*****
Jace made his way quickly up the staircase to the wing housing Kira’s bedroom. When he and Kipper had arrived at the compound, Roman had reportedly already left on business. Jace left him a voicemail about the information he and Kipper had received from the hunchback before locking the foul-smelling lycan in one of the residence’s underground rooms. With nothing else to do except wait for Roman’s reply, Jace returned to Kira’s room, anxious to see her. When the sight of his friend sitting on the bed came into view, his heart sank.
“Nice to see you too,” Kip said with a frown.
Jace mustered a small grin. “Sorry. Where’s Kira?”
“Where’ve you been?”
Jace groaned and removed his shirt, which had been stuck far too long to his skin. He felt the grime roll over his skin as he lifted the shirt over his head. “I looked for Roman but he was out. He wants me to lead a few of the ranks. I stopped by the training area on my way back here. I figured if I had some notes to pass along to my uncle before we left for Kata’s camp, then that would appease him a bit.” He tossed the sweat-stained shirt into a corner. “I was drawn into a couple of bouts. The younger guys have a lot to learn, but they’re hungry. They even got in a few licks.” He rotated his left arm to look at what was left of the slight nick he’d received in one of the matches. The cut was swiftly healing, with a barely visible thin line where the skin had rejoined.
Kip tossed a piece of paper onto the bed. “Read this and tell me what you think.”
“Where’s Kira?” Jace repeated his question. He picked up the note with a sigh. He read the words and Kip’s silence became clear.
“Now, before you shift and start tearing up the place—”
“What does this mean?” Jace growled. He hurled the letter back at Kip, who caught it as it hit his chest. “Did you write this?”
Kip cocked his head to the side and gave Jace an annoyed look. “Do I look like I’d write that?”
Jace breathed in and out, but focusing on his breathing was having little effect. Kira had left the safety of the clan to follow a lead on her father. “Where did she get the lead? How did she get the lead? Was she ever outside the walls when I wasn’t around? Who would’ve told her about her father?”
Kip appeared unconcerned with answering Jace’s questions. Instead, he stood and with a heavy sigh, he put his hands on his hips. “I don’t think this has anything to do with her father.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think this smells of your uncle.”
Jace took a step back. He slowly shook his head. “I don’t understand. We have the information we need to move on Kata.”
“Just a few minutes ago, I was heading to the training room myself when I passed Loger in the hall.”
“Loger? He’s that tall thin one that’s always with my uncle.”
“Right. Anyway, he nearly walked right into me. He wasn’t even paying attention. Well, I smelled Kira all over him.”
Jace’s heart stilled in his chest. “Kipper…”
Kip raised both hands. “I don’t know what happened. I’ve been going around asking anyone who saw Loger today if they also saw Kira with him. One of my guys was actually on his way back in from a shift when he said he saw Loger force Kira into a car. He followed the car and…”
There was no stopping Jace’s anger. The longer Kip spoke, the hotter his blood became. His incisors were already elongated and his nails inched past the tips of his fingers. “And!”
“And there was a handoff. Loger met with another group of lycans and they drove away — with Kira — out of the city.”
He was going to kill his uncle. His pants ripped around his thighs. Hair sprouted from every follicle and his jaw extended.
Kip ran to the door and blocked it. “I don’t think you want to fight just yet. Kata wants her alive for something. Granted, her powers aren’t exactly legendary, but she does have them and that means she’s of value. If you don’t go now, Roman will lock this place down and you won’t have a chance to escape. Roman doesn’t know that you know she’s missing. Go after her. I’ll do what I can to keep the war from escalating to give you some time.”
Kip’s calm voice was soothing and made the transition back to human form swift. His friend was right. He needed to find Kira and take her from Kata before he could extricate whatever visions he wanted from her. “Why would he give her to Kata?”
Kip shrugged. “Maybe he thinks you’ll stay and do battle with him against Kata.”
“Kipper, I have to get her back. There’s no telling what Kata will do when he finds out she’s new to her power.”
“Right. And this war will happen with or without you.” Kip held out his arm. “Be careful, Jace. Don’t get yourself caught.”
Jace gripped his arm. “Stay away from my uncle’s bad side.”
Kip grinned lopsidedly. “Lycans have gone missing for talking back to him, and you know how I like to talk.”
Kip’s hold on Jace’s arm tightened in concert with Jace’s constricting heart. Jace wasn’t sure when he’d see his friend again — if ever. “I know,” he whispered. “Take care of yourself.”
“You do the same.” They came together in a hug. “I’ll make sure the west gate is clear. You have ten minutes.” Without a look back, Kip was out the door.
Jace packed Malcolm’s journals and went to his room to get an extra set of clothes. He threw on a fresh shirt and left the room. A shower would have to wait. Kip was right; he needed to leave now before his uncle would deny him the option.
Jace left through the unguarded western entrance. The last of the sun’s rays dipped below the horizon. The sky’s color remained an ominous reddish hue. Jace found the car belonging to a set of keys left for him at the gate. He had a general idea which small rural town Kata’s clan occupied, but he wasn’t sure how mobile they were. In the end, it wouldn’t matter. He’d do whatever it took to rescue Kira — and then he would be back for his uncle.
To be continued in
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