by Ally Shields
“Give the Ryndel Guild the same instructions. I’ll clear it with Sawyer.” Brunic glanced toward the open cabinet. “Strange Kam hasn’t responded yet. She’s usually prompt.”
A sharp edge of unease ran up Seth’s spine. He shoved his chair back and stood. “I can’t just sit here. I’m going to keep looking for her. I can at least retrace her steps.” He strode toward the door, then stopped and looked back. “Page me if you hear from her. And ask her to call me.”
Brunic nodded. “You’ll find her. I’ll be waiting to hear what she’s been doing.”
“I hope your optimism is warranted.”
* * *
As soon as Seth cleared the Lormarc portal in New Orleans, he gave instructions to his guild master and relayed the same orders to the Ryndel Guild. By the time he was finished, it was early evening, and he went to his apartment, changed into drab, less conspicuous clothing, and dug in a drawer for his gun and magic items. He secured the gun with an inside belt holster and pulled his shirt over it. The seeker charm went in his pocket. He hoped the amulet would lead him to Kam, but he’d have to get within her general area first. Its range was only reliable for half a mile.
Once he was ready, he called Agent Crain again for Kam’s last location. The CIA operative was reluctant but finally picked up on Seth’s urgency and read off the address of Gormley’s building.
“Don’t go inside,” Crain warned. “We’re entering tonight with a warrant. Besides, Kam was several minutes away from there when I talked with her.”
“We’re not interested in your operation, unless Kam’s being held prisoner inside. Then all bets are off. But I won’t enter unless I call you first.”
“I’m holding you to it. Don’t make me sorry I gave you the address.” Crain sounded on edge. “These are dangerous criminals who need to be taken off the streets.”
“Yeah, OK. But they may not be the worst thing in town,” Seth muttered under his breath.
“What’s that mean?”
“Nothing. My problem.” He disconnected before Crain asked another question. He made one more call as he pulled the apartment door closed behind him. “Hey, Rhyden. Can you meet me? I’m sending you the address now. And bring your Smith & Wesson.”
“Expecting trouble?” Rhyden’s voice held a hint of eagerness. “I’ll be there.”
In less than ten minutes, Seth stood across from Gormley’s building. He put away the seeker amulet. Its failure to glow verified Kam wasn’t anywhere near. Crain had moved quickly. Seth had been there a minute or less when police vehicles pulled up and officers raced inside. They were already carrying out boxes of evidence. Seth turned his head at a sound from behind and spotted his cousin.
“What’s the excitement?” Rhyden asked.
“CIA raid.” Seth explained in a few terse words. “But that’s not the reason we’re here. Kam’s still missing, and Brunic and Seliwyn have a theory that’s got me worried. Remember the old stories about the moon elves? They might be New Orleans’ latest ghosts.”
Rhyden’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t be serious.”
“Brunic is. Seliwyn is. I’m not sure what I think.” Seth repeated everything he’d heard in Elvenrude. “If they’re right, Kam could be in real trouble. What if she ran into a band of moon elves?” His jaw clenched. He refused to voice the thought she might be dead. But he couldn’t get the possibility out of his mind.
The seeker charm had failed to pinpoint her location. That was concerning but not definitive considering its distance limitations. But he still hadn’t heard from Brunic. That meant the captain hadn’t heard from Kam. “It’s only one possible answer, but I’ll feel a whole lot better when I know where she is.”
“So let’s find her,” Rhyden said. “Where do we look?”
“She was between here and her apartment about twenty hours ago when she spoke with Crain. Let’s follow her route, see if we find anything. I’ll take the roofs, you check the streets, and we’ll stay in touch by phone.”
“Looking for…?”
“Traces of magic. Signs of a struggle.” Or a body. “Anything out of the ordinary.”
“Gotcha.” Rhyden nodded but added wistfully, “Sometime I really want to try this rooftop thing.”
Seth gave him a tight smile. “You’ll have to find your own magic. Kam has her bracelet. I have the Lormarc ring. I don’t think either of us is willing to give you ours.”
“Figures. See you in a few.” Rhyden disappeared into the shadows of the adjacent buildings.
Seth stepped into a courtyard and floated to the roof. He headed toward Kam’s apartment, scanning the surface for unusual scuffs and checking behind air-conditioning units and large vents. He’d almost reached her apartment building when his phone buzzed. Rhyden’s photo popped onto the screen.
“What did you find?” Seth waited.
“Something happened down here. You better take a look.”
While Seth blew out a sigh of relief it wasn’t worse news, Rhyden described where he was. Seth backtracked two buildings and dropped into an open courtyard. Rhyden pointed toward one of the raised flower beds. “Several of the plants have been crushed. And these marks in the soil look like they were made by the toe of a shoe.”
“As if someone was lying facedown.” Seth nodded and rubbed his forearm. “I feel a tingle of magic.”
“I noticed it too.”
Seth bent to touch a dark splotch on the small stone statue at the edge of the bed and brought his finger to his nose. “This is elven blood.”
“Not a lot. I don’t see a bigger pool or even other spots.” Rhyden’s voice was matter-of-fact, but it was clear he was trying to reassure them both.
“Let’s check the rest of the courtyard.” Seth searched one side while Rhyden searched the other. Neither of them found anything else. “OK. Assuming she was attacked and taken from here by elves, then where?”
“To the swamps? From what she told Brunic, she may have run into them twice in that area. Seems like the best bet.”
“Damn, Rhyden. That’s a huge area. If she’s in there, we need some kind of search parameters.” He rubbed his chin and pulled out his phone. “Crain can tell us where he met her. That should narrow the search.”
It took the agent a while to answer. “What the hell’s wrong now?” Crain grumbled. “I’m trying to get home to bed.”
“Sorry to interfere with your beauty sleep, but I need to know where Kam saw this guy in the swamp.” Seth was already annoyed with Crain’s constant intrusion into their lives. His nonchalance over Kam’s disappearance wasn’t winning him any points.
“What guy? She didn’t mention any guy to me.” Crain’s voice was tense now. “Are you saying someone followed her to our meetings?”
“Relax, Crain. These people aren’t interested in the CIA,” Seth said impatiently. “Just tell me where you were. Which lake?”
Crain hesitated but told him the general location. “I wish I could be certain this isn’t part of our operation. If you locate Kam, let me know. Yeah, I’m worried about blowing our cover, but I’d hate to think she’s in trouble because of us.”
Seth scowled at the phone then relented. “I doubt this has anything to do with you.”
“Then what?”
“It’s my problem, Agent Crain. I’ll be in touch.” Seth cut the connection and dropped his phone in his pocket. “Sometimes he annoys the hell out of me.”
“Uh-huh, whenever he’s in touch with Kam.”
Seth turned his head to look at Rhyden then laughed grimly. “I guess you’re right. Maybe Kam wasn’t so far off when she accused me of being jealous. In any case, we have a place to start. It won’t be daylight for a couple of hours, so let’s look around using the tracker. Once the sun’s up, we can hire a chopper and cover more territory.”
“Eventually, we’ll need help,” Rhyden said. “You and I can’t keep going day and night without sleep.”
“If we don’t find her by tomorrow noo
n, we’ll bring in reinforcements. But I’m hoping we’ll get lucky.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dark was closing in when the helicopter landed at the municipal airport. Seth and Rhyden jumped out and headed for the parking lot. Their faces showed little except frustration. Seth’s spirits were at a definite low. A full day of searching the swamps, a night of scouring the city streets, and yet they had nothing except the possible scene of abduction. Kam had simply disappeared.
Seth wiped the sweat from his forehead. He didn’t know where to look next.
Crain had helped with the swamp search by providing a helicopter, and he’d issued a BOLO for her through the local police. He said they’d look harder for a wanted person than for a missing adult without proof of an abduction.
Captain Brunic tripled the guards on the portals. Until they knew what was behind Kam’s disappearance and the mysterious elven sighting, they had to assume the portals were at risk. A few of the regular portal guards who knew New Orleans the best had helped with street searches, but they couldn’t bring others from Elvenrude who weren’t as familiar. That would be asking for trouble.
“I need a beer,” Rhyden complained. “A meal wouldn’t be amiss either.”
Seth sighed. “Maybe a time-out will give my brain a chance to come up with a new idea. I definitely need a change of clothes. Then we can meet for dinner.”
He dropped Rhyden at his apartment then drove home to shower and change. When he walked into the restaurant two hours later, Rhyden was already working on a beer.
“Join me,” Rhyden invited. “You have some catching up to do.”
Seth looked him over. Rhyden wore jeans and a dark green, hooded T-shirt specially made to hide his miniature crossbow. Under the shirt, Seth noted the faint impression of Rhyden’s Smith & Wesson. Seth matched him in black with his Glock clipped on his belt.
Seth ordered a beer and drank a third of it in one long swallow. “The shower helped clear my head. I think we should watch the guilds tonight. If we can lay our hands on one of these elves, we might find out what happened to Kam.”
“I like that idea. I’m sick of the swamp. Why don’t I take our guild, you take Ryndel? They know you better.”
“Works for me.”
The waiter arrived with dinner, and Seth broke off the conversation. They’d almost finished eating when Rhyden set down his fork. “I’m afraid Esty might become a problem.”
“Oh?” Seth lifted a brow at the hesitancy he heard in his cousin’s voice. “What kind of problem?”
“She’s adamant about helping to find Kam. I told her to leave it to us, but I’m not sure she’s listening. The family’s worried sick.”
“You told them?” Seth was thunderstruck. He tossed his napkin on the table. “I was waiting in hopes we’d find her. I’d planned to break the news to Sawyer tomorrow morning.”
Rhyden frowned at him. “Of course I didn’t tell them. Her father’s on the King’s Council. He already knew.”
“Sorry. I guess I’m still not thinking clearly.” Seth swore softly and rubbed the back of his neck. “I suppose Sawyer wonders why they haven’t heard from me.”
“I told them you couldn’t tear yourself away from the search.”
Seth slid a glance at Rhyden. “Thanks for that. I should have been there, told them myself, but I was so… Well, you know,” he ended awkwardly. “I never imagined Kam and I wouldn’t have a chance to make things right between us. Fighting with her seems so petty now.”
“You’ll have time. Plenty of time. That’s exhaustion talking. We’ll find her.”
He nodded slowly. “Surely Sawyer will keep Esty safely at home.”
“I’m not convinced he will or can. She’s almost as headstrong as her sister. Her parents were going to come but Seliwyn nixed that. Neither of them have much Cityside experience. He was afraid they’d make things worse. The three of them might see Esty as a compromise…knowing we’d look out for her. She can be very convincing.”
Seth’s weary face showed a hint of humor. “I bet she can. You know, Rhyden, I believe you’re getting a soft spot for her. Maybe the dating isn’t quite so casual?” His voice ended on a question.
“She’s just a kid. I like being with her, but we aren’t getting serious, if that’s what you’re hinting.”
“My mistake.” Seth picked up his beer to hide a skeptical smile. Rhyden wasn’t being honest with him…or maybe with himself.
Night was well settled in by the time they stepped outside the restaurant. “Call me if you see anything,” Seth said. They parted and headed for the guilds.
The heat of the day hadn’t cooled much. The narrow sidewalks and streets oozed a warm steam, and Seth’s T-shirt clung to his back. The humidity hit even harder following the comfort of the air-conditioned restaurant. He turned toward the river. A few minutes later, he stopped to show his credentials to the guard at the wharf entrance and walked through the black iron gates. He crossed the train tracks, passed two rows of container stacks, and took a right turn toward the Ryndel Guild’s warehouse. The water slapped against the dock off to his left.
Many sections of the dock were lit up. Workers often stayed busy all night with various sizes of trucks transporting goods in and out. The Ryndel Guild was no exception with lights spilling from its windows, although the large delivery doors were closed. That was part of the new security procedures to prevent unseen intruders from slipping inside. Not even moon elves could walk through walls.
He looked around for a spot to conceal himself and wait. The empty warehouse next to the Ryndel Guild hadn’t been leased since a criminal organization moving contraband had abandoned it last winter. He approached it now, selected an area of dark shadows, and leaned against the green metal siding. Ryndel might get a good deal on this extra space. He’d mention it to Kam when this was over.
If he saw her again. And if she was speaking to him. Why had he let her leave like that—with both of them hurling accusations they didn’t mean? At least he hoped she hadn’t meant them. He hadn’t.
His phone buzzed in his jeans’ pocket. He answered without looking, expecting it to be Rhyden.
“I need your help,” Agent Crain said.
“For what? Do you have a lead on Kam?”
“No, it’s this op she was working on—”
“I don’t care about your op,” Seth said bitterly. “For all I know, that’s what got her into trouble.”
“That isn’t what you said before. But even more reason for you to help.”
“Forget it.” Seth cut him off and stuck the phone back in his pocket. When it immediately buzzed again, he ignored it.
Fifteen minutes later he wasn’t surprised to hear footsteps behind him and see the CIA agent’s stocky frame. “What are you doing here?” he growled in a low voice. “You’re interrupting what you’d call a stakeout.”
“You wouldn’t answer your phone. And I had to talk with you,” Crain said.
“We have nothing to talk about. And we certainly can’t talk here.”
“Then where?”
Seth released an angry breath. “Tomorrow. I’ll call you.”
“Not good enough. This can’t wait. If we don’t defuse the tension among the local gangs, the streets are going to explode.” Crain released an impatient breath. “It’s gotten bad enough the local authorities have asked for federal help. All on the QT, of course.”
“Define bad,” he said, his interest mildly piqued.
“Multiple breaks-ins, unseen intruders. Not a single lead. Last night a man was beaten and hospitalized. He doesn’t know what hit him.”
Seth straightened, his attention caught now. “Sounds like a careless guard who doesn’t want to admit he fell asleep,” he said nonchalantly.
“At three different businesses that are fronts for illegal drug trafficking? Not likely.”
“I don’t know much about drug gangs.” Seth sighed. “What do you need from me?”
Crain stirred u
neasily. “I’m not sure how to put this, but are there more of your kind around? Maybe some who aren’t so friendly? This ability to move around unseen is vaguely familiar.”
“You know I can’t…won’t answer that.” Seth frowned. The man already knew too much. Besides, this had to be a skillful human burglar. What interest would elves have in drugs? “Once I find Kam, one of us will look into it for you. She comes first.”
“I know how you feel, but we’re talking about gunfights in the streets of New Orleans.” A hint of desperation crept into Crain’s voice. “I need to know who’s doing this. If it’s one of the gangs, we can stop it by taking them off the streets.” He hesitated. “But maybe it’s something only you will recognize. Give me two or three hours. That’s all I ask.”
“You haven’t yet told me what you want.”
“One headquarters has been hit three nights in a row, always just after midnight. If you’d watch the building tonight, you could identify and maybe catch them for us.”
“Not tonight. I’m working on answers of my own.”
Crain looked around them. “Here? What do you expect to see here?” He cocked his head at Seth. “Do you suspect someone in the guild?”
“Of Kam’s abduction? Of course not.” Seth sought a plausible story. “We’ve had a couple of thefts of our own. Nothing mysterious,” he hastened to add. The last thing he wanted was for his excuse to raise Crain’s suspicions. “More like muggers. They’ve been hanging around a couple of weeks and assaulted one of our men. I hope they’ll be here again tonight so I can put an end to it.” He peered at the CIA agent in the dark. “You should leave before you scare them away.”
“I can’t see why this wouldn’t wait. What if I get somebody to watch—”
A faint streak of light flashed near the guild, and Seth took off running. He focused on that shadowy movement. It looked just like Kam did when she used the invisibility amulet—a blur of light, a slight distortion in the air. The flicker moved away, and Seth increased his speed. The slap of feet hitting the pavement was just ahead, and he lunged toward the sound. His hand brushed against something, and he grabbed a solid body, tumbling them both. They wrestled, rolling over twice. The other man was strong, but Seth flipped him and anchored an arm around his opponent’s throat.
