Page 124 of Shadows of Ruin

Deep in my soul, I knew something was wrong. I rubbed my chest, feeling the throb of the new shadowy tendril insideof me. A tether had further solidified after last night, a connection to Lana that now dimmed.

I dug my fingers into my skin, as if I could reach the core of the feeling at my center, admitting to myself the words I hadn’t yet said out loud. Fates, I remained unsure if I evencouldsay it with the curses forced upon our kingdoms.

Kalliah, Corbin, Raya, Storm, and Jax all appeared from their respective tents, groggy and confused.

Turning to Kalliah, I moved to her side in a few strides. “Is she with you?” I asked desperately.

“No, she went to bed with you.” Kalliah put her hands on her hips. “If she’s not with me, then the next logical conclusion would be Ian.”

We all looked between us before Jax asked, “WhereisIan? And Hale?”

I scrambled in an uncharacteristic panic toward the remaining tent. Jerking the flaps of the tent, I yanked them open and saw Ian lying face down on the ground, hog-tied.

“What the hell,” I bellowed, quickly removing the ropes from his ankles and wrists. “What happened? Where is Lana?”

My heart raced. I would not lose her now when I just got her back.

“Hale,” Ian choked, his hands shook hard as he tugged the gag out of his mouth. “Poison.”

His eyes held an untapped rage alongside fear. I helped him up, but his body went limp. “Raya,” I shouted.

She was inside the tent as her name finished rolling off my tongue.

“No.” Ian tried to pull away, but Raya took his face in her hands, closing her eyes.

They opened a second later. "I can’t access my magic.” She frowned, her gaze wandering over Ian’s form. I noted her concern, something she rarely showed, but pushed it aside.

“Poison,” Ian repeated. “It’s wearing off. I still can’t feel my magic, but I’m not immobile anymore.” He stepped awayfrom me, wobbling on his legs, but he remained standing. “Hale poisoned the stew. See if you can tap into your magic.”

I didn’t need him to say any more. I became instantly aware the dimming connection to Lana had nothing to do with her distance. My shadows hadn’t sensed she’d left because they weren’t with me. I staggered back, realizing my terror over Lana’s loss eclipsed the fact that my shadows were silent.

We stepped out of the tent. “Check if you can access your magic,” I demanded of the others.

One by one they met my scrutiny with furrowed brows. No one had their magic.

Ian rubbed his wrists and hurt lined his face. “Hale betrayed us. They took a potion that stifles magic, one Elisabeth created when she was trying to heal the king, and he used it on us.”

“Hale wouldn’t do this,” Kalliah said.

“Well, he did,” Ian snapped.

“Then something is controlling him—” She froze, staring at Ian wide-eyed. “He is the one who got us out of the palace. It was his plan. He came to us.”

Ian rubbed his forehead. “I agree he wasn’t himself. His eyes shifted in a way I’ve never seen before.”

I paused. “The darkness.” Storm met my worried gaze, coming to the same conclusion I did.

“Andras planted Hale with us and sent Casimir as well.” He looked at me. “You were supposed to be with her. Why isn’t she with you?” he demanded, as if this were my fault.

“She was gone when I awoke,” I confessed, dread leeching my common sense from me. “I will murder him if he touches a hair on her head,” I growled. “Jax, you know what to do.”

Jax nodded, and stood beside Ian, sniffing his shirt.

“Hurry up,” I snarled, unable to temper my raging emotions.

He glared at me over Ian’s shoulder. “It’s a bit more difficult without full access to my magic.” He sniffed again.

“What in the Fates are you doing?” Ian asked, but he didn’t push Jax away.

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