“I know,” she grumbled, flicking her gaze up to catch a creek coming into view, seeing a set of rabbits darting away to avoid them as they approached.
Sebastian ran a hand through the tree they passed by, ripping down a patchy russet orange leaf and pulling it apart at its stemmy veins. “What made you think he could? I mean, Dad and Eli definitely weren't getting along, but I don't think he'd murder him. Let alone claw him to bits like that.”
She hadn’t really taken that part into account that night—the brutality of the killing. Eli had been absolutely gutted.
Isla hung her head, wedging her fingers in her hair, when the image of his body flashed in her mind again.
She wondered exactly how much her brother knew already but didn’t hesitate to confide, “Eli mentioned trying to talk to Dad about Cassius covering some things up that Eli wanted no part of, and Dad…shut him down. He told him he needed to drop it before he got hurt.”
She paused, allowing the words to sink in, and where Isla had maybe expected shock, Sebastian’s features didn’t waver. For a moment, deep down, some fractured part of her feared he had been some kind of double agent, but then his face pinched into a scowl.
He said nothing, so she asked, “Do you know about anything?”
Sebastian chucked the skeletal remains of his leaf on the ground. “Most of what I’ve been told lately was only related to Deimos, Kyran, and how little we trusted them. Basically, everything I told you that night in your apartment. I haven’t really been told much of anything since the Hunt.”
Of course not. Cassius likely suspected Isla and Kai were mates by then.
“But Dad did mention rogues and rebellions to me and Adrien before Eli showed up. He also said that the continent wouldn’t like seeing us play favorites for being at your coronation, even though you’re my Goddess-damn sister, you may as well be Adrien’s, and you’re his daughter. Cassius wants to prevent everything from collapsing.”
Isla growled under her breath. “Cassius’s definition of ‘collapse’ is everything no longer working in his favor.”
When Sebastian didn’t immediately respond, Isla feared she’d stepped too far. But he began, just as they reached the gurgling creek’s edge, “I know he's technically my Alpha—well until he banishes me—and I know he's Adrien’s dad, but…I hate that guy.”
Isla laughed bitterly. “I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with you more.”
And there was still so much more about him that Sebastian didn’t know. If he already disliked him, then when she told him about their mother…
“Dad’s his Beta and has been his best friend for twice as long as we’ve been alive. He’s loyal to him to a fault, and I can’t blame him; I’d follow Adrien to war.” His face curled at the last word—not the best choice. “Sometimes, I think about if he’d choose him or us.”
Isla snapped her head towards him. “You do?”
“Sometimes,” he repeated and apparently didn’t care to elaborate. Instead, he kicked a rock into the water and asked, “Do you know where Callan is?”
Isla’s heart sank, and she looked away, trailing the water’s flow and watching tadpoles mill about in the murk. “I have a suspicion, and I hope I'm wrong.” She trailed off, and Sebastian eyed her expectantly. She kicked her own rock, her heart thundering. “I need…I need you to listen to me before you start freaking out, okay? Please. Listen to everything I say, and don't do anything rash.”
Sebastian’s brows drew inwards. “Anything that starts like this can’t be good.”
It’s not.
Isla steeled herself. “I think Callan was taken by a witch.”
Sebastian’s expression didn’t falter much to her surprise. “The one you’ve been hunting?”
“Yes.” She felt her lungs squeeze, and she coughed.Not again.“She…she escaped a prison in Io where Cassius is holding witches, hoping to use them, I assume, against us.”
Sebastian jerked back. “He what? How do you know that?”
“Kai.”Or Ezekiel.At least, he’d been the first to relay the message to her.
Sebastian blinked. “Does Adrien know?”
Isla rubbed a hand over her arm to warm herself up. “He, uh, confirmed it.”
The hurt and confusion she hadn’t wanted crossed her brother’s face. He glanced up towards the Pack Hall as if Adrien would be there to answer whatever questions rolled through his head. “Why’d he never tell me?”
“I don’t know—but there’s more I need to say.” When Sebastian dropped his head back down to her, she continued, “When the witch first escaped, Cassius needed to catch her before anyone found out. So, he…”Goddess, spit it out.“That was where he sent Mom and her team years ago. Their trip to the southern territories was actually to track her down for him, and the witch ended up killing or capturing them all.”
A weight lifted and simultaneously pulverized her chest.