Page 73 of Ascendant King

“How long ago was that?” I asked.

She looked toward the window, as though doing the math, trying to figure out how much time it had been. “Days. Maybe as long as a week ago.”

“Where did he go?” Cade pressed. “He might have left a clue as to what his next steps were.”

“Is this what passes for a plan these days?” Declan said right next to my ear.

I twitched, and Cade frowned at me, his eyes scanning around, although he didn’t say anything. Was he able to see Declan? Could he sense him?

“I mean, this isn’t a plan any more than I’m the Father Christmas. Sure, I like to let pretty girls sit on my lap, and I do look good in a red suit, but that was where the similarities end.” Declan leaned one weightless arm on my shoulder, and I tried not to stare at him out of the corner of my eye. “I’d lethersit on my lap, you know what I mean? Jesus, is she single? You think her werewolf Ken doll would let me get away with it?”

“Take us to where you last saw him,” Cade said. “Then I’ll remove you from House Bartlett’s magic, which should allow you and Tyson to start healing.”

“Tyson first,” Sonja said sharply.

Cade glared at her, my distraction forgotten. “No. I don’t trust that you won’t run as soon as I do it.”

Sonja’s lips tightened, her cheekbones standing out even more. Her dark hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, making the expression seem even more severe. She blinked, the clench of her jaw showing, even as she tried to look calm.

“My prince?—”

“No.” Cade cut her off. “You made itveryclear that you do not consider me your prince, so I assume that you’re trying to trick me. We can find Leon without your help.”

He started to turn, but Sonja bit off a soft sound. She managed, “No. I’ll take you.”

“I’m going with you.” Tyson struggled out of the bed. His gasping sounded like air being dragged over rough stone. When he sat up, he braced both hands on the edge before managing to stand.

“No, my love.” Sonja rushed to him, taking some of his weight as he stumbled forward. “No, stay here.”

“I’m not letting you face whatever Leon left behind alone.” Tyson’s words were firm, even as he wavered on his feet.

“Nah, this cuck isn’t going to let anyone touch his girl,” Declan said, his tone annoyed. “Which is shit luck on her part because I could show her arealgood time.”

“Let’s go,” Cade said. He no longer looked quite as chilly, and I wondered if he was regretting his decision not to save Tyson first.

“My prince—” At Cade’s sharp look, Sonja broke off. “Cade. If the magic in the walls was yours, how did you stand it? How did you manage to survive? That was enough to drive anyone mad, and that wasn’t even all of it.”

“We don’t have much time until Tyson is too weak to stand.” Cade looked at her expectantly. “Would you like to waste it on predictable questions?”

“No.” Sonja looked at him, annoyed. “I don’t know that I have enough magic to get us there.”

“Just show me the address.” Cade drew a line of ink off his skin, waiting for her to begin. “You don’t have to take us.”

“Ican,” Sonja said. She narrowed her eyes. “Because what you suggested is ridiculous. Of course I’m using my magic to heal Tyson, but he isn’tdrainingit. Leon went to the council chambers. But he moved them after you were expelled.”

She raised her chin, and Tyson carefully stood on his own, a man who knew he couldn’t manage but didn’t have the ability to ask for help. Her red magic flickered to life, peeling off her skin, a few traces of ink gliding off Tyson’s exposed torso.

Gasping a breath, she stiffened her legs, locking her knees. The magic settled into a circle around us, spinning tighter and tighter, although I noticed the color was no longer red so much as a pale pink, barely rose-colored.

“Is this going to get us killed?” I whispered to Cade.

His eyes were narrowed, and with an annoyed shake of his head, he waved his arm through the air, adding his black magic to the spiral around us. With the push of power, the spell came to life, and we landed somewhere familiar and foreign at the same time.

The House Bartlett council chambers still had the table in the middle, carved from wood and surrounded by high-backed chairs. It still had the deep, connected feel of Bartlett magic, but as soon as we arrived, Cade warned sharply, “Careful!”

I saw immediately what he meant. The walls had never been visible. The place always existed almost outside of physical space, the cavernous room so large I’d never seen the boundaries of it. Now, though, poisonous sap dripped down, revealing walls fifty feet away. The sap glowed slightly, coating the walls, soaking into the table.

“What is this?” Sonja’s eyes were wide, her mouth hanging open as she took in the sight. “Cade,what is this?”