Page 7

Kade’s brows furrowed, and he scratched his beard as the crewmen began discussing the oddity of the murder and how the body had been hung from the clock tower for the whole town to see. Horrific, but Kade doubted a vampyr was in Callum. He’d never heard of a vampyr crossing the Sapphire Sea, let alone boarding a ship. Their darkness had started and spread from Drystan alone, an affliction of the New World in Sorin.

The captain grunted, bringing Kade back to the present. “If she’s not here, she’s probably headed north or east. Not much work farther south and not possible to travel west, not for a few months anyway.”

Kade stilled. “Why not west?”

He hadn’t expected Evelyn to travel back home. Why would she when an entire ocean separated her from those looking for her, those who needed her? Yet, the captain made it sound like she couldn’t.

“It’s storm season. Not a single ship will be leaving this harbor for ten weeks. Us sailors stay. Find work on the farms ramping up to harvest or other jobs in town.” Seeing the confusion on Kade’s face, the captain smiled warily. “Wait, don’t tell me you had no idea it was storm season?”

Kade gritted his teeth. He hated boats and had never cared, but he’d heard of the sanction that prohibited travel between continents during the late summer months before autumn. Stars above, his maddening search for Evelyn had made him forgetful.

Kade wrestled with worry and frustration. He’d already been gone a year, longer than he’d intended. Months after Evelyn had run away, Blair had traveled to the Drengr village, imploring Kade to search for her. The Carson coven had exhausted all options, and the last person Evelyn would expect to come looking for her was him, the betrothed she’d never been allowed to meet and who was required at the Void.

Kade’s eldest brother Eldrick, the interim Alpha as their father’s health continued to decline, hadn’t agreed with the decision but offered to cover Kade’s absence. He and his team would be stationed at the Void under his orders, their efforts keeping them from home for an extended period of time. Four seasons had come and gone, and Kade doubted his brother had been able to keep the ruse for that long. The Elders and Alphas had to know by now he’d disobeyed orders, and he couldn’t imagine the headache his brother, team, or Blair—for that matter—endured.

Internally, Kade cursed. With storm season, he was stuck. He couldn’t fulfill his duty here, not an ocean away from the efforts against vampyrs. But what good were his efforts without Evelyn? How could they fulfill the prophecy apart? Time wasn’t on his side, a nagging reality twisting his gut.

Yet, a realization hit him like a gust of the sea’s wind, and hope filled Kade again. If Evelyn was still in Callum, she would be unable to leave the continent of Torren. At least she’d be stuck here, too. Storm season gave Kade plenty of time to find her and finally convince her to come home.

Satisfied with what he’d learned about Evelyn, Kade stood, his cloak unfurling behind him. “Thank you for your time, gentlemen.” He threw a small pouch, and a loud thunk echoed in the gambling room as more coin landed on the wooden table. “For your silence. We never spoke; I never asked questions.”

The crew and captain nodded and continued arguing amongst each other whether the vampyr was rumor or truth. Kade hadn’t faced a vampyr, demon, or any shred of darkness in twelve months. He’d been away from his duty, away from his team, away from the efforts at the Void, and his protective instinct ached to be unleashed, but he was here to find Evelyn.

Kade left the gambling room and entered the chorus of folk music, laughter, and whisperings of the murder. He eyed each of the barmaids delivering food and drink to tables. Was Evelyn using a disguise that aged her ten years? Did she sport russet hair? He could ask Miss Patricia, but now that he knew she worked here, he risked Evelyn learning he was looking for her.

Kade grabbed the reins of his tracking ability. Only he could see his magic at work if he attempted it. He planted a single hand on the bar top, steadying himself. His chest puffed and nostrils flared as he rallied his breath. His magic assessed the space, but time and emotions beat against him.

Purple happiness. Red desire. A pulsing yellow of fear. Too much time passing, too many emotions filtering through. It would be impossible to ground himself enough in the space to paint a picture clear enough to help him find Evelyn.

Kade pinched the bridge of his nose and headed for the exit. He stepped out into the descending evening light. Still tied to the post, Bleu eyed him, bored, as if mocking his failed efforts.

A clock tower rang, booming across the town square. Candles and bouquets of flowers lined the base of it. Was that the clock tower the Oilliphéist crew had mentioned? Kade sighed, running his hand down Bleu’s back despite his horse’s judgment.

Kade wavered between his purpose here and his engrained duty.

He’d come to find Evelyn, and he was so close, but he could not risk the threat of a vampyr in Callum, even if he didn’t believe it. He debated finding Evelyn first, but what if she was already gone? What if convincing her to come back took too long and the vampyr killed again?

Deep in his bones, Kade knew learning more about this murder and the possible presence of the vampyr was the right thing to do.

“Who guards the town?” Kade asked the stableman.

“That’d be the commissioner, Charles Doyle,” he said.

“Where could I find him?”

The stableman explained which direction and what streets to take. Kade thanked him and hoped the commissioner would be willing to discuss the murder. Maybe he’d even have the body for Kade to inspect.

Once assured the vampyr whisperings were nothing but rumors, he’d refocus on finding Evelyn.

Chapter Three

Evelyn

Evelyn’s journey smelled of salt and grass. She planted her dragon bone staff into the tufts of earth, patches of buttercups sprinkled in her path.

Her staff hummed with magic, the ancient remnants of power from the dragon bone, and instead of giving her stability, it gave her direction. It reached across the land and led to the next destination, using the best route. The dragon bone also withstood the heat of her flame—the perfect weapon with which to wield her power.

Not that it mattered now with her flame gone.