Wolfsbane (27 page)

“I know,” was al he said.

My eyes kept wandering to the dais, though I tried to tear them away. My mother had been kil ed there.

Murdered by Emile Laroche while my father was made to watch. My brother had been mutilated. And Ren. What had they done to Ren? Tears burned trails along my face until Monroe rested his hand against my cheek, his thumb brushing away the stinging saltwater.

“Someday al of this wil be torn down, stone by stone,” he said. “That is why we fight.”

I nodded, unable to speak.

“The cel blocks branch out from each side of the room,” Mason said, pointing to the nearest door—a mirror image of the one we’d just passed through.

“Is it always empty?” Monroe asked, his question echoing through the cavernous Chamber, emphasizing his point.

“Not when I’ve been here,” Mason said. “It’s been packed with Guardians waiting for the Keepers’

decrees.”

“I don’t like it,” Ethan said.

“Neither do I,” Monroe said, glancing at me. “Can you lead us to the others?”

I took a breath and almost retched. The remnants of torment had oozed into the floor. I felt like I was trying to track a scent amid a pile of decaying corpses. Nausea made me waver on my feet again.

“Not here,” I said. “Maybe in the blocks, like the one we just left.”

“We should do this as quickly as possible,”

Monroe said. “Connor, Ethan, and the wolves take point while I try the doors.”

We moved to the south door first. Monroe picked the lock while Connor and Ethan kept their eyes on the room, scanning for signs of an ambush. Both Mason and Nev were in wolf form now, circling our group, testing the air, their ears flattened, fangs bared against the assault of violent scents that swirled around us.

Monroe opened the door and I fol owed him inside. Though stil unpleasant, the scents inside the block didn’t overwhelm. I took a few steps forward before shifting into human form.

“This one’s empty,” I said. “Next block.”

“No luck?” Ethan asked when we returned to the Chamber.

Monroe shook his head.

“Where to next?” Connor rol ed back his tight shoulders, eyes stil traveling over each point of access to the Chamber.

“West block,” Monroe said, moving across the room. I glanced around the room. The order Monroe had selected meant we’d search the north block last if we didn’t find everyone in the next set of cel s. The north block lay nearest to the dais—and I wanted to go nowhere near the stones that were stained with my mother’s blood. Would her blood stand out amid the stains? Would I fal apart if I caught her scent spil ed across those stones?

As I pul ed my eyes off the dais, I thought I saw movement, as if the shadows near the ceiling had shuddered. I stopped, peering into the darkness.

“Cal a?” Ethan paused by my side.

I waited, watching the spot where I thought I’d caught movement. Only shadows rested there. My racked nerves were making me see things.

“It’s nothing,” I said, hurrying after Monroe.

When we reached the south door, Nev whimpered, scratching at the space between the door frame and the floor.

“What’s wrong?” Monroe asked.

Nev shifted forms. “I can smel Sabine. She’s in there. Other wolves too.”

Mason whined, turning in circles, head bent low.

“How many others?” Connor’s grip on his swords tightened.

“I’m not sure,” Nev said. “But it’s not only Sabine on the other side.”

“What about the rest of your pack?” I asked. “Is Ren inside?”

“If he is, the other wolves are covering his scent,”

Nev said. “I can’t pick it up.”

“But you can smel this Sabine?” Ethan frowned.

“She smel s like jasmine—it’s a distinct scent.

Easy to pick out even in a crowd.”

“Uh . . . okay,” Ethan said, his eyes growing curious. “Jasmine?”

“Can we talk perfume later?” Connor snapped.

“I’m guessing we have a fight waiting behind this door.”

“We’re ready,” Nev said, shifting back into wolf form, hackles rising as he growled.

“I’m opening the door now,” Monroe said. “Be ready for anything.”

The lock clicked. The door opened. I shifted forms, hackles raised.

The hal was empty, identical to the others we’d already searched.

“Which door?” Monroe whispered, looking at Nev.

Nev stalked past the first two cel s, muzzle tracking low, sniffing. Mason stayed on his heels, ears flat against his head.

He paused in front of the far door on the right and looked at Monroe, who nodded. Connor and Ethan had their weapons raised as Monroe turned the doorknob. He hesitated, glancing at the others.

Not locked,
he mouthed.

The Searchers exchanged a grim look, setting their shoulders as Monroe swung the door open.

I heard the snarls before two elder Banes leapt from the cel . The first slammed into Connor, yelping when a dagger slid between its ribs. Two of Ethan’s bolts lodged in the second wolf’s chest. It hit the ground, yelping but stil on its feet, and whirled to strike again. Mason launched himself at the wounded Bane. They rol ed along the floor, a furious tangle of teeth and claws tearing at each other. Nev rushed to Mason’s aid. Ethan ducked into the room.

“Go with him, Cal a,” Monroe said. “If your packmates are inside, they’l need you to convince them we’re al ies.”

I nodded and slipped into the cel . Ethan was staring down at a third Bane, who was crouched in front of a limp figure along one wal . I saw the spil of dark hair, the curve of slender limbs barely covered by the shreds of a dress. Sabine. She wasn’t moving. My blood ran cold. Was she dead?

“Cal a?” I turned at the sound of my name and I thought my heart would burst. Bryn gazed at me, eyes wide with disbelief. She was chained to the wal just as Mason and Nev had been. Her face was thin, cheeks hol ow, her own dress only slightly less tattered than Sabine’s. My throat closed as I realized they were stil in the gowns they’d been wearing the night of the union—or what was left of them.

I yelped, starting toward her, but stopped when I heard Ethan’s low voice.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’l step away from the girl,” he said, taking aim at the Bane snarling in front of Sabine.

The wolf’s ears flattened, keeping its eyes locked on Ethan. It bent over Sabine, its fangs close to her throat. I could hear the vicious pleasure in its low, steady growl.

She moaned softly, eyes fluttering open. The rush of relief that she was stil alive was overrun by horror as the Bane lowered its muzzle, taking Sabine’s neck in its jaws.

“Cal a, you have to do something!” Bryn shouted, straining against her bonds. “Efron ordered the Banes to kil her if anyone attempted a rescue.”

I wheeled, focusing on the other wolf.

Ethan was already moving. With a shout, he tossed his crossbow away, barreling into the startled wolf. Human and Guardian crashed to the ground.

Ethan swore when the wolf’s teeth sank into his shoulder. I lunged across the room. The wolf moved to strike again, its attention ful y on Ethan. My jaws sank into the wolf’s shoulder. Blood spurted and I heard a crunch as my teeth hit bone. The Guardian squealed, twisting to attack me. I rol ed along the floor away from its snapping jaws. That split second of distraction was al Ethan needed. He drew his dagger, sliding beneath the wolf, and thrust the blade up into its throat. The wolf shuddered and went stil .

Its limp body dropped to the floor when Ethan kicked it off of his dagger.

Sabine’s hand was at her throat and she was staring at Ethan. He went to her side, touching her arm gingerly.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, eyes moving over her body. He looked away, blushing when he realized how much flesh her torn dress revealed.

“No,” she whispered, stil watching him. “Who are you?”

“Ethan,” he said, clearing his throat while trying to find a safe place for his eyes. “I’m here to help you.”

She drew a sharp breath. “You’re a Searcher.”

He nodded, final y meeting her gaze. “But I’m on your side.”

I almost choked, not because of the blood in my mouth, but because I’d never imagined those words could come from Ethan.

“I thought I was going to die.” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I was certain of it. He said I would never leave him and live.”

“Who said?” Ethan slowly reached out, touching her cheek. I saw that his fingers were shaking.

It was Bryn who answered. “Efron.”

“Efron Bane?” As if remembering himself, Ethan snatched back his hand and pivoted to face Bryn.

“The Keeper.”

She nodded. “He . . . likes to keep Sabine close. I think he took her choice personal y.”

“What do you mean, close?” Ethan frowned.

Sabine met his eyes and something seemed to pass between them.

His fist closed. “God damn that bastard.”

Sabine looked away, another tear sliding down her cheek.

I shifted forms, taking a step toward Sabine.

“What choice?”

“He said I could swear a new oath of fealty,” she whispered, more tears coursing over her skin.

“Return to Emile’s pack if I denounced you and your packmates.”

A choice. The Keepers or me. I shuddered.

“I wouldn’t,” Sabine continued, grimacing before she brushed the moisture from her cheeks. “I don’t know why you left, Cal a, but what they did to Ansel . .

. I knew they would do the same to Mason and Bryn. I couldn’t be part of that.”

“Efron came down hard on her,” Bryn said. “The wraiths were here every day. And only for her. They came for me a lot less. Four, maybe five times. I got off easy.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Sabine offered her a weak smile. “Once is hard enough.”

“I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through.” I knelt beside Bryn.

She hugged me so tightly I couldn’t breathe. “I’m just glad you’re alive.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered again, horror crawling under my skin. I might have been a captive, but I had been safe, wel treated, and far from the agony that my packmates had been subjected to day after day since I’d fled Vail.

“Don’t,” she said. “You didn’t do it. They did.”

“I know, but—”

She cut me off, choking out words. “Cal—I don’t know what they did to Ansel after they hurt him. I think he might be . . .”

“No.” I grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to meet my eyes. “I know what they did to him, Bryn. It’s horrible, but he’s not dead. He’s safe. He found me and Shay.”

“He is?” Her voice shook, eyes wide, desperate to believe me but not trusting my words.

“I swear you’l see him as soon as we get to Denver.”

Connor burst into the cel , swords dripping blood.

Mason and Nev were just behind him, their muzzles the same crimson as Connor’s blades. “We under control in here?”

“Yeah,” Ethan said. “Can you get her out of those?” He gestured to Bryn’s chained wrists, turning his own attention to Sabine’s shackled limbs. “I’ve got this.”

Mason fol owed Connor to Bryn’s side. He changed forms and bit his wrist, letting her take his blood while Connor freed her. Ethan made room for Nev, who knelt beside Sabine.

“You holding up okay?” Nev whispered, extending his arm toward her.

“Barely,” she said, sinking her teeth into his flesh.

Ethan hovered over them, watching as Sabine’s sal ow complexion flushed with new life. I heard him expel a long breath when she raised her face and smiled.

“How do you feel now?” he murmured.

“I’l be fine,” she said, sounding shy in a way I’d never witnessed from Sabine. She lifted her eyes to meet his. “You saved my life.”

It was Ethan’s turn to avert his gaze. “I—uh . . .” He rubbed the back of his neck, fumbling for words.

Free of the chains, Sabine leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Ethan’s neck, pul ing him into an embrace.

“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

He stiffened in her arms, his tensed muscles final y easing when she didn’t pul back. He let his cheek briefly rest against her hair.

“Jasmine,” he murmured.

“What?” Sabine asked, looking up at him.

He cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.”

“Even a Searcher.” Nev snickered. “Only you, Sabine. I swear.”

“What are you talking about?” She glanced at Nev, frowning. Nev just grinned.

“Never mind,” Ethan said quickly, clearing his throat while casting a cold glance at Nev. He freed himself from her arms, rising. Sabine smiled again, only for him, and Ethan looked a little dazed.

Nev chuckled, shaking his head.

“What’s so funny?” Sabine asked as he helped her stand.

Monroe appeared in the doorway before Nev could answer. “Who did we find?”

“Two more,” I said, gesturing to the girls. “Bryn and Sabine.”

His face fel a little. “No sign of the rest?”

I shook my head, knowing we both shared the same creeping sense of despair. We hadn’t found Ren. I wondered if we would.

“If they’re healed, we need to move,” Monroe said.

“We stil have others to look for.”

“Can we afford another ambush?” Connor asked.

“The Keepers obviously were expecting us; this first group might just be the beginning. The next fight we encounter could be much, much worse.”

“We’re finishing what we started,” Monroe said.

“And our numbers have doubled.”

Connor opened his mouth to protest, but Monroe shook his head.

“We finish this,” Monroe said. He turned his back before Connor could reply, already walking swiftly down the hal .