Page 39 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin (The Nightfire Quartet #4)

THIRTY-EIGHT

Yasen and Row arrived in Andhera at night with the wind howling off the peaks. Their surroundings desolate and ominous.

The city was quiet, with everyone hunkered down in their homes to escape the raging storm. Yasen stared up at the sky, finding only a blanket of grey, and something about that made him nervous.

What would happen when they knocked on the king’s door?

More importantly, what happened to Zarya and Rabin?

They entered the city and traversed the quiet streets, approaching the castle, where, despite the weather, numerous guards flanked the entrance.

“We come to see Raja Abishek,” Row said with a bow. An older guard recognized him instantly, pressing his fist to his heart.

“Rajguru,” he said with reverence before they opened the door. “It has been many years. Welcome back.”

“What did they call you?” Yasen asked.

“It was the title I once carried,” Row said after they passed through the entrance and into the soaring front hall of the castle. “The king’s keeper of magic before he replaced me with that so-called mystic.”

Sharp footsteps drew their attention to Omar, Abishek’s manservant.

“Omar. Is that you?” Row asked. “It’s good to see you.”

He pressed his hands together and offered the man a bow.

“Rajguru,” Omar said, again using the same title. “I hadn’t expected to ever see you again.”

“We’ve arrived on a matter of some importance. I’m here to see the king.”

Yasen watched Omar’s gaze shift imperceptibly.

“The king is not here,” he said. “Nor do I know when he’ll return.”

“Where did he go?” Yasen asked.

Omar blinked a set of owlish eyes. “I am not at liberty to disclose that information.”

“Omar, please,” Row said. “It’s a matter of life and death.”

Omar’s gaze returned to Row, and the man scanned him up and down. Then he shook his head. “I truly don’t know where he went.”

Yasen was inclined to believe him.

“Where are Zarya and Rabin?” he asked. “We’ll see them.”

Omar shook his head, and a band tightened around Yasen’s ribs.

“I’m sorry, but they have also departed. They returned to Ishaan.”

Now Yasen knew something was very wrong.

“What about Ekaja?”

“She is also… away.”

Yasen was about to launch into a list of accusations, but Row laid a hand on his arm, his expression suggesting Yasen should cool it.

“Then, if you’d be so kind as to set us up with rooms for tonight,” Row said, addressing Omar. “We’ll be on our way first thing. It seems we’ve wasted a trip.”

Omar watched Row, his gaze sliding to Yasen before he slowly tipped his chin. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anyone to travel in this storm.”

“Thank you,” Row said. They followed Omar through the castle. Yasen was set up in the same room as his last visit while Row was placed across the hall. Immediately, they went to Rabin and Zarya’s rooms.

They rooted through their belongings, and it was painfully obvious they hadn’t left for Ishaan, but their search turned up nothing that might suggest where they’d gone.

“I don’t suppose we can break into the king’s room?” Yasen asked, running a hand through his hair.

Row snorted. “We’d sooner all turn into dragons, like Rabin.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Yasen paced back and forth.

“Where can he have taken them? And why?” he asked while they discussed what to do, coming up with various theories and then dismissing them. Nothing felt right, and if they couldn’t access the king’s study, how could they prove any of this?

It took Yasen a moment to notice someone hovering in the doorway. He remembered her as the vanshaj woman who’d been tending to Zarya.

When Yasen met her gaze, her face crumpled into a worried expression.

“Do you know what happened?” Yasen asked, immediately crossing the room. “Please come in.”

He gestured towards the divans around the fire, but the woman shook her head.

“Urvi, isn’t it?” Yasen asked. He noticed Row perk up, watching them both carefully.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Urvi,” Yasen said, his hand pressed to his heart. “Did you see what happened to Zarya and Rabin? Please, this is very important.”

Urvi’s eyes filled with tears as she nodded and then recounted the tale of Zarya searching for something in the vanshaj wing.

“Do you know what?” Row asked.

Urvi nodded. “Something about her mother.”

“Her mother?” Row asked sharply. “What about her?”

“I’m not sure,” Urvi said. “Her Highness was trying to find her.”

Yasen looked over to note the shocked look on Row’s face. “Did she?” he asked in almost a whisper.

“I don’t know…I was still in the library when Lord Ravana returned,” she said. “The king said he intended to reverse their Bandhan to break the seal on the darkness.” She nearly choked on the last words as her hand wrapped around her throat. “Could that happen?” she asked. “The darkness is wicked. It cannot be released.”

Row still appeared to be in shock, but he shook it off. “We’re not sure,” he said. “Did you hear anything else?”

Urvi nodded. “The mystic used his magic, and they both fainted. Then they were taken into the king’s private study. That’s the last I saw of them for a few days.” She bit her bottom lip as a tear slipped down her cheek. “She offered to free me. She wanted to help.”

Her gaze met Yasen’s, and he nodded as he put the pieces together. Zarya had offered to remove her star collar, but Urvi still wore it, meaning she had refused. But the gesture had been appreciated.

“I heard screaming,” she said. “And a lot of talking. I could only make out some of it. The king said they’d be helping him and that Master Ravana would be used in some way.”

“For what?” Row asked, his voice low and deadly.

Urvi shook her head. “I don’t know.” She squared her shoulders as if gathering her courage. “Then they were taken out of the castle and put into carriages before heading for the mountains.”

Yasen blinked, sorting through these various bits of information.

“The mountains,” Yasen said, and Urvi nodded. “And you can’t remember anything else? Any detail that might tell us where they’ve gone?”

She clasped her hands to her stomach. “I heard the king say something about meeting up with the mountain men when they arrived,” she said. “Something about the Ashvins and the city they once ruled.”

Row exhaled a sharp breath as his gaze met Yasen’s. They both immediately understood. Abishek had sent them to the seal. To the place Tarin had mentioned.

“The entrance to Taaranas,” Yasen said. “He knows where it is.”

Row nodded. “So it would seem.”

Yasen then turned to Urvi. “Thank you. You’ve been so much help.”

Urvi’s eyes filled with tears. “If there’s anything I can do…”

“Keep yourself safe,” Yasen said. “I have no idea what’s coming.”

Urvi nodded, her eyes brimming with fear.

After she left, Yasen and Row looked at one another before their gazes wandered to the window and the snow-swept peaks stretching across the horizon.

Yasen ran a hand down his face. “I guess we’re going hiking.”