My jaw tightens as Jack-Eye's fingers close around my phone, yanking it from my grasp before I can react. The audacity burns through me like molten silver. No one touches what's mine.
"Give it back." I haven't had a chance to zoom into Grace's face yet.
Jack-Eye ignores my command, scrolling through the photos with narrowed eyes. "The sun went down ages ago."
I blink, momentarily derailed from my anger. "Say something less obvious."
"Look." He tilts the screen toward me, finger tapping at the background. "The light is all wrong. This was taken earlier today—see how the sunlight is hitting her bedside table?"
My blood freezes. The slant of light through the hospital window casts long shadows across Grace's sleeping form—shadows which can't exist after sunset.
These aren't explained by overhead lights.
I snatch the phone back, examining each photo sent over the last hour.
All identical. Same position, same light, same everything.
"They've been sending the same picture repeatedly," I murmur, barely containing the growl building behind my words. "Possibly for hours."
"It might not even be the same photo." Jack-Eye bends over my phone again, blocking my view. "See the text on Lyre's book? It's different every time. A little strange, too."
Fenris growls.Grace.
"It might be AI. You'd be surprised at how good it's become—"
"Jack-Eye."
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
I tap open my contacts, selecting Lyre's number. It goes straight to voicemail.
My pulse drums against my temples as I try again. Nothing.
Her phone's off. Explains why all my messages have been sitting there, unread and unanswered.
Damn it. I should have known better than to trust someone the Fiddlebacks sent to the hospital, but I hadn't expected them to be this rotten.
Whatever their secret is, I'd expected it to have more political impact than anything. The pack is too small to pose a threat, even with only two Lycans in the area. Their strength is underwhelming, and I'd been arrogant.
Ofcoursethey'd go for Grace. It's the only way to cut our power off at the knees.
Having a weakness is new to me. It's a lesson I won't soon forget.
"Call the hospital," I order Jack-Eye, already striding toward the terrace doors, ready to start violence. "Find out if Grace is still there."
Kill them,Fenris snarls, padding behind me. His glow is brighter now, enough to hurt your eyes if you look at him.All of them.
Jack-Eye's phone is already pressed to his ear, but I don't wait for the answer. I know what it will be.
Fenris stalks alongside me, his ethereal blue glow intensifying with each step.She's gone. They've taken her. Kill them all.
Andrew and Thom jump forward from where they stood near the terrace doors. The Blue Mountain pup must have some insight, because he frowns when he sees me. The wizard, meanwhile, hangs his head with his signature tremble.
"Stay back," I warn them both. They don't have the protection of my pack link.
The Blue Mountain pup grabs the shaking wizard and yanks him behind me. If he wasn't a sniveling little shit, I'd be proud of his ability to assess a situation.
