“Monroe!” Silas’s eyes bulged as I perched on the edge of the desk, ready to spring.

“Calla, please,” Monroe said.

I didn’t look at him. “Just tell me what you meant, Silas.”

He swallowed hard. “I only meant that your packmates are the most likely source of information about you and Shay. They’re probably being interrogated.”

My limbs trembled and I almost lost my balance.

They’re being held for questioning.

“But—but they don’t know anything,” I stammered. “Only Shay and I knew . . . Oh God.”

“What?” Connor leaned forward. I could feel the blood draining from my face.

“Ren,” I whispered. “Ren knew.”

“How much did he know?” Monroe’s voice cracked.

“I told him about Corrine—that the Keepers had executed her,” I said, struggling with the fog of memories from that night. “I told him Shay was the Scion.”

“Shit,” Connor said. “There goes our alliance.”

“Why?” Shay asked.

Silas was slowly rising, eyeing me all the while. “Because they’ll have those young wolves under lock and key until they’re sure where their loyalties lie. We won’t be able to get to them.”

Monroe’s hands were covering his face. He swore and swung a fist, sending a tower of books crashing to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” Adne said to her father.

He didn’t answer.

Connor stood up, carried the chair to Monroe, and set it down in front of him. Monroe nodded gratefully, sat down, and rested his elbows on his knees, lost in thought.

“Since that option is out,” Connor said, “what now?”

I slid off the desk, ignoring the way Silas cringed when I walked past him.

“I don’t want to give up on my pack,” I said. “We can’t just leave them.”

I’d known Ren was at risk, but the thought of Bryn and Ansel being interrogated was even worse. They hadn’t known anything. Whatever had happened to them fell at my feet alone. My secrets alone put them in danger.

“We won’t,” Monroe said, staring ahead. “But we’re looking at a rescue mission now. Not an alliance. At least not right away.”

“And we need more information before we can even think about a rescue,” Silas said, backing against a bookcase when I glared at him.

“He’s right, Calla,” Adne said. “We can’t go into Vail blind. It might just be Ren they’re questioning, but it might be all your packmates.”

I looked at Shay. He nodded reluctantly.

“Then what?!” I snapped. “We just wait?”

“No,” Monroe said. “Waiting isn’t an option.”

“It’s time to go nuclear.” Connor smiled at Silas.“Right?”

“That is the worst metaphor I’ve ever heard.” Silas went back to his desk, whimpering as he lifted papers I’d shredded.

“What are you talking about?” Shay frowned.

“Haven’t you figured it out, kid?” Connor cast a sidelong glance at him. “We’re talking about you.”

“Me?” Shay blinked.

Monroe looked up. His eyes were bloodshot. “Silas, it’s time.”

“Time for what?” I asked. My mind was still on my pack. On Ansel and Bryn. My chest was burning as I tried to fight off images of all the things that could have happened to them. That could still be happening.

“For Shay to learn who he is,” Monroe said.

“I know who I am,” Shay said.

“Wanna bet?” Connor laughed. “You’re in for a surprise . . . or a hundred. I’ll give you two-to-one odds.”

“Leave him alone,” Adne said.

“Do you want the story or a plan?” Silas asked.

“A plan,” I snapped. “What can Shay do that will help my pack?”

“He can’t do much yet,” Silas answered. “First we have to gather the pieces.”

“Pieces?” Shay frowned at the Scribe. “What pieces?”

“The pieces of the cross,” Silas replied in a congenial tone, as if that explained everything.

“The pieces of the cross?” Shay’s brow creased further.

One eyebrow arched and Silas leaned forward, an almost accusing question jabbed at Shay. “How much of The War of All Against All did you read, exactly?”

I came to his rescue. “Look, Professor, we were running for our lives as soon as we realized the Scion was going to be laid on a sacrificial altar at Samhain. And I understand if we hadn’t gotten here, you lot would be stuck trying to save him and probably failing. Watch yourself.” I bared sharpened canines at him.

A shocked ripple moved through the room. Connor snorted, laughing as Silas reached for the letter opener again.

Monroe held up a hand. “She’s right, Silas, not everyone has the luxury of devoting their lives to study as you do. We’re fortunate that they are here, and chastising them for not managing to gather the full story before they fled is useless.”

Silas shuddered like he had to force himself not to be sick, but after a moment he looked sullenly at Shay. “Sorry.”

Shay offered a weak smile. “We only read bits.”

“Okay, then.” Silas took a deep breath, like he was trying to break a record for underwater swimming. “Each of the sacred sites has a piece of the cross. You need to bear the cross like the prophecy says. It’s the only way we can win.” After the words were out, he let out the rest of his breath explosively and ground his teeth.