Page 15 of Shadowed Radiance

Although war might already be a foregone conclusion.

I tightened my lips into a grim line while surveying the ballroom-turned-battleground. Someone—make that many someones—hadchosenfor this to happen. They’d made the conscious choice to murder Maddox and Kayleighknowingit would trigger the domino effect of untethered wolves striking out in magic-induced madness. Knowing that many innocent people would be injured and some would die. Then my gaze fell upon the now-closed balcony doors where Shea and I had eavesdropped on the unknown Spellbinder and Shadow Wolf who’d been so casually discussing the coming slaughter. My blood suddenly ran cold as one of the Spellbinder’s statements echoed inside my mind.“She’ll be safe enough, but those three wolves will be dealt with when they lose their sanity, andbeforeshe can bond with one of them.”

The architects of this destruction hadknownI was supposed to be helping safeguard my nieces tonight, meaning they’d been aware it should have taken me more than a few minutes to make it here to fulfill my duties as Understudy. They’d further planned to murder the three Shadow Wolves surrounding me while they were lost in madness, leaving me no choice but to bond with whatever nearest Pack member possessed alpha strength. Only our unexpected failure to follow orders had saved every unaffiliated Pack guest in this room—and no small number of Packmates as well—from being slaughtered in the meantime.

How the hell had they known the contents of my sister’s Radiant Orders to both the triplets and me?

Fury bubbled along my veins, and I couldfeelit seethe along the tethers connecting me to Shea, Finn, and Connor. I couldseeit echoed in their angry strides, their tightened fists, and scowling expressions. As bad as this evening was, as many innocents who had died, it could have been infinitely worse.

And people were going topayfor those innocent lives lost. For the murder of my sister and brother-in-law. Forforcingthese three Shadow Wolves into tethering their magical auras to mine for what could conceivably be decades, if we survived that long. For plunging this city that had already suffered so much into new upheaval.

Shea’s hand at my back helped ground me as I fought to control the emotions swirling both inside myself and through the tethers. The silence that had broken out when we first entered the room was quickly replaced by hushed whispers and the occasional harsh mutter as we followed Sanai toward the makeshift infirmary. She correctly assumed we would want to first check in on the injured.

No surprise to see all ten of the Pack’s adopted Spellbinders—those who decided to dissolve their contracts with the Spellbinder Guild to take oath to a Shadow or Solar Shifter Pack instead—frantically tending to the most severely wounded, assisted by Pack doctors who couldn’t wield magic but were well-versed in preventive medicine and using the latest medical technology to treat Pack patients ofallspecies. Both the Chief Spellbinder and Chief Physician noticed our approach, issued hurried orders to their assistants, and moved to meet us a dozen feet away from their nearest patient.

They inclined their heads in the traditional Pack show of respect. Sanai stepped aside so the four of us could address them directly. Shea must have resigned himself to playing the role of “official spokesperson,” because he was the first to speak.

“Status report, please.”

The Chief Spellbinder, a Black man named Deion, nodded at Shea before directing his gaze toward me. Surprise flared, but then I reminded myself I was no longer the Understudy. As the St. Louis Beacon, I was now the nominal leader of all our magical personnel.

That reminder had me raising my hand to delay Deion’s report. There werefartoo many unknown ears all around. This time I tapped into the reservoirs of energy offered by the Pack members tethered to my aura, not wanting to risk overdrawing from my three Shadow Wolf anchors, and swiftly cast another Radiant Seal around us.

I lowered my hand and nodded. “All right. Please speak freely.”

Deion inclined his head slightly. “Two Pack members fatally wounded each other before any of us could reach them. They’re the only fatalities among our own number at the moment.”

The Chief Physician, a Korean-American woman named Hana, quickly corrected him. “The only fatalities except for your sister and cousin. May the Moon Mother embrace them.”

The four of us murmured the traditional responses to her condolence before I gestured that Deion should continue. “Similarly, four human guests died before we could assist them. Four Spellbinder guests survived their initial wounds, only to mysteriously die even though they were being magically treated.”

The way he stressed the wordmysteriouslyhad my skin crawling. I shared grim glances with Shea and Sanai standing to my left. “How much do you want to bet that those outside Spellbinders were either enemies of or somehow threats to whatever group is behind tonight’s attack?”

Sanai shook her head emphatically. “I’ve never been the betting kind to begin with, but I’m sure not gonna takethoseodds.”

Deion’s expression said he shared that sentiment. “That brings the total list of fatalities to 10 among Pack members and guests here in the ballroom, plus Maddox and Kayleigh Donnelly, Moon Mother embrace them, and whatever number of enemies perished in the attack.”

Sanai fielded that one. “Our initial estimates suggest that at least 18 outside Spellbinders died in the negotiation room carrying out the assassinations of Maddox and Kayleigh. Another dozen died delaying guardian reinforcements from rushing to that room.” Her expression hardened even further. “Two traitors from our own pack also died immediately after the assassinations. In fact, they were the two to actually strike the killing shots.”

Hana’s eyes glinted with anger. “Then we’ll count them among the enemy fatalities rather than our own.”

Not one person in our small group disputed her declaration. In many ways, Pack law had been softened through the centuries of intermingling with Radiants, Spellbinders, and humans. But actively betraying the Pack brought severe penalties. For good reason. Trust was everything among Shifters. Violating that trust was anathema.

Which was why I suspected some sort of terrible influence had been exerted upon Belinda and Logan. Not that it excused their treachery. Maddox and Kayleigh would have done anything to help them if they’d brought whatever threat they’d faced to them. Even if someonehadthreatened whoever they’d held most dear. But then tonight’s death toll flashed through my mind, pausing on that count of30Spellbinders so fanatical they’d been willing to carry out what amounted to suicidal attacks to kill the St. Louis Pack’s top two leaders. And my brain flashed to how worried Kayleigh had been for Rory and Sorsha’s safety—even more worried than she’d been for herself.

What if Kayleigh’s fears had proven true, and these assassins had taken Rory and Sorsha hostage? What if the only way to keep them alive had been foryouto kill their parents?

Merelythinkingthat morbid thought had my pulse pounding and fingers clenching. My lips twisted sardonically at the next logical thought that occurred. Knowing Maddox and Kayleigh, they would have willingly stepped in front of those bullets if the only alternative was the deaths of their daughters. Thank Dawn and Dusk that hadn’t proven to be the case…

Inexplicable goosebumps broke out along my flesh, but I forced my focus back to the current discussion.

Deion concluded his report by adding, “Ten other Pack members and guests were injured seriously enough to require magical intervention, and we’re monitoring their condition now. We’re leaving the other injured parties to the care of our esteemed Physician colleagues.” He bowed his head the mere fraction required among Pack equals, a gesture Hana returned before speaking again, this time without quite as much anger.

“Nearly every other person in this room suffered injuries to some extent, most fortunately only presenting with scrapes or abrasions.” She gestured to the other Pack Physicians tending patients nearby. “We stabilized the 15 guests who were less seriously injured.” She didn’t need to specify that the innate healing abilities of any mildly injured Shifters would have kicked in long before her team arrived on the scene.

Sanai suddenly broke in, gesturing to her security earpiece. “Government officials have arrived. Should the gate guards show them in?”

Shea, Finn, and Connor shared some unspoken triplet communication again before the oldest brother shook his head. “No. We’ll meet them in the front courtyard.”

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