Ashk nodded. “If I were the mother of either of those children, I’d rather wonder about the Fae than consider the other possibility. There is no hope in the other possibility. When the nighthunters feast, there is no spirit left to gather, no one to take to the Shadowed Veil.”

“Mother’s mercy,” Liam whispered. “I know that. I’ve talked to Fae who have encountered nighthunters. Breanna and I were attacked by them. But I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

Ashk pushed herself out of the chair. “We found the nest of nighthunters we scented, and the creatures have been killed and burned. I’d just gotten back when I got your message. I can’t say with certainty, but hopefully that was all of them that remained around Willowsbrook. If any more appear…Well, there are plenty of Fae around here now who can detect the scent. We’ll hope we can detect them before they do any harm. As for the children, I’ll send some of the winged Fae out to search. A hawk can see a great deal more than any of us can see on foot.”

Liam stood. “Thank you, Hunter.”

She shook her head. “Thank me when we’ve found the children. You didn’t say how old they were.”

“Young. Two or three years.”

Children, Ashk thought as she went upstairs to wash up and indulge in an hour’s rest. Toddlers, really. Old enough to scamper off in pursuit of a butterfly in a meadow or a fawn glimpsed in the woods. Caitlin had done it to her once. Had wandered off during a moment when her attention had been required elsewhere. She and the Clan had searched for a frantic day before she’d found her girl in a fox’s den, sound asleep with the kits snuggled around her, all of them being guarded by a very confused vixen.

She could wish for something that simple. Hope for something so screamingly normal. But she knew in her gut it wasn’t simple or normal. So she was left with the question of what had happened to two small children—just as she was left with the question of what had happened to Jean.

Chapter 44

waning moon

Hearing the guard captain call a halt, Adolfo pushed aside the cloth covering the carriage window and waited. No further orders were given. He’d heard no urgency to indicate a company from the enemy’s army was approaching. So he waited until the guard captain rode back to the carriage and bent low in the saddle to look at the Master Inquisitor.

“What is the delay?” Adolfo asked.

“One of the Sylvalan brats who were sent out with carts has returned. Says he’s found what you’re looking for,” the guard captain replied.