“Rue?” Nell prodded, her voice filled with sympathy. “Please? It’s for Kaja.”

When Rue lifted her chin, her eyes swam with tears. She nodded, but her expression was lined with terror. “We’re going to need a boat.”

There was a story there, one I wanted to hear later. Right now, I didn’t care how Rue knew how to get to Dark Row; I just needed to get there.

As for a boat … pretty sure the selkies were royally pissed with us right now, but if I had to swim with the murderous warriors to save my friend, so be it.

“I know where we can find one,” Nell said. “Let’s get Kaja and head out.”

The night was pitch dark. The campus lights remained off, but we weren’t the only ones carrying a makeshift stretcher with a body on it. I saw at least a dozen bodies still on the ground on our way to the boat docks, most of them royal guards.

We left the campus proper and wound down a set of steep wooden stairs to a dock. Several boats were moored there, at least a dozen, and I nearly bumped into Nell when she drew to a stop.

“Are you sure it’s safe for me to return?” a man growled, his voice familiar. “Protect the ruler above all. Remember?”

Oh. My. Frickin’. Mother. Mage.

I knew that voice.

Nell pushed us off the path and into the shrubbery surrounding the dock.

“Yes, sir,” another man said. “The attack is over.”

I watched, feeling equal parts fascination and disgust, as King Declan snapped his fingers toward a boat, and two guards disembarked, joining the three other shifters on the dock.

“Malik, I want every student and teacher with an eyewitness account of the attack to be in my office in the morning. I will find which clan is involved in getting these usurpers on my island and obliterate them!”

“Of course, sir.”

The guards scrambled to unload what looked like the king’s duffle bag, complete with embroidered AI insignia.

That bastard packed a bag before he fled to let us fight on our own?

“And what would you like to do about your wife? She was held captive and is badly wounded.”

“Hasn’t she been healed yet?!” Declan asked—or rather demanded. “How could you—?”

The group strode past us, and we shrank back into the shrubs.

“All of the healers from the castle were killed in the raid, sir,” one of the guards said.

The alpha king snarled, and I shrank farther back at the raw power and menace in his voice.

“Well, get back on that boat, and go find me another one from the mainland, you jackass!” the king snapped, the threat clear as if he’d spoken it. “And you’d better hope she survives. My heirs adore their mother.”

My heirs adore her, not him. Suddenly, I felt very stabby, and I forced myself to take several deep breaths to calm down.

We waited until their voices faded and the one guard had taken the small speedboat and was riding it full-steam ahead back to the mainland. Then, we inched our way out of the undergrowth. Both Nell and Rue’s eyes were wide, reflecting the same shock I felt.

The alpha king fled while we were under attack. Even worse, he’d left his injured wife.

We boarded an Alpha Academy crested speedboat and carefully loaded Kaja’s limp form, trying to do all we could to not injure her further. Rue and Nell worked in tandem to unmoor the small craft. As we glided over the water, I leaned over Kaja and whispered, “Hang on, girl. We’re gonna fix you, good as new.”

Chapter 18

Rue pulled up to a long dock bustling with activity despite the darkness. Or maybe the traffic was because of the cover of night. Either way, dozens of people milled about, their hushed voices creating a low, indistinguishable buzz. Their transactions occurred with a rapidity that made my head hurt, a sleight of hand and exchange of goods. As soon as we tied the boat off, silence descended over the crowd.

Nell jumped onto the dock, and the crowd dispersed, casting wary glances our way. Probably because we were all covered in blood and holding an unconscious girl, driving a boat from Alpha Academy.

“That’s quite a welcome,” I muttered, sensing the first inkling of unease trickling through my insides. “So, how do we do this?” I glanced down at Kaja and then to her sisters. “Should two of us go and one of us stay here with Kaja? Or should we bring her with?”

I didn’t know how this worked. I just wanted to make sure we got a good potion, and Rue and Nell were both a little too quick to say their sister was dying. My attention drifted to the fleeing crowd, still confused that they would all bolt.

Every single one of them ran … except one.

Nell said, “I’m not sure—”

“What are you doing here, wolves?” the lone man asked, his deep voice coming from within the folds of his cloak.

Chills ran the length of my arms, and dread sank deep into my gut.

“We are here to do business.” I gulped. “Same as any.” My voice was firm, a relief because on the inside, I was a mess.

Still several steps away from us, he raised his head and took a deep inhale. “Are you here buying?”

He stepped closer, and my wolf squirmed. Yeah, I had a bad feeling too.

“Or selling?” he asked.

Selling? Selling what?

Before I could protest the absurdity of his question, Rue—quiet, studious Rue—replied, “A bit of both.”

“I’ll give you five gold coins for her liver.” The man pulled his hood back and licked his lips, looking at Kaja’s limp form. His face was covered with thin white scars draped over a network of black veins.

Eww! Also, hell to the NO!

Nell pulled her sword. “We’re not here to sell her, you foul creature!”

The man lunged for the boat then and, in the next moment, froze midair.

What the…?

My jaw dropped, and Nell jabbed her elbow into my side.

“Oww,” I muttered. Glancing up, I locked gazes with the swirly eyes of a high mage, his irises practically glowing from within his hood. He stepped up to the man frozen in midair and flicked his wrist, sending the now petrified body flying. Like a boulder, it crashed into an open tent stall fifty feet away.

Whoa.

He pushed his cloak back, and my jaw dropped with recognition. This was the high mage who’d asked me to choose my elements, the nice gray-haired one with the silver robes.

Crap. We were busted.

My mouth dried, and I waited for him to ream us for being here, only it never came. Still, my heart pounded against my ribs in a desperate attempt to flee. Maybe it wasn’t us who’d caused the bedlam. Maybe it was the creepy, swirly-eyed mage.

He looked down his nose at us. “Welcome to Dark Row, ladies. I trust you have good reason to be here?”

I gulped. “Our friend is dying. We need help saving her.” After swallowing again, I added, “Also, thanks for saving us.”

Probably should’ve started with that.

He nodded, which I chose to take as approval. As soon as I disembarked the boat and stood on the dock, he spoke again.

“Let me offer you one bit of warning.”

Legit, I’d take all the help I could get. Shifting uneasily from foot to foot, I asked, “Yes? What is it?”