Page 1

CHAPTER 1

He had lost his charges.

Theo stared at the wreck that had been the novices’ camp site. The only conclusion he could draw was that they had been taken, and violently.

He lifted two fingers to his lips and gave a high, loud whistle. The noise caused his horse to shake its head and he patted its neck in apology and dismounted, forcing himself to take in as much detail as he could as he worked out what had happened.

Here, Ricardo had stabbed his attacker. Theo studied the blood that stained the sharp end of one of the sticks Ric was always whittling by the fire.

Here, Genevieve had tried to use the leather sling she kept in her pocket at all times. The stone lay not far from the sling, so it had most likely been knocked out of her hand.

Theo bent and picked up both stone and sling and slid it into the bag he carried across his chest.

He turned at the sound of hooves, caught sight of his uncle, and went back to analyzing the scene.

Four children, out for a week on the plains, in what was to be their first taste of what it meant to be Cervantes, with him and his uncle camped nearby in case they needed help.

And they had been taken.

It was a nightmare that held the echoes of the past.

Of the days when young Cervantes—the younger the better—had been stolen by the Kassian queen and put into the diabolically named Chosen Camps.

Theo had been lucky to have never experienced that.

His uncle, who was dismounting behind him and cursing at the sight of the camp, knew about being taken all too well. He had been one of the Chosen. Had fought his way out of captivity by their leader’s side, and had overcome their enemy.

Luc Franck, and his uncle Rafe, had managed to turn the tables on the Kassian army. They had fought back, and they had won.

“This is bad,” Rafe said. He bent on one knee, thrusting his hand into the dead coals of the small camp fire. “There’s a tiny bit of heat left in there,” he said. “They’ve got five or six hours on us.”

He stood suddenly, and for a moment, Theo thought he would have to catch his uncle before he fell.

“This can’t be happening again.” Rafe swayed, then snapped straight. “All of them are gone?”

“I’m about to check the perimeter. See if any of them managed to escape and hide.” Theo realized he was speaking as if soothing a wild horse.

Rafe nodded, then blundered into the bush. Theo stared after him, at the sight of a man in panic. A man who’d never been anything but calm and thoughtful.

Theo took the opposite direction, hoping at least one of his students got away, but not expecting it.

They met back at the camp, and Theo studied Rafe before he swung back into the saddle. “I found tracks. They brought a cart to transport the children.”

Rafe didn’t answer. He stood, fists clenched and head bowed.

Theo needed to snap him out of this. Needed him to go for help while Theo chased after his charges.

“Question is, is this a repeat of the past, or is this an attack on the Commander and the queen?” he asked.

Rafe lifted his head. “No one knew Vivi would be here. No one.”

Theo tilted his head. “That’s not true.”

“No stranger,” Rafe amended. “No one who would wish the princess harm.”

“I’d like to believe this is random chance, not a terrible replay of past wrongs, but we also need to consider whether it was a targeted attack on the crown, instead. Vivianeisthe princess. And she was taken.” Theo’s mount danced under him, feeling the tension. “I’m going after them. You need to get back to Ta-lin and raise the alarm.”

His uncle started to shake his head, and Theo cut him off with a flick of his hand.