Page 146 of Until the Stars Fall

For all the rebels knew, I hadn’t stopped the alliance, and now they needed to kill one of the princes.

Dread pooled in my gut.

I wasn’t the target.

I was the bait.

What would they do when no fae prince showed up to save me?

CHAPTER 77

Connor

Stars, I hoped Lieke was in her room.

My boots skidded on the stone floor as I rounded the corner into our hallway, and when her door opened, my heart jolted.

But it wasn’t Lieke stepping out. It was Mrs. Bishop.

The cook immediately caught sight of me, her eyes wide and full of worry. On quick feet we rushed toward each other, and she grabbed both of my arms, gripping me tightly.

“Did you tell her?” Mrs. Bishop asked, and I didn’t bother to ask for clarification. It seemed everyone but Lieke knew of our bond.

“I was on my way to just now. Is she in?” My eyes darted over her shoulder, but the door was closed. The old fae shook her head, her lips quivering, and my gut twisted. “Where did she go?”

I didn’t care how frantic I sounded. I only cared about finding my mate.

“I—I don’t know,” Mrs. Bishop stammered. “Marin came and fetched me early this morning when she found her room empty. I thought she was overreacting, but some of Lieke’s clothes are gone, and her pack’s missing.”

Yanking my arms from her grasp, I started toward Lieke’s room, asking over my shoulder, “Where’s Gretchen? Did she see anything?”

Mrs. Bishop caught up to me and pulled me around to face her.

“No, Gretchen fell ill last night. That’s why Marin was there instead. But I have a bad feeling about this. It doesn’t make any sense for her to just leave. Did something happen between you two?”

Guilt flooded my chest, and I dropped my chin to hide my shame. “We fought,” I said.

“About?”

I shrugged like a child being cornered into confessing some misdeed.

“Brennan?” Mrs. Bishop asked, and I reluctantly peered up at her. “Yes, I know she loved your brother. We all knew. It’s partly why I sent her away like I—”

The fae stopped mid-sentence, and her eyes glazed over as if focusing on something hovering in the air.

“What is it?” I demanded.

She blinked several times. “Her family. It’s the only other place she’d go.”

“Where are they?”

“They move. Always moving. Never staying in the same place twice.”

Slamming my teeth together, I growled. “How would she find them?”

“A demi-fae in Engle, Mr. Marstens. He was friends with Lieke’s parents. No doubt that’s who she’d see.”

I was already running past her before she finished speaking.

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