He was acting like he’d invited us here, like we were expected, and I wasn’t sure why, but that gave me all of the creeps. Still, although I waited for my Paladin senses to kick in and tell me this guy was bad news, there was nothing. Magic, sure, a hint of power, yes, but none of the chest-tightening, muscle-tensing sickness I felt when David was in danger.

The Ephors had always been the greatest threat to David, so why wasn’t I in attack mode? It suddenly occurred to me that they might be doing something to override my Paladin powers. Could they do that? After all, they’d somehow managed to break through the wards so that David could have an all-consuming vision. For probably the thousandth time, I wished Saylor were here to tell me what was going on.

“I’m so pleased to have you here,” Alexander said, still smiling that bland smile, one hand extended toward a dim hallway off to the side. “Now, if you’ll come with me—”

I was about to interject that we were staying right where we were, but before I could, David stepped forward, looked at Alexander, and said, “You people took a girl last year. Bee Franklin. I want you to tell me where she is.”

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

“WHAT? IS BEE HERE? Did you see her?” Behind David, I saw my own surprise reflected on Ryan’s face.

With a sigh, David turned to me, ruffling his hand over his hair. “No. Or not exactly, but she’s... close, or...” He opened and closed his free hand like he was trying to pull the words out of the air. “Something. I can feel it.”

Sensing people’s presence wasn’t exactly part of David’s bag, and I’d certainly never heard him talk about anything like this before. Was he able to sense Bee because he’d juiced her up with Paladin powers before Blythe had taken her?

But David looked back at Alexander, and the Ephor took a deep breath, his brow wrinkling slightly. “All in good time, I assure you,” he said at last, and then swept his hand toward the hall again. “First, we need to talk about what occurred this evening.”

“The frat thing or David’s vision?” I asked, and Alexander’s green eyes flicked to me. His expression was blank, but I could still feel magic or power or whatever it was oozing from him, and I made myself hold his gaze.

“They are connected,” he said at last, then nodded. “Now, if the three of you will come with me, all will be explained.”

“Where are the rest of you?” David folded his arms across his chest. “Aren’t there other Ephors here besides you?”

Alexander gave a tiny smile, revealing a hint of teeth. “All in good time.”