I turned to Hisa. She and the rest had followed me into the street. “Have all the remaining Blood Crown generals and ranking officers been located?”
“We never had an exact roster. Only what General Da’Neer located at Ironspire,” she answered, her hand resting on the hiltof her sword. “All who were located have been dealt with. At last check, three remained unaccounted for.”
That was better than I’d expected. “Assign General Aylard to oversee the remaining search,” I instructed. My jaw tightened. I was reluctant to say what was about to come out of my mouth, but if my suspicions were correct, we needed more support. “I want my father, Lord Sven, and General Damron,” I ordered, naming Perry’s father and the female wolven general close to Hisa, “to enter with a contingent of guards. But stress the importance of keeping the numbers low so as not to stir more unease among the mortals.”
Surprise flickered over her otherwise impassive features. “Their orders?”
“Two of the generals and their chosen guards are to assist with securing the Ascended,” I said.
Her head tilted slightly. “And the third?”
“I want them and their guards stationed at the Shadow Temple,” I advised. “They are to make surenothingenters or leaves, be it mortal, god, or shadow.”
Naill’s brows lifted. “Is there a reason?”
I exhaled heavily. “I fucking hope not.”
“I heard you were looking for me,” Reaver said the following afternoon, brushing past me and entering the bedchamber.
“Come on in,” I muttered, pushing my temper down as I forced myself togentlyclose the door instead of ripping it off its hinges and beating Reaver upside the head with it.
The draken ignored the comment as I crossed the chamber. He’d stopped at the foot of the bed, looking down at Poppy. His angular features appeared even sharper. “She doesn’t…”
I waited for him to finish. “What?” I asked when he didn’t.
He went to speak, then shook his head. It struck me then that he hadn’t been this close to Poppy since she went into stasis. None of his feelings showed in his expression, nor could I pick up anything from him. But neither could Poppy.
“What did you want?” he asked.
“You heard what happened last night?” I asked, walking to the table.
“Other than me almost causing Emil to piss himself?”
I almost laughed as I picked up the decanter next to the untouched plate of covered food. “Yes, other than that.”
“And something other than you actually leaving this chamber and stepping up?”
Fingers tightening around the neck of the decanter, I slowly lifted my gaze to him.
Whatever he saw on my face erased the shit-eating grin from his. “I heard something happened with the Ascended,” he said finally. “That they were killed.”
“Someone bit them and drained their blood.” Pulling the crystal stopper from the decanter, I poured myself a glass. “I don’t know how much you know about the Ascended—”
“I know enough,” he cut in as I placed the decanter down. “You aren’t going to offer me a drink?”
“No.” I lifted the glass in a mock toast.
Those vertical pupils contracted as his eyes narrowed. “You’re as annoying as that wolf. Possibly even more so.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“So you say.” I took a drink. “Anyway, since you knowenoughabout the Ascended, then I’ll get to the point.”
Reaver was quiet, hopefully listening.
“No one was seen entering or leaving those homes,” I continued. “And those I trust are confident it’s not a situation where one of our people disobeyed orders.”
