Page 94 of The Shadow Wand

Vogel takes the glowing rune stone and turns it over in his hand before fixing his penetrating gaze back on Lukas. “Such a large sacrifice of Vu Trin for so small a prize.”

Lukas’s brow tightens in confusion. “There was only one Kin Hoang. Not an army.” His response is met only by Vogel’s withering stare. Lukas turns to his father for clarification, but Lachlan Grey only glowers back at his son with furious intensity.

The young, slender priest to Lachlan’s left sneers. His priestly tunic is finely made, and he has Lukas’s same riveting green eyes. “What are you playing at, Lukas?” he demands.

By now, Lukas has relaxed his expression into his usual impenetrable calm. He turns to me and loosely gestures toward the young priest. “Elloren, I don’t believe you’ve had the pleasure of meeting my brother, Silvern.”

Silvern ignores Lukas’s attempt at pleasantries. “You were attacked by a Kin Hoang,” he rages, “which is the equivalent of a call forall-out waron Gardneria, andthisis how you behave?” He thrusts a hand out at me as if I’m the source of all trouble and disgrace that could possibly be visited upon his illustrious family.

“She escaped through a portal, Silvern,” Lukas replies, as if humoring a fool. “There’s not much to be done about it at the moment.”

Silvern seems as if he momentarily loses the ability to speak and all the words ball up in his throat, threatening to explode.

“They’ve taken out a portion of our Eastern Command,” Lukas’s father states grimly.

For a moment, Lukas’s careful veneer of calm is breached. “Who has?”

“The Vu Trin,” his father replies. “They wiped out our base at the Spine’s Eastern Pass. And now the Vu Trin are massing near the Pass, ready for movement. They’re flying in dragons.”

Shock explodes through me.

An army. They’re sending an army after me.

Vogel tilts his head, his gaze fixed on Lukas.

A terrifying dread worms its way into me. I think of small desert vipers. There’s that same look in Vogel’s eyes—fast, deadly, and completely devoid of mercy.

“We’ve just apprehended a sizable contingent of Kin Hoang, moving in the direction of your carriage,” Vogel says to Lukas, his voice smooth as a blade. “They were carrying maps of your family’s estate. And they had records containing every last detail regarding your command and your travels.” Vogel’s gaze intensifies. “So, Commander Grey, all this begs the obvious question—what could youpossiblyhave, besides this one rune stone, that the Vu Trin want?”

Everything slows to a dreamlike pace, everything around us muffled, receding. Lukas swivels his head to meet my gaze for a split second, each blink a wave of deepening comprehension washing over him as his eyes lock on to mine with ferocious urgency.

He knows. Lukas knows.

He knows I’m the Black Witch.

There’s no chance to react as everything snaps back into vivid focus.

Lukas’s face morphs into an impassive mask as he turns back to Vogel. “I don’t know, Your Excellency.”

I inwardly shrink, like a mouse backed against a wall watching the cats convene, knowing it’s only a matter of time before they take a very strong interest in me.

“It’s one thing to play at war games with Chi Nam,” Vogel says to Lukas. “Quite another to stage an arbitrary attack on her. When were you planning on reporting the stolen rune stone?”

Lukas’s jaw tightens. “When it became relevant.”

It’s clear from Vogel’s icy grin that this isexactlythe wrong answer. He turns to Lukas’s father. “Send out the Fourth Division to help secure the Pass.” He fixes his gaze back on Lukas. “Commander Grey, you’re to accompany me back to the Valgard Base. We have quite a bit to discuss.”

Vogel’s guards move in around us.

Lukas bows respectfully to Vogel. “Of course, Your Excellency. May I request a moment to secure my fastmate’s protection?”

Vogel sets his serpent eyes back on me, and tendrils of Shadow snakes rush through my lines. I stiffen, frozen in place and unable to even pull in a breath, all my focus wrenched toward the Shadow Wand Vogel has sheathed at his side, his fist curled around its hilt. Vogel turns back to Lukas, and the spell breaks, air rushing back into my lungs as my body is freed up and Vogel nods his assent.

Lukas strides to Thierren, who is standing to one side with the guards who accompanied us here. He gives Thierren a series of instructions I can only half make out as Vogel watches them both with malefic intensity.

Lukas and Thierren speak for a moment longer, the other soldiers, Lachlan Grey, and priestly Silvern falling into low conversation with each other. Lachlan deferentially asks Vogel a question, drawing his serpent gaze.

Seemingly taking advantage of Vogel’s break in focus, Lukas strides back to me with a quick glance toward Vogel. “I’ll come for you when I can,” he states, his expression and tone oddly formal. He embraces me stiffly and leans in for a farewell kiss.

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