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do.”
    Cayan wiped off his face with a cloth, leaving his glistening chest to air-dry. Shanti ripped her eyes away from the defined muscles and tried to ignore her throbbing core. His presence was starting to get distracting.
    Rohnan’s smirk was irritating.
    “Well. I need to chat with the Shadow Lord.” Shanti turned, only pausing when she noticed Sonson straightening up, his smile aimed at her.
    “When does she think to send the first wave to the mainland?” Cayan asked, the twinkle in his eyes dimming.
    “Still a month. She can’t cut down the time. You’ve heard from Lucius?”
    “Yes.” Cayan turned so his body was facing a stiffly approaching Sonson. “All is well. The Duke’s men are fitting in fine and the supplies are steady. They’ve seen no Graygual.”
    Shanti’s brow furrowed, unease niggling at her. “I suspect Xandre will be mulling over his loss. He will analyze it before he acts again. I had anticipated a smooth crossing to the mainland. But where did the Hunter go? He doesn’t seem like the type to hide.”
    “He does seem like the kind to wait, though,” Cayan said.
    “The Hunter.” Sonson swung his arms to loosen them up. “That was the Superior Officer on your heels on your journey here?”
    “Yes.” Shanti pulled up her hood to shield from the moisture sifting down on top of them. The sky was spitting, threatening them with the rain to come. “He failed in the task Xandre assigned him, which was guarding Burson. Burson was a prize. Xandre’s underlings have been tortured for far less. The Hunter’s fate won’t be pretty.”
    “And why wouldn’t he hide?” Sonson asked.
    “Why don’t I?” Shanti squinted into the distance, thinking. “There is nowhere to go that Xandre wouldn’t eventually uncover.”
    “The Hunter is not one to hide,” Rohnan echoed with a soft voice. “No one with his training and prestige will give in to failure. They are not bred for it. Their training forbids it. He is out there somewhere. Waiting.”
    “Is Burson in jeopardy?” Sonson asked.
    Shanti shrugged, exhaling her frustration with the unknown. Burson had left soon after she and Cayan had jointly gained the title of Chosen, saying he had to spread the word. He’d landed safely in Clintos, as he’d said he would. After that, there had been periodic updates, informing them of the smoldering unrest in the land. Word of both the Wanderer and Chosen had spread like wildfire. Uprisings had appeared, but been quelled just as quickly. The land was holding its breath.
    They were waiting for her and Cayan, it seemed.
    Xandre wouldn’t wait forever.
    None of that helped with the whereabouts of the Hunter, though. His battle was targeted. At her. She had every belief he’d pick up Burson if it was convenient, but the Hunter wanted to capture his prey: the elusive violet-eyed girl.
    So where was he?
    “Chosen. Sonson.” A man ran up to them with harried movements. “Portolmous needs you. He says it’s urgent. He’s received a message…”
    A sense of foreboding filled Shanti. It was as if the Elders had heard her question, and were now sending an answer.

Chapter Three
    Lucius’ face struck the wall. The guard held him there with a palm to the center of his back while he opened the door. He grabbed Lucius roughly by the shirt and yanked him off the side of the house before tossing him through the doorway. Lucius’ feet dragged against the floor. He stumbled and fell. With his hands tied behind his back, his face smacked against a hard surface for the second time.
    “Tallos, that is no way to treat our captive.”
    Lucius gritted his teeth at that calm, cultivated voice. He rolled to the side so he could look up at the speaker. Sharp, defined cheekbones, thin lips, and a straight, pointed nose that ended in a slight hook, giving him a predatory quality, accentuated by those horrible, dead eyes. Lucius hated looking directly at him. Hated the cold calculation in those soulless eyes. It