Page 129 of Anchor

The younger brothers laughed. Radock barely smiled. “So, he really was with you when he was taken.”

I stepped closer because I suddenly developed a death wish. “Taken where? By whom?”Taken—who had taken him? I’d have heard, damn it—I’d have heard!

Unless he was takenoutsideof that safe house…

“Please, just tell me where he is.”

Radock was silent for a while as he looked down at me.

“No.”

If he’d slapped me, it would have surprised me less.

“You barge in here and you make demands, little bird, but you don’t have a clue who you’re dealing with.”

Tears pricked the back of my eyes. “I do know who I’m dealing with. But I couldn’t care less if you’re criminals or rebels orSelemor whatever the fuck your name is—I just want to find Taland. If he was taken, tell me by whom.”

Good thing I managed to stop myself from grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him until the answer fell out of his lips.

But when Radock smiled this time, it reminded me of snakes. Big snakes that could devour you in a single bite.

Slowly, I took a step back.

“So, you not only betrayed my brother, but my brother then betrayedmefor you.” He came closer, and I held my ground.

“He didn’t—”betray you,I was going to say because I thought he was talking about Taland telling me those things or giving me his charm.

I was wrong.

“Did you know thathewas the one to call Madeline Rogan to come and rescue you when you were chained in our basement?”

My ears whistled. My mind blanked out instantly.

“What?” Because I couldn’t have possibly heard him right.

“That’s right, he did. Then he disappears into the Iris Roe—with you. Then he disappearsagain,and I am still surprised that it was with you. I really ought to learn by now.” Before I knew it, his fingertips were under my chin, and he raised my head slowly, his dark eyes analyzing every feature on my face. “I am constantly tempted to think you put a spell on him or something. Did you?”

I jerked my head back and stepped away so I could breathe easier. “Please, just tell me where he is.” He knew. He saidwhen he was taken—he knew someone had taken Taland, and I needed to know who and where, and I needed to fuckingrunall the way to him.

“And if I don’t?” he mocked me, and I couldn’t just slap the shit out of him the way I wanted to. I couldn’t set him on fire with a spell right now, either.

“If you tell me where he is, I’ll tell you who sent me to his school.” At this point I couldn’t have cared less about tellinganybody anything they wanted to fucking know because it hurt everywhere and I needed to find Taland, ask him if this was true. Ask if he had really called my grandmother when they chained me to that basement. Ask him if he had lost his fucking mind completely!

Goddess, that man.That man was going to be the death of me for real.

Except Radock didn’t want to negotiate. I gathered that when he was suddenly in front of me again, and his hand was around my neck, long fingers squeezing tightly.

“How about you tell me anyway.”

It wasn’t a question. I grabbed him by the forearm and my magic was already reacting. My ring was on my finger and my bracelet around my wrist, and I decided I was going to make it out of here alive one way or the other. I was going to find Taland because he had a question to answer me—the most important question, perhaps, of my whole life right now.Is it true? Did you call my grandmother? Did you tell her where to find me? Did you-did-you-did you?!

Goddess, I had to know. I simplyhadto know.

“They told me you got your magic back. I saw that little video of yours, too. Was it a trick, or did it really work?” Radock said, slowly bringing his face closer to mine. I was holding myself back, teeth gritted, thinking,don’t attack yet,because I still hoped they would tell me. I still fucking hoped.

“She was Mud. That much we saw. She was Mud for real,” said Seth before I’d realized that he and Kaid had both moved behind me, one on each side, waiting.

“But you lied and said you weren’t. I was told that theymadeyou say it,” Radock continued. “And I would like to know for certain. So, I’ll tell you where my little brother is, birdie, if you agree to alien ad liem.”

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