“I sent him first thing this morning,” Hallevar said.

“Any sign of trouble at your eyrie?” Falonar asked sharply.

“No,” Lucivar said. “The bags were packed and set near the door.” He swore softly, viciously. “Where in the name of Hell did she go?”

“She went to Lady Luthvian’s,” said a young female voice.

They all turned and stared at Jillian, Nurian’s young sister.

She hunched her shoulders and looked ready to bolt back into the eyrie.

Hallevar pointed a finger at the ground a few feet away from him. “Here, little warrior,” he said sternly.

Scared now, Jillian crept to the spot, glanced at the large warriors surrounding her, then stared at her feet.

“Make your report,” Hallevar said in that tone that, although encouraging, had made every young male who had trained under him snap to attention.

It had the same effect on Jillian. She stood upright and focused on Hallevar. “I was doing my stamina run this morning.” She waited until she got Hallevar’s approving nod. “And I thought I would take the path to Prince Yaslana’s eyrie because I thought, well, maybe Lady Marian would want a little help with Daemonar, that I could look after him for a bit so she could get some of her chores done. It wasn’t like I was shirking the rest of my workout or anything, ’cause looking after Daemonar is work.”

Despite being worried, Lucivar’s lips twitched as he fought not to smile.

“I was almost there when I saw Marian standing at the door talking to Palanar. He looked…sick. He was sweating hard, and…I don’t know. I’ve never seen anyone look like that. And then Marian jerked like someone had hit her, but Palanar didn’t touch her. He said, ‘Bring the boy.’ She went inside and came back out with Daemonar. Daemonar took one look at Palanar and started howling. You know, that sound Daemonar makes when he doesn’t like something?”

Lucivar nodded. He felt a cold sweat forming on his skin.

“Palanar grabbed one of Marian’s arms. He kept saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’”

“Did he see you?” Lucivar asked too quietly.

Jillian shook her head. “But Marian did. She looked right at me, and her face had the same sick look that Palanar’s did, and she said, ‘Luthvian’s.’ Then they left.” Having finished her report, her confidence faded as she looked up at the grim-faced men.

“You didn’t report this to anyone?” Lucivar asked.

Pale now, Jillian shook her head again. “I—Nurian wasn’t home when I got back, and…I didn’t know I was supposed to report,” she finished in a barely audible voice.