“I told you hours ago: I don’t know where he is. I told him to head back, so I can only assume he tricked you into thinking he was going west, then doubled back. You’re not dealing with a child here.”

“You don’t need to tell me who I’m dealing with!” Martyn said. “We pulled our men to the north and came up empty. Where could he have gone? A man just doesn’t fade into thin air.”

“I don’t know.”

“Then you’ll pay with your life.”

The first thing he’d noticed upon entering the library was the empty side table where the book he’d slipped the map into had been. Gone. With any luck, Chelise, daughter of Qurong, had taken his bait.

“Karas will live, as long as I’m general.” Martyn drilled Witch with a glare. “That stunt was inhuman.”

Witch defended himself. “I have your Chosen One, haven’t I?”

“Without Thomas, you’ve given me nothing,” the general snapped.

“I have to agree with Martyn,” Qurong said. “Our war isn’t with any recruit who can barely hold a sword. It’s with the forests and with Thomas, who stands in our way.”

“You’ll do well to remember that Thomas himself placed slightly more weight on this recruit, who can barely hold a sword.”

“Watch your tone, Witch,” the general said.

The door behind Qurong opened, and Chelise filled the frame. But not only Chelise.

First one, then a stream of twenty Shataiki slipped past the gaping door, into the library where they attached themselves to the shelves and stared at Johnis with pupil-less, red eyes. The one closest to him hissed, fangs dripping with saliva.

Johnis pulled back instinctively.

“What is it?” the Dark Priest glanced at the wall where Johnis stared.

The gaunt Shataiki called Alucard stepped around Chelise as she closed the door. He eyed Johnis, then walked over to the Dark Priest and leaped to his head, where he perched.

The priest scratched his head but otherwise made no attempt to remove the beast. He felt something, Johnis realized, just not the full extent of what was there.

“You,” Johnis said to Alucard. “I thought we’d burned you in the Black Forest.”

“Not me, you fool,” the Shataiki hissed.

“Who are you talking to?” Qurong demanded. Then to Witch, “He’s lost his mind.”

“It’s black magic,” the priest said.

“He’s lied to us. Kill him,” Martyn said, burrowing into Johnis with a dark stare. He turned to go, and Qurong stood to join him. “Before sunset. This is a dangerous runt who’s more use to us dead than alive. We begin a new sweep of the Red Valley at first light.”

“Sir!” the Dark Priest protested. “I beg you! This is the Chosen One!”