside his friend, spearing Isak with a glare so hot he felt it burn through his skin to sear bone. The prince’s fingers pressed to the pulse in Rush’s wrist. He dipped his head, murmuring words too low for Isak to hear.

“He’s alive,” Harth said through gritted teeth, rising to his feet so quickly that both Isak and Anzhelika took a healthy step back. Fury and dominance poured off the general’s broad, towering body, and for the first time it occurred to Isak to wonder what magic Harth possessed. “You’re lucky. Maia’s mate or not, I would haveendedyou if he was hurt. But it’s for the best. I can’t let anything come between us and saving Maia.”

“What should we do with him?” Grumpiest, the silver-haired, severe female guard asked, crouching beside Rush.

“I’ll handle it,” Harth sighed, rubbing an ache in his temple. “You both need to head up and help manage what the fuck is happening to our city.”

“Our job is to be at your side,” Grumpy argued, the youngest of the trio cocking his dark chin out, stubbornness written all over his clean-shaven face. “We’re not leaving you, Harth.”

Harth blew out a rough breath. “Fine. Isak.”

Isak jumped, facing the general enforcer with nerves crawling up his spine. He hoped his eyes were no longer black when their gazes held, but judging by the paling of Harth’s gold skin that was a firm no.

“You can read that book,” he said after a slight hesitation. “See if there’s any hint of where the box ended up, any identifying number we can use to track it.”

“Right.” Fuck, knowing the box and sword existed did them no good if they couldn’t find the damn thing. And it was a littletoo muchpressure to have the lives of his family relying on him while fuck knew what was happening above.

Isak bent over the table and read the page again, and again, shaking his head in frustration. “This isn’t useful,” he growled, jumping when Anzhelika pressed close on his right. “It’s just detailing what it’s made of, what it contains, and that it was bought at auction from a Ghathanian Queen.”