I deflate at the look of relief on his face. I know he’s only acting this way because he cares, because he worries for our safety. For my safety. With Vanik out there, there’s a target on my head—it’s entirely possible that if a confrontation had happened today, I might not be standing here right now. Which reminds me …

“Vanik’s gone, Kael.”

He stiffens, his eyes locking on mine. “What do you mean, gone?”

Even Arryn is focused on me, since Cami and I never told her what we found in the lab.

We tell them both now, taking turns to recount every moment of our skirmish with Ward. Cami makes sure to mention the extra details that I missed, including things I would have preferred to forget.

“Show me the syringe.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end at Kael’s dark tone. When Cami pulls the hypodermic needle from her jacket and hands it over, he holds it up to the nearest flame, staring at the few remaining drops of clear liquid inside. His face is like stone.

“You’re sure you don’t feel any different?” he asks me.

I raise my hands before me. “I honestly feel completely normal. Hungry and tired, but otherwise fine.”

As if to confirm my words, my stomach gives a loud rumble. I can’t believe that after everything I’ve been through in the last half hour my body wants food, but evidently it isn’t keeping pace with my mind.

Kael’s face softens when he hears the sound, and he pockets the syringe. “I’ll see if Pandora can identify this. It could very well be harmless, so there’s no point in worrying about it until we know more.”

On the scale of things I’m worried about, being injected with an unknown liquid isn’t high up on my list, as strange as that seems. Then again, it’s an indication of just how bad everything else is, so …

“Let’s get Ward somewhere secure,” Kael continues, interrupting my thoughts, “then find you three some food. Some rest, too.”

I shake my head. “We need to free him first.”

“You won’t be any good to him if you pass out from exhaustion.”

“I’m not exhausted.”

Kael raises an eyebrow. “No? Then why are Cami and Arryn carrying him, when you said you levitated him around Lengard?”