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

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

Connor burst into the cell, 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 followed 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 sallow 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’ll 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, pulling him into an embrace.

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

He stiffened in her arms, his tensed muscles finally easing when she didn’t pull 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 fell 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 still have others to lookfor.”

“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 hall.

TWENTY-ONE

BRYN TOOK MY HAND, leaning into me as we left the cell.

“I’ve missed you so much, Cal,” she said. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“I missed you too,” I said, though I didn’t feel worthy of her affection. She’d been through so much while waiting for me to come back. They all had.

“I’d better stay on my toes,” she said, returning my smile before she dropped to the ground—a bronze-furred wolf. She joined the other wolves, who trotted side by side, tightly bunched, nuzzling each other, tails wagging.

Ethan and Connor watched the young wolves reestablish the pack bonds. The Searchers’ faces were puzzled. I guessed they were trying to make sense of the way their sworn enemies demonstrated affection, loyalty, even playfulness. Traits the Searchers associated with their own kind, but not with Guardians. Only Monroe seemed unsurprised by the wolves’ behavior. He strode ahead, driven by a single purpose.

We crossed the room, heading for the north cell block. The dais loomed before us and the scent of blood, old and fresh, grew stronger. The sharp tang, layer upon layer of agony, flooded my senses in a blinding wave. I stumbled, gagging as we approached the raised stones. The violence witnessed by this place seemed to have leached into the floor and the walls. I dropped my head, wanting to cover my ears. I thought I could hear my mother screaming. Connor caught my elbow, steadying me.

“Hang in there,” he murmured.

I nodded, trying not to look at the stains on the hideous stage.

Monroe unlocked the cell block door. He’d pushed it open only partway when something flickered in my peripheral vision. It was just like earlier, a furtive moment in the shadows.

“Wait.” I grabbed Monroe’s arm.

“What’s wrong, Calla?” he asked, watching me.

My eyes tracked over the spot where I thought the movement had come from. Then I saw it.

A gargoyle.

It wasn’t moving at all now. It looked just like a statue perched against the stone frieze that ringed the ceiling, but every nerve in my body screamed that it wasn’t.

“Ethan.” I pointed at the creature, whispering. “Shoot that. Right now.”