Page 52 of Burdened Bonds

“And where was he last seen?” I yell at him as magic whistles right above our heads, making the hair on his head swoosh backwards. Another follows on its heels, narrowly missing the man’s ear.

He gulps and attempts to struggle free.

“I asked you a question,” I say, shaking him so hard his bones rattle.

“At the attack. At the attack on the academy.”

So hewasthere. We were right.

“And where is he now? Where did he take her?”

“Who?” he says, looking utterly confused.

I throw him to the floor and he hits it so hard, he’s knocked unconscious.

I survey the rest of the men. Scraps and scrabblers. This isn’t the heart of the Wolves of Night. These are the remains.

“Who’s in charge?” I yell out, sweeping my arms around and disabling all the magic in the fingertips of the few magicals lurking among the gang members.

It’s easy, like whipping candy from a baby, my magic so much stronger, it’s laughable.

Desperate looks flitter among the gaggle of men – chickens with their heads cut off. Without their leader they don’t know what they’re doing.

I turn to Stone and Winnie.

“We need to search this place. We need to be certain she’s not here.”

“Azlan,” Phoenix says, taking a hold of my arms. “I can read these men’s minds.”

Right, mind reading. I’m a fucking fool. “And?”

He shakes his head, pain in his eyes. “She’s not here. Barone’s not here either. They haven’t been here at all.” He lowers his voice to a whisper. “Barone hasn’t been seen nor heard from since the attack on the academy.”

“You think he’s dead?” I ask him, watching the desperate men.

Phoenix shrugs. “No. I still think Barone has her.”

“Then what are you fucking standing there for, Phoenix,” I snap. “Read one of these fucker’s minds and work out where he’s taken her.”

Phoenix gives me a look that says he’d like to strangle me, but answers my demand calmly. “You think I haven’t done that already? Not one of these men here knows a thing about the assassin, other than he’s off his fucking rocker.”

I groan, and scrub my hand against my eyes. It makes sense. The assassin has always operated as a lone wolf. No friends, no family, no associates. It’s one of the many reasons it’s been so hard to track him down.

“It’s okay,” my friend says. “We’ll find her.”

But I’m not so sure, a sense of desperation grips me around the throat and I struggle to breathe. Every time I attempt to reach her, I fail. She’s too damn far away and not knowing – not knowing she’s safe is like torture.

I stomp back the way we came, halfway through the broken gateway, when Stone calls out to me.

“Azlan, wait!”

“What?” I call back. I can’t bear it. Can’t bear the possibility, the suspense.

He doesn’t answer me and I peer over my shoulder to find Stone towering over a kneeling man, Winnie hovering at his shoulder.

“Something about a girl,” Stone says, eyes fixed on the quaking man. “I saw something in your mind about a girl. Tell me or I’ll force it out.” He grins. “Probably taking most of your senses with me. Do you fancy being a quivering, mumbling wreck for the rest of your life?”

The man stares up at him, confusion on his face.