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Leif blinked a few times. “You, sire?”

“Unfortunately.”

Gunner folded his arms. “We heard rumors for weeks. Some said you were killed by Brunard, then your father announced that you were to be executed for treason. Guards reported that Piper and Fennan are in prison. The rest of us went into hiding as soon as Tenebris started having Ravens killed in the streets, claiming mutiny.” Gunner had the same distinct accent as Leif. “Think you ought to know that Layala is rumored to be held in the tower. At first, rumors said it was because she conspired with Brunard to killyou. Of course, we knew that was false. The girl was clearly in love with you last I saw her. Nobody will forget the way she straddled you on your throne—”

Thane loudly cleared his throat, eyes darting to Evalyn.

Gunner snapped his mouth shut, opened it, scratched his head.

Leif jumped in to save the situation, “It was perfectly proper.”

Evalyn’s raised eyebrows said she didn’t believe it. “Layala, straddling you? In front of a crowd no less. A bit unexpected from her.”

Leif chortled nervously. “It was the wine, surely. It can make even the sweetest maidens a little promiscuous.”

Thane shook his head, not wanting to carry on with what happened that night, and lifted his shirt, showing the massive scar on his abdomen. The sight of it should be enough to detract from furthering Layala’s said promiscuity. “A dragon shifter is what almost did me in. I think her claws are poisonous. She’s working with my father and took Layala.”

The harsh lines on Evalyn’s face softened a little and her hand slowly crept up to cover her mouth in surprise.

“Damn,” Leif said, rubbing the back of his neck. “That descendent of the gods’ blood must run strong.”

Everyone found it hard to believe, even Thane himself, but he couldn’t deny it. He often wondered why his mother and sister didn’t have the ability to heal as he did if it came through her blood as they say, and neither were mages. Perhaps he was simply favored by the Maker. “But you were right. Layala didn’t try to kill me. She saved me from Brunard. It’s a long story.” He tucked his shirt back into his trousers. “But we need to get her before it’s too late.”

“Too late, sire?” Leif asked.

“Yes,” Evalyn said, still toying with her strand of slumber berries around her neck. He remembered those too. “What is it exactly your father wants with her?”

With a deep breath, Thane told them the truth. How he took Tenebris to the Void and meant to kill him. What his father planned to use Layala for and his deal with Mathekis and the pale ones. Why he’d gone to Brunard in the first place. That his mate bond was now broken. “And after we get Layala, and any others who’ve been imprisoned, I will take back my throne.”

“Our loyalty will always be with you, sire,” Leif said, bowing his head.

Gunner scrunched his nose and let out a long breath. “I can’t believe Aldrich is a traitor. He was close to you for years. A Raven. He swore fealty to you, tous, publicly.”

Thane tilted his head, confused. A sudden heat crept up his neck spilling into his face. A traitor? “What do you mean?” He hadn’t heard anything about Aldrich specifically. He assumed he was being held with Piper and Fennan.

Gunner pursed his lips and rubbed a hand over the smooth tan skin on his jawline. “Sire, Aldrich joined your father. Some are saying he is a bastard son. Your half-brother.”

Gulping down the sick feeling rising in his throat, he shook his head. “No, that can’t be.” As they’d said, Aldrich had sworn fealty to Thane. Aldrich had been by his side every day since Thane saved his life on the battlefield years before. If it weren’t for Thane, Aldrich would be a pale one or dead. And he would know if his father had another son, wouldn’t he? How could Tenebris have kept that secret? Thane hadn’t seen his father with any mistresses. For all his faults, he thought the one good quality his father had was loyalty to his mother… but why else would Tenebris take any interest in Aldrich rather than imprison him?

Leif’s mouth twisted, and he cleared his throat. “We don’t know if he is your father’s son for certain, there has been no announcement made, but we do know Aldrich has rarely left Tenebris’s side.”

It felt like a wall of bricks began to fall one by one all around Thane. Layala said she thought one of his friends was a traitor, and had reported their movements, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He wouldn’t even allow that thought to fester. His rough fingers glided across his sweaty forehead. His mind whirled around every memory with his friend and Layala and never once had there been a hint that he’d betrayed them, had there? “Aldrich might be pretending to be on my father’s side. If we can get word to him, he might be able to help us free Layala and the Ravens being held.”

“I don’t think that is wise.” Leif’s mouth twisted into a frown. “Right now, we don’t know whose side he is on. We can’t trust him. He’s had over three weeks to help Layala or any of the others and has done nothing but be Tenebris’s lap dog. I have a couple friends on the inside giving me information. My cousin is a cook, and a lady friend of mine is a maid. We’re to meet her at Adley’s Apothecary at dusk.”

If Aldrich was on his father’s side… he felt sick that he’d been such a fool. He couldn’t see it. “Then we need to leave now to make it in time. We can go through the stone portal.”

Leif and Gunner grinned. “We hoped you would say that,” Leif said. “It took us a week to get here.”

“At least you know your stamina is up to par.”

Leif let out a deep belly laugh. “You lot are soft in the north. We run miles each day in the east. We’re used to it.”

“Did you walk this whole way?” Thane asked Evalyn. She was a woman in her sixties, human, and although he was sure she could walk fine, it was a long way from Briar Hollow.

“I had a horse up until we reached the Calladira border. Gunner and Leif suggested I leave it to be less noticeable by woodland elf patrol.”

“I trust they took care of you on the way.”