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She seemed to be everywhere, in every petal, in every branch. It was beautiful, well-kept, and clearly loved over a long period of time. Color and vibrancy burst through every inch and he could imagine her walking among it. This was clearly where her true home had been. He could almost imagine her kneeling over the cabbage patch or peering into the lake to look at the fish just below the surface. It was the only place he could see her belonging other than among the landscape of Nyek, and suddenly, he desperately wanted to see her where she was happy.

“My chief.”

Kardos turned to see the three Talent-crafters Malloron had loaned him coming toward him. “What is it?”

“A portal was created over there,” one of them said pointing toward one side of the house. “It is only about a day old.”

“Where did it go?”

“We are looking into it now,” another Talent-crafter said. “But it looks as though it went across the white ocean, potentially to the Eastern Lands.”

Kardos nodded, a grim mood coming over him. So she may have indeed gone into Emperor Drocco’s territory—where his army, the Lox, resided. It seemed he would not be able to escape the battle after all.

“Examine the portal and find out exactly where she went,” he instructed, marching back inside to brief his warriors. “As soon as you know, tell me. I want a map of Lox Palace and the most skilled Talent-crafter among you will be joining me. Prepare yourself.”

It was time to plan for battle.

CHAPTER SIX

SHAYA

“Where are we going?”

Shaya held onto Kyus tight as they weaved through the busy cobbled street. They were clearly no longer in the Western Lands. The buildings around them were strange and had a different feeling to any city she had visited in the Western Lands. The people dressed differently, and whereas she usually caught hints of speech in different languages spoken in the Western Lands, most people here spoke the Common Tongue.

“We need to speak to the woman I was talking about before,” Kyus said. “About the bond.”

“She will know how to advise us?”

“I hope so,” Kyus said as they turned down another street. “It’s worth a try.”

Shaya hoped it was. Kyus had had plenty of experiences with the bond in the course of her missions; in fact, it was only through her knowledge that Shaya had been able to make informed choices when constructing the potion. If Kyus thought this woman could tell them more, she must indeed be very experienced.

Shaya had lost count of how many portals they passed through, and all the different places they went. Sometimes the walk between them was short, sometimes long, sometimes they walked across stone, sometimes grass, and she suspected they were crossing the entire Eastern Lands. Finally, after spending the night resting in a boardinghouse, they stepped through a few more portals and directly into a bright building.

A servant greeted them and led them across a hall to double wooden doors at the end of a wide corridor.

“Please, wait here until you are asked to enter,” he said politely before heading back down the corridor.

Shaya waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Kyus. “What is going on?” she asked, bewildered. “Why is there all this mystery of her location?”

Kyus pressing her lips together for a long moment before answering. “The woman we’re going to see is extremely difficult to get an audience with—she strictly values her privacy,” she said in hushed tones. “I’ve actually been trying to get an appointment with her for months so she could help me find you.”

“Who is she?”

“She is an Omega who used to be a spy,” Kyus explained. “She left the Omega cause as led by my superiors but still helps Omegas however she can, which sometimes interferes with their goals. Of course, this doesn’t please them so she keeps her location a secret. She is practically a legend among Omegas who are out in the field. I was told she is the only one who holds the most knowledge about the Southern Lands, so obviously I wanted to speak to her about how to find you. She is supposed to be quite difficult to deal with—almost everyone I spoke to said that she would not reveal how to get there.” Kyus gave Shaya a wry look. “Obviously I was planning to try to persuade her.”

“But why are we seeing her now?”

“She might have an idea to help us hide from your Alpha,” Kyus said. “She is also an expert with potions. She may have some ideas about what to do with the bond, especially as you made it in the Southern Lands. Anyway, I already had this meeting booked with her. It would be a shame to waste it if we are in need of advice.”

As Shaya nodded, a voice called for them to come in.

Kyus straightened and her expression changed to one of intense focus and determination, which made Shaya nervous. But she kept hold of her hand as Kyus entered, and stayed close to her as they walked in.

They found themselves inside a large beautifully furnished room with an enormous window that stretched across an entire wall that let the sunlight in. It was furnished with plump couches and cushions, thick rugs, floor lamps, and small tables, all to a higher standard than even Kyus and Elion’s house in the Western Lands, but it was mostly all white and cream, adding an extra layer of sophistication to the room.

A woman sat on one of the couches in the middle of the room, her hands folded in her lap as she watched them carefully. She seemed ageless, her creamy skin and angular features and petite frame make it difficult to make any such guess, but her eyes, bright and blue, had a knowing gaze within them that told Shaya that this woman was likely older than she looked. She wore a white gown that flowed to her ankles, her head was wrapped securely with a white cloth, and simple crystal gems adorned her neck and ears.

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