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Someone had him. Someone was hurting him and there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop it.

Anger burst through her anew. She was done waiting. Done sitting around. Arianna needed to find her mate and she needed to find him now.

“Where is Gavin?”

***

Two days later Gavin returned and Arianna stalked through the manor with Ellie, Talon, and Raevina trailing behind her. She didn’t care that they drew the stares of almost everyone they passed. She didn’t care what rumors would start or how the council and Niall felt about it. She was done being helpless and pathetic.

Somehow, it felt as though a veil had lifted from her shoulders. Like her pain and grief had faded entirely, or maybe her anger had just finally taken over.

It was stupid. So selfish of her to simply lie around for all those weeks when her mate was somewhere hurt and battered. She could feel it from him. The fear. The uncertainty. And his sorrow. Such deep, deep sorrow that her bones hurt down to the marrow.

Arianna scented Gavin in the gardens. Thank gods for that. She stormed through the hedges, winding down the path to find the docile, light-hearted male picking through some of the flowers. He clutched a few in one hand and turned at her approach.

Surprise lit his features and his gaze briefly flickered toward Ellie before refocusing on Arianna. He bowed at the waist. She kept marching and it wasn’t until she was almost upon him that he tried to step back. Arianna grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed his body against one of the stone pillars. It cracked and water spilled from one side.

Gavin’s eyes went wide. “My Lady,” his voice shook, hands splayed out to either side of his head and flowers forgotten as they floated to the path. Ellie stood at her side, but Talon and Ravina had taken up stances at either end of the hedges.

“Enough with the notes.” Arianna growled. “Where is he?”

“I don’t know what—”

She gripped his shirt tighter. “You said you were looking. What did you find?”

His voice lowered. “Shh, you don’t understand. I can’t tell you anything—” The ancient thing in her pulsed and ice crawled across Arianna’s hand. It coated his jacket first and spread along his tunic, moving with quickening speed until it seeped through his shirt and onto his skin.

Gavin shivered, his voice forgotten until he turned to Ellie. “Are you just going to let her do this to me?”

“That depends. Are you going to tell us where Rion is?”

“I already told you, I can’t,” he hissed, his entire focus now on her sister. “He’ll know.”

Ellie watched the ice. “Then I guess this garden is about to have another statue.”

He gaped, looked between them again, and kept his voice low despite the desperation in his eyes. “Fine, fine, but it has to be tonight, otherwise—”

“No,” Arianna said, slamming his head against the stone again. “Now. You will tell me right now.”

Gavin tried to look around. His gaze went to the balconies first, as if he could see everyone who stood upon them, but Arianna drew his attention back with a low growl. “Now,” she reiterated.

“I found a map,” Gavin finally said. “It’s vague, but I recognized some points laid out. Just north west of here, there’s a section of land that’s been charred by repeated fires. Most say they spring up because the air is so dry, but it’s really just a front for an underground prison. I think Rion is there, but I can’t be sure, so I didn’t want to say anything.”

“And whose prison is it?"

Gavin looked between her and Ellie. “I thought you already knew.” His gaze traveled back to the balcony and her frustration spiked again. “Niall,” he whispered. “He’s had you glamoured since you arrived.”

Chapter Sixty-eight

Rion

The keys jingled, the lock twisted, then Rion lifted his head. The male’s scent hit him first and every hair on Rion’s body stood on end. Pure hatred burned through Rion’s veins like wildfire and a low growl escaped his lips.

Kaylee followed behind him, carrying an oil lantern. She set it toward the center of the room then backed away, her head low.

“Leave us,” the male’s voice echoed through the tiny cell and Kaylee scrambled away, her body so full of fear.

“You,” Rion seethed. Anger boiled in his veins, seeking some sort of release. Had Rion been able to reach for his magic, he would have torn this male in half right then.