Page 128 of Theirs to Crave

I would not lose two mates this day.

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“Tsalot!” Talayuh ran to us, Aretoi hard on her heels.

Questions rained around us as the boy slipped from Zaf’s back, displaying a hastily splinted arm, but I ignored them all, my focus on Saytireka.

She stood with her mates, Sezan’s children and their families grouped around them. She looked annoyed and slightly concerned as she took in Tsalot’s injury, but no shame or smugness showed in her expression or bearing.

Estrayuh was not there. My eyes combed her kin, who were gathered to one side, but that faintest of hopes flickered and died.

Yin tilted xyr head, starlight eyes growing cold. The elder stood, spoke a single sentence, and everytetezha’ahead swiveled in our direction.

“Estrayuh has been taken,” Zaf bit out, striding to Saytireka. “Tell me you had no part in it, mother.”

We had indeed come to the same conclusion. Revik and I followed, flanking him. Thetetezha’ajoined us, fury pumping out of them.

They had such strength. Such goodness. How could Saytireka not see it?

“Tell me you didn’t.” Zaf’s voice trembled, and my heart broke.

“I have no idea of what you speak,” Saytireka snapped. “How dare you disrespect Sezan’s memory with these wild accusations?”

“Wild accu—She wastaken, mother! If not by you, who?”

Saytireka waved a hand dismissively. “She probably just wandered off. Thoughtless. Arvel will find her. Now, we have an elder to sing to the sky. Sekan, if you’re ready—”

Sezan’s son looked between Saytireka and my mate, unsure. Revik’s low growl fixed him in place.

“Where is Arvel?”

She didn’t answer, so Zaf repeated the question. Saytireka sighed. “I sent him out to look for you. You were expected, and you were late. He will find your little...Hyunan.”

“He did find her,” Zaf whispered, horror-stricken. “He found her alone, and he took her.”

“Don’t be ridiculous—” Saytireka started, the first trace of unease flickering in her eyes.

“Hetookher! You called her a poison, mother, but it’s your sickness that caused this! You dripped fear and hatred in his ears, and he acted on it. Did you do anything after he attacked her last time?” He scoffed at the guilt that flashed across her face, the sound harsh and painful. “Of course not.”

Zaf pushed forward, his face a mere handspan from hers, and spoke in a vicious whisper. “Any harm he does to her is yours to bear. You have dishonored the family with your grasping selfishness. I am ashamed to be your son.”

Saytireka swayed as if she’d been struck. Her mates caught her, their expressions grim.

Tareth stepped forward, placing a hand on Zaf’s shoulder. “That is enough. Go. Find yourLelesha. We will ask the spirits to watch over her and keep her safe.”

Zaf nodded, once, jerkily, and turned his back on his mother.

I looked around at our people. Some wore shame in their eyes. Many were shocked. But as I watched, horrified outrage shifted to determination. They would stand with us. I met the gazes of Sekan and Arla in turn. They nodded.

“If you would join the search, remain here. The rest of you, please, go to the pyre. Our elder awaits your songs.” I lowered my gaze to myLelesha’skin as the first spark kindled to life, urgency pushing me to run, hunt, find her. But Arvel could have taken her anywhere. We needed to cover more ground than I could alone.

“Where would he take her?” Yin demanded with a predatory fierceness that matched my own.

“I don’t know,” I hissed, frustration clawing the air around me.

“Not toward the Svestrix,” Zaf interjected. “He hates them as much as he hates Estrayuh.”

I nodded, turning to Revik with a question on my lips. He wasn’t there.

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