Page 26

Evander frowns. We all know what will happen if we go and question the Draconian team, there will be blood and lots of it.

Whether that’s because they have Neith, or because one of them has said something fucking insulting and sets one of us off.

I’m good with the bloodshed, we all are, and that’s part of the problem.

The other problem is that if Neith isn’t with them, then telling the Draconian team is giving them the chance to find her before we can, and that will put her in danger. Especially if Neith is right about her theory and Kylen is trying to kill her.

“What about asking Castle?” Ransom suggests.

“It can’t hurt. Castle should, in theory, know everything that goes on within its walls and should be able to lead us to her,” I reply thoughtfully. “Let’s get out of the main hallway, though. There must be a reason why Castle doesn’t let it be widely known that he’s sentient.”

“Good point,” Van agrees.

We head through a random door that leads off the main hallway, and I hope that we aren’t about to walk into someone’s private quarters. Thankfully, we just end up in what appears to be a very fancy sitting room.

“Castle, can you light up the stones to my left if you can hear me?” Van asks as soon as the door is shut behind us. The stones immediately light up.

“Thank fuck,” River mutters.

“Is Neith okay?” Evander asks.

I shake my head as I explain, “You’re going to have to ask a yes or no questions, or it won’t be able to answer.”

Van rolls his eyes, “For fuck sake, I know that. I’ve seen Neith talk to House and Castle loads now, and she always does that.” He clears his throat again and looks at the wall where Castle made it glow moments ago. “If Neith is safe, can you glow again, please?”

Castle’s stones glow, but not as brightly as before.

“What does that mean?” Griff asks.

“Maybe he’s not sure?” Ransom suggests.

“Yeah, maybe,” I reply. “Castle, does that mean that you aren’t sure, glow if it does?”

The stones glow really brightly again, and I smile, well, at least we’ve managed to clear that up.

“Is Neith in the Castle?” Van asks, taking over the conversation again and adding, “If she is, then glow.”

The stones stay dim, and we all share a look, our frowns becoming even more prominent.

“If she isn’t in the castle, then where is she?” River asks.

“I have no idea,” Evander replies.

We’re all silent for a moment as we try to think about where she could be.

There aren’t very many places where she could be.

We’re stuck in the castle while we’re at the Choosing, and it’s not like she could go and see Sully or anything like that.

She could go into the town, but it’s really quite late, and I don’t think that anything is going to be open at this time.

Of course, this is a different realm, so I have no idea whether the same rules apply here as they do in the Earth Realm, and the more I think about it, the less confident I am that it is the case.

There are a lot of nocturnal supernaturals around, and it would actually make more sense if the town stayed open all the time.

“Could she be in the town?” Griff asks, following my train of thought.

Before anyone can answer, River suddenly perks up. “If she left the castle, I should be able to follow her scent.”

“After this long? We don’t know how long she’s been gone for, and there are lots of other scents here that you aren’t used to,” Evander says.

“He’s right, you’ve got the best nose out of most supernaturals, but trails go cold and there’s only so long that they’re followable,” Reed reminds him. He knows all of this, but his panic is currently leading him.

“Her scent trail could have been mixed up by all sorts of creatures, or supernaturals crossing over the top of it, and even dragging it in those little spikes that you explained to me when scent gets stuck on other people’s clothes temporarily and they take it with them for a short while before dies out,” I add.

“I know all of that.” River replies and then adds simply, “It’s Neith. I have to at least try. My magic is stronger than it has ever been, and there is a good chance that I may still be able to follow it.”

The guys and I share a look. It doesn’t matter if River’s magic is stronger, the short of it is that the scent trial will only last for a very short amount of time, and there is absolutely nothing that River can do to change that.

But looking at the spark of hope in his eyes, I know that we have to let him try because it’s riding him hard, and he needs to do something before his grip on his kitsune breaks and all hell breaks loose.

“Alright, man, it’s worth a try,” Van nods, studying River closer and clearly coming to the same conclusion that I have.

Without saying another word, River turns on his heel and heads out of the room.

“Thank you, Castle,” I say before I follow the others. Neith has taught me the importance of making sure that you say thank you to sentient things.

Quickly catching up with the others, we move swiftly through the main lobby of the castle, and he heads straight for the giant doors that lead out into the gardens.

“Before you do anything,” Reed says quickly, “we need to check to see if the cameras are watching us. Remember that they can see us in the grounds of the castle.”

“I don’t care,” River replies.

“No, you may not,” Reed says firmly, “but Neith definitely will. So, you will wait for five seconds while we check if we’re currently being watched by hundreds of thousands of supernaturals.”

My eyebrows rise slightly, and I can’t help but smirk.

Looking suitably chastised, River nods and runs a hand through his already messy hair, “Shit, you’re right. Sorry, man.”

Reed grins, “No problem.”

Just like Reed told River, it only takes us a couple of moments to determine that we aren’t being watched.

“We aren’t being broadcast,” Reed confirms.

As soon as the words are out of Reed’s mouth, River drops all pretense.

His eyes become his kitsunes, his teeth lengthen, and so do his claws, as he partially shifts.

His magic builds around him, and I’m not the only one raising my eyebrows in shock at the rapid transformation and his power level.

He lifts his nose to the air, and his eyes flash silver.

I have never seen his eyes do that before, and I am entirely unsure what to make of it.

“This way,” he says, his voice more of a growl than anything else, as he takes off through the castle gardens at a run.