Page 38 of Slaying the Shadow Prince
Drue’s chest tightened. ‘It’sGus…’
‘It’s not only Gus I’m thinking of,’ Adrienne countered. ‘What about you?’
‘I can hold my own.’
‘That wasn’t in question.’
‘Let me do this, Adri… Let me find him and bring him back. I’ll send word with Terrence as soon as we’ve found them. We can wait for your arrival and show up in true force, not just an injured scouting party.’
Adrienne’s brows furrowed as she weighed up the risks. The women were quiet as they watched Coltan round up the horses that had fled in the storm. Thankfully, they hadn’t strayed far.
‘You’re sure about this?’ Adrienne asked.
‘As sure as I can be.’
Adrienne sighed. ‘Wraith or not, I owe him a debt. I don’t particularly like it.’
‘Nor do I.’ Despite her words, Drue looked to where Talemir was tending to his stallion, the mighty warrior sneaking glances at Wilder and monitoring his condition.
Drue rubbed her aching temples. He’d confided in her. She knew his deepest secret and the details of his darkest hour… Only her. Then she had seen him in the heat of the battle, his eyes dark with that night-flecked curse… The change upon him. But he’d controlled it. He’d fought at her side and saved her dearest friend…
The anger he had shown when she’d accused him of betraying them had been raw and genuine. But what did that mean, exactly? It surely didn’t prove his innocence. It could have been a calculated reaction, part of a much bigger plan.
Something pulled her from that line of thought. His wings flashed in her mind. She’d only seen them the one time, in his chambers at the stronghold. But when he’d been on the precipice of change during the battle, and now, as she noted his gaze lifting to the skies, she wondered if he’d ever flown…
‘Drue?’ Adrienne elbowed her.
‘Hmm?’
‘I said alright. You and the Warsword go ahead, send word with Terrence. Donotengage with the wraiths until we arrive. Do you understand?’
Drue was nodding before Adrienne had even finished speaking. ‘Yes, yes. I understand.’
The general flung her arms around her. ‘Find him, Drue.’
‘I will,’ she promised.
‘Luck be with you, sister.’
Drue gave her friend an extra squeeze. ‘Not if he’s been with you first.’
Their routine goodbye at least made Adrienne laugh.
Atop her mare, with the Warsword on his stallion at her side, Drue watched as the ranger company and Wilder departed for the stronghold at Ciraun. Many had been too wounded or exhausted to object, Coltan included, much to her surprise.
‘Do you think Wilder will be alright on the journey back?’ she asked Talemir.
The Warsword was straight-backed, his gaze lingering on his protégé as they disappeared over the hill. ‘He’s made of sturdy stuff. He always pulls through.’
Drue nodded. ‘Good.’ She turned her mare to face south. ‘Shall we?’
Overhead, Terrence let out an impatient cry as he circled among the clouds.
Talemir actually flinched at the sound. ‘I’d be a fool to deny you.’
‘Glad we agree for once,’ Drue quipped, squeezing her horse’s sides.
They set out, urgency pulling at her. She had been right about the storm. It had washed away any trace of the wraiths and where they might have taken Gus and the others from the tower. But as she’d also suspected, the shadow-touched warrior by her side seemed to have an instinct as to which direction they should head.
