Page 258 of A Warrior's Fate

Rhydian and Ameera emerged from the crowd. Davina, Jonah, eventually her brother, but no Isla.

It’s just a run.

No. She wasn’t there. He couldn’t feel her.

Kai lifted his head and howled.

And everything stopped.

CHAPTER 56

KAI

Barely anyone knew who Isla was, but that hadn’t stopped Kai from ordering every Goddess-damn person in the arena, everyone in the city and over the radio who could hear, to look for her. It wasn’t long before the truth spread. That the female warrior they were so frantically searching for was the alpha’s mate—his fated, their queen. He didn’t mention that he’d felt something off with their bond, but it was obvious by his demeanor that something had happened. Something bad.

The city was on lockdown, Ezekiel was watched by the guard, and Kai was alone as he sought Isla’s scent. Renoir’s too. All his family had scattered, either scouring within the arena or somewhere outside. Even her father had tracked Kai down for confirmation, and all it had taken was one look at him for the Imperial Beta to run off searching, too.

Every moment that ticked by, every turn without a trace was too much.

She couldn’t be—

No. Kai wouldn’t even entertain the thought, even with the void. Maybe this was what made those who lost their mates fall into madness. This pit that grew with every breath, every heartbeat, taken in a world bare of that connection. A world he wanted no part of—a duller world, quieter, colder.

He should’ve had protection for her, should’ve sent her with more guards. Maybe they should’ve told people, the whole pack—but that could’ve put her more at risk. Right?

He could think about the what if’s later, after he found her, okay and alive.

As he was about to exit the arena and head into the city, the Imperial Heir, his wolf’s eyes the hue of a flame, cut into Kai’s path.

Before he could growl at Adrien to move, a panting woman dressed in a uniform of the Imperial Guard came up behind him. Her tanned cheeks were flushed red, and her dark spirally hair was flying in all directions. She’d been running for a while it seemed, trying to keep up with Adrien’s wolf.

“She can help,” he said, giving Kai an answer to the question he hadn’t spoken.

This was Cassius’s witch; the one Isla had told him the Imperial Alpha was bringing.

What was her name? Raana?

Despite Adrien’s claim, Kai couldn’t hold back a snarl. He was done with witches. Done with magic.

The Heir returned the gesture with equal ferocity, crossing a paw in front of the witch, shielding her enough to make Kai let up from the shock. Isla hadn’t directly said it, but he figured from her words that the Heir had a fondness for the woman. But he didn’t expect this.

Though not thin, she was small, at least by their standards, barely reaching the top of the Heir’s shoulder and disappearing behind his body. Kai couldn’t scent anything off with her. From that enchantment. The witch hadn’t used any of her magic and broken it.

“Adrien,” she whispered with a harshness Kai was surprised the Heir let pass. She had an accent to her tone. Adrien didn’t remove his eyes from Kai as he stepped back, exposing her completely. Raana was bold or knew nothing of protocol when she looked Kai dead in the eye. “Let me help.” Kai inclined his head. “I think I can find her, but I need to go somewhere where no one will…” She trailed off, and he knew what she meant.

Maybe he could accept magic this one last time.

He racked his brain for a spot where scent wouldn’t carry, and then led them to one path he and Isla had trekked. Where his mate had remarked there was the stronger brine of the river water, where the air had become thick with the brackish scent, the ground muddy. It was an abandoned section of the arena’s underbelly. With Raana throwing an arm over her nose as they descended further into it, he knew he’d made the right choice.

It became dark quickly, only faint, intermittent crystal light and wall lamps for their path, and though Kai knew she could barely see, Raana didn’t protest.

When they stopped at a section with some brighter light that was a decent distance from the masses, she looked at him. “I need you in your human form,” she said, and then caught onto his question before he asked. “Even when you’re human, it’s not easy to do anything to a wolf. Like this, it would be hopeless.”

Kai would only let himself think about it briefly. Too much time had gone by already.

His arms and legs were unfamiliar to him after he shifted back, worse than they had been after the Hunt. He felt an all-new kind of off-kilter without Isla there now, and he’d been so distracted by his own dizziness, he nearly missed the new flush over Raana’s face. The blush only intensified after a glance back at the Heir, now also on his two feet.

She shook her head, muttering something to some spirits, before stepping towards Kai with an outstretched hand, palm facing him. “May I?”

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