Page 27 of Conflicted Fate
“We do?” I asked.
“They’re with Teagetes,” Kiel said. “And Teagetesandhis stone aren’t here.”
Jurvin’s eyes flicked back and forth between Kiel and me as he listened.
“Why did he take the stone?” I said.
“I don’t know.” Kiel shook his head. “I don’t know, and I don’t like it. Something about this stinks really bad.”
“Agreed.” I shot Jurvin a look. “This wasn’t part of the plan. Something happened that we don’t know about, and we need to find out what’s going on. Now.”
“Alphas leave sometimes,” Jurvin said, surprising me by trying to be helpful instead of combative. “We know this.”
“Yeah, I know,” I agreed. “But they never take their Fate Stones with them.”
“Come on,” Kiel said, pointing up the stairs to the main floor. “We need to figure out where he went and why. Perhaps we can go after him, attack him while he’s traveling and even more vulnerable.”
Jurvin liked that idea and, with a sharp cry, charged up the stairs. Partially due to eagerness, but I also suspected taking the stairs slow was extremely uncomfortable and awkward for him.
“Where to?” Kiel asked as we reached the top.
“His offices,” I said, trying to think on my feet. “Maybe there’s a letter? A memo? Something.”
We started walking. I looked at Jurvin, catching his attention. “I don’t suppose you left any soldiers you found alive, did you?”
The centaur’s face gave me all the answers I needed.
“Didn’t think so,” I growled, frustration growing. Whatever we were missing was important, I could sense it. We just needed to knowwhy, and all our potential leads were dead.
Teagetes’ office was mostly untouched. With no guards present, one of Jurvin’s men had only quickly scoured the room, then left. Now, I entered it with a careful eye to the big desk that sat in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window. There was nothing on the surface, but his drawers revealed numerous correspondence.
“Here, everyone take some papers and start reading, see if you can find any mention of trips or reasons for him to leave,” I said, tossing stacks of paperwork on the table.
With all Jurvin’s warriors helping us—those who could read, at least—it took us minutes to discover there was nothing of help amid all the documents.
“Damnit!” I roared, pointing at the desk. “Smash it. Search for hidden compartments.”
In seconds, the desk was nothing but kindling. Wedidfind love letters most certainlynotfrom Teagetes’ mate, but that was it.
“Where the hell did you go?” I growled, staring out the window.
There was a commotion behind us. Whirling, I saw two of Jurvin’s warriors hauling an elderly man into the office.
“Who’s this?” I asked as they pinned the well-dressed shifter to the wall.
“No idea. We found him hiding in a closet.”
Kiel strode up to the older man, who was sweating profusely as his eyes darted wildly between the two warriors holding him still and Kiel, who towered in front of him with eyes promising death.
“Where is he?” Kiel snarled in low, threatening tones, getting right in the old man’s face.
The shifter whimpered, and I feared he’d wet himself. Even so, it was clear that intimidation wouldn’t work.
“Wait,” I said, intervening. “Hold on.”
Kiel glanced at me as I stepped up next to him. “Let me do it.”
“Okay.” He crossed his arms and waited.
