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"Very well. How did the villagers react to your happy news?"

I looked over at Frexin in surprise. Was she planning to stand there and talk with me until the last volunteers arrived?Gods — I hoped not.

"Mostly happy," I said.

When I'd come out from Rien's cell, they'd all been running around, packing to leave as the Harlsteds helped manage the chaos.

Perhaps my gut was wrong and everything would go fine. Perhaps wewouldfind a way to fix Tye, free Rien, and find Jaiel.

"There!" shouted a soldier near the road. "Three approaching!"

I looked up to see two fleirals and two riders. A third person was slung across the back of one of the green fleirals.

My heart wrenched.

"That must be them," Frexin said, squeezing my upper arm.

I didn't respond, unable to look away from the approaching figures.

This was bad …

"Lady Frexin!" Holden called out. "Sorry we're late! We were busy rescuing this woman. Says she's one of thevolunteers."

Nausea burned my throat, and I struggled to keep my emotions in check as Holden roughly shoved a woman off his fleiral.

She staggered forward, temple bloody, hands bound. I caught and steadied her.

It was one of the missing volunteers.But where was her husband?

Frexin sent me a disappointed look, then moved to meet Korym and Holden.

They chatted, heads bowed together, and I desperately wanted to hear what those two assholes were telling Frexin. But the woman was shaking and sobbing beside me.

Fuck! My heart wrenched as I held her, not wanting to ask.

"Your husband?" I forced out as I checked her wounds. They were just superficial, but the loss in her eyes was unmistakable.

"He was" — her voice broke — "killed."

"Miss Maderoth," Frexin snapped as she approached. "It would seem that your last two volunteers had an incident on the road. One of them was lost."

The older woman sobbed harder, frail shoulders shaking.

"Gods, I'm so sorry. What happened?" I asked as gently as I could.

The woman's gaze swept past Frexin — to Korym and Holden.

They watched us, smiling as I noticed the blood on Holden's lips and chest. I'd assumed it was from helping the woman, but she had no wounds …

Fury tore through me. "What did youbastardsdo?!" I snarled, pushing the woman behind me.

Frexin shook her head and placed a hand on my arm. "Come now, Kaiya. The corrupted fellow was going to die soon anyways. You can't let this phase you! Korym and Holden were just doing their parts to help you toughen up. You can't blame them."

I shrugged off her touch and stepped forward, pain and darkness clawing at my soul.

"The man had just been trying to help his family!" I screamed.

"No time for tantrums, dear," Frexin tried again. "You need to focus on fulfilling your promise to me — six corrupted to lure the beast."