Hunting the Rogues (Shadow Claw Book 8)

by Sarah J. Stone

  “Maybe,” Sienna drew her knees to her chest. “For so long, Devon, I thought there was only one path, and I was failing at it. But now, I see there are other options.”

  “Like Reynolds'?”

  “I would never walk Reynolds' path,” Sienna answered. “It is unnatural, and I never wanted to be away from nature. I just didn't want to be sick all the time. I just wanted to be strong, for just one moment.”

  “When do you feel strong, Sienna?” Devon asked seriously as he took her hand.

  “When I'm with you,” she said softly. “When I'm with you and the rest of the world is blocked out.”

  “That's strange,” he said quietly. “That's when I feel the strongest as well.”

  “Desmond thinks that it's me Reynolds wants,” Sienna said. “It's really me that he's after. And if that's so, then it's two Maestros who have been in danger because of me in two days. I don't know if I can do this.”

  Devon saw his chance in that moment, and he took it, speaking boldly. “And if you can't do it?” he asked. “What are the options?”

  She looked at him, agape. “What do you mean?”

  “If you can't put them in danger,” he said. “And you can't do magic on either path. What are your options?”

  “To go away….” she said, before she even realized what she was thinking. “To go away.”

  She seemed shocked by the words that had tumbled out of her mouth. But Devon knew they were the truth, fighting to be free.

  “We could,” he said, softly. “You and I.”

  “Devon...” she said quietly.

  “You both know we've been thinking about it for a long while. Unable to fight properly; unable to stand what we are doing to our Maestros. Laura hovers; she takes safe quests. We aren't on the high combat ones anymore, no matter what I tell her I feel. She's afraid, she's cautious, and that's never the person she was before. I hate that I'm doing that to her.”

  “Devon, I can't just....”

  “But you can,” he said.

  “Reynolds did that to Desmond, and it nearly destroyed him,” Sienna said, and Devon squeezed her hand.

  “And Desmond survived. You aren't choosing to do horrible, wicked magic. You are stepping away for your health to live out whatever term of life you have left in peace and in restful happiness. There's a big difference. And I promise, I will take care of you.”

  “Until you can't,” she said softly.

  “Until I can't,” he echoed, staring into her eyes.

  She didn't know what to say. She was devoted to her Maestros, not used to being more than a room away from them.

  But it was because she was devoted to them that she could entertain this notion. She did not want to cause them pain or any more turmoil than they had already been through. They had been great warriors with a place in history before her. Now, they were exiled because the Jurors were displeased with their choice in her, and Desmond touching Mariah was simply a straw that broke the camel's back.

  “I don't know,” she said, although she already did. “I don't know if I can be alone.”

  “You won't be alone,” he assured her. “And if there comes a time when you walk this galaxy without me, you know I will always be with you in the magic. Your body may have been betrayed by magic, Sienna, but you trust it. And you know I'll be there.”

  “I can't never see them again,” she whimpered, her one condition. But she also knew that she couldn't walk away from Devon again. She loved him; she couldn't deny it. A life without Devon, without taking this opportunity, wasn't something she could face. She would look back and regret this moment if she didn't go with him.

  “Once everything blows over,” Devon assured her, “we could see them, and do so often. And they will have other Tiros to heal the wound.”

  “Who can pass the tests,” Sienna answered softly. “Who can make them figures in history again.”

  “Yes,” Devon brushed back her hair, leaning in to kiss her lightly. “So, Sienna, now that you've seen how people walk a different path and survive, will you walk one with me?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “I will.”

  Chapter 13

  Nathaniel came back to consciousness like he was walking under water. His mouth felt dry, and his head felt fuzzy. He rolled over, his half-conscious brain knowing that he didn't have anywhere to be. The bed was comfortable and warm, the pillows soft. But he felt cold without Eliza's warm body beside him. He was used to reaching out and pulling her close, feeling her smooth body beside him. It was going to be a huge adjustment to go back to the way things were and to go back to being so alone.

  He was confused, though, because the feeling of being alone wasn't usually this bad. It was almost as if there was something else missing.

  He pushed himself up, trying to make sense of what he was feeling.

  The clock read eight a.m., which meant he was officially on duty.

  ‘Sienna?’ He reached out with his mind. Why didn't he feel her close by?

  “Sienna?” he called out verbally, throwing off the covers. A quick glance in the mirror showed tossed hair and a pale face, but he looked better than he did yesterday. He ran a hand through his hair and threw on a shirt, taking a moment to steady himself before he opened the door. He could feel Desmond in the kitchen; that was no problem. Desmond was safe, and he was close by. What was going on? He had felt them both come home last night; there was no issue there.

  “Desmond?” He burst into the kitchen. The look on his Maestro's face told him that something was very wrong. “What is it? Where is she?”

  “I don't know,” Desmond answered truthfully. “I thought she was with you for a while, and perhaps you were blocking her thoughts to rest. But I realized as soon as you started waking up that you weren't doing that.”

  “How can she just be gone?” Nathaniel answered, and then saw Laura's face, hunching over her tablet.

  “Laura?” he demanded, and the young, blonde Maestro looked up. “Laura?”

  “Devon is gone, too,” she finally answered.

  “No,” Nathaniel was quick to speak on this. “Not again. Reach out to him. Call out to him. He always answers you.”

  “He did answer me,” she said. “And all he said was goodbye.”

  Nathaniel stopped moving. “What does that mean?”

  “My guess,” Laura said, “is that Devon, like Sienna, seems to think that they are a burden. And so, they have saved us the heart break.”

  “They've run off together,” Nathaniel ran a hand over his face. “Why? Why would they do that? She isn't a burden. She isn't–”

  “Yesterday, she saw the pain of a Tiro walking away from their Maestro,” Desmond said quietly. “That may be what pushed her over the edge.”

  “By walking away?” Nathaniel stuttered in confusion.

  “By not having us face the reality that she can't take the tests,” Desmond said. “Saving us the position of a rock and a hard place.”

  “This is ridiculous,” Nathaniel answered. “There are people out there that want her, and they will clearly stop at nothing to get her. Being out there and unable to defend herself–”

  “Excuse me,” Laura's eyes flared. “Devon is one of the best warriors in the school right now. Insinuating that he cannot protect her–”

  “Sorry, did your Tiro not walk away because he's dying?” Nathaniel shot. Kierry’s mouth fell open. Up until then, he and Sybil had been leaning quietly against the counter. Sybil was so grateful for Kierry's strong presence, not wavering from her side. Now, she felt the shock ripple through her Tiro.

  “What's wrong with Devon? He seems fine.”

  Laura shook her head. “It doesn't matter, Kierry. The medications keep him fine. He doesn't really feel pain or the effects. He's a warrior until the end.”

  “But,” Kierry turned to Sybil, “couldn't that day be today then? Not to be a pessimist, but…”

  “Laura,” Nathaniel demanded, “he may not show the warning signs, but
you have the reports. Is there a chance it could be soon?”

  His Maestro remained tightlipped, looking at the table.

  “Laura!” Nathaniel snapped. “I need to know if my Tiro is about to be alone out there.”

  “If someone asked you the same question, Nathaniel, how would you respond?” she asked. “Would you be willing to admit it?”

  “How long?!” Nathaniel practically roared at her.

  Laura sighed. “It could be soon,” she said, her lip quivering. “But it could not be. There's no way to know. He's so strong.”

  “Oh, Creator.” Nathaniel ran a hand over his face. “We're doomed.”

  Laura let out a choked sob, shoving back from the table. “Not all of us have your name, your reputation, your support,” she sobbed at him. “It's easy for you, Nathaniel. You have a co-Maestro, you have the queen of Jeffro, and you have the reputation of the greatest warrior. Everyone looks up to you. Losing a Tiro just makes you more of a hero. It leaves the rest of us broken.” And with that, she stormed out of the room.

  Nathaniel said nothing, but he did slam his fist on the table.

  “Of all the irresponsible....”

  “Stop,” Desmond said to him sharply. “Stop.”

  “What do you mean, stop? We have to find her!” Nathaniel answered.

  “Not if she doesn't want to be found,” Desmond said. “When Reynolds left....”

  “Desmond, she isn't Reynolds. But she might end up in his clutches, or worse,” Nathaniel said. “She might end up dead.”

  “She'll end up dead either way,” Desmond pointed out, and Nathaniel choked.

  “Don't talk like that,” he replied. “Just don't. If she wants to walk away, she needs to tell us to our faces. I doubt that she actually does, though. Devon just gets in her head and–”

  “Asks her to leave the order?” Desmond replied. “And if Eliza had said the words, would you have not walked away?”

  “She would never ask me to do that,” he replied.

  “That didn't actually answer the question,” Desmond said. “If she had asked, would you have gone?”

  Nathaniel chose not to answer that, closing his eyes. “Sybil,” he said, “can you and Kierry work to see if there are any connections left to Black Caesar? I know he's dead, but clearly, his followers are still alive.”

  “I can do that,” Sybil said. “But if you and Desmond go out together in the open looking for Sienna, you will blow the cover of our whole mission.”

  Nathaniel couldn't believe that Sybil was even bringing this up.

  “My Tiro is missing,” he cried. “She needs multiple medications, she has no protection, and there are two separate groups on this planet alone, who want to capture her. Your mission be damned.”

  “Nathaniel, you may not have to answer to the Jurors right now, but I do,” Sybil answered. “We are this close to capturing Reynolds and shutting down this whole operation. Kierry and I have worked for weeks on this, and the future of our order is at stake. You can't just do this. Think it through.”

  “How?” Nathaniel was not willing to listen to reason, but Desmond caught his elbow.

  “Just think for a moment,” he said calmly.

  “Every moment we think, she could be in danger,” Nathaniel answered. “How are we going to do this?”

  “Exactly like you are,” Kierry suddenly spoke up. Both their heads swiveled toward the young Tiro.

  “What?”

  Kierry turned to Sybil who nodded before turning back to them.

  “The way you are now, you're fighting. I would think that you are of two different minds,” Kierry said quietly. “So, if you do have to go out together, keep arguing. It makes sense that you are united in finding your Tiro, but for different reasons. Desmond is supposed to want to join Reynolds. Nathaniel is supposed to want to get Sienna to safety and away from Desmond. Can you do that?”

  Desmond cleared his throat. “That's not actually a bad plan,” he said. “We can keep up the act in public and not communicate via the bond, except to reach out for Sienna.”

  Nathaniel sighed, realizing that it was the best plan of attack.

  “Yes,” he said. “We can do that. But first,” he felt the heaviness in his chest lift slightly, “I should apologize to Laura. I didn't mean to scream at her like that. I'm just…I can't lose her, Desmond.”

  “You have to be prepared for the possibility that we do,” Desmond answered. “The truth is, I've seen signs like this for a while. I didn't think that she would actually go, but she has said things that made me wonder if she was unhappy.”

  “She's not unhappy,” Nathaniel protested. “She thinks we are.”

  “Go,” Desmond didn't want to address that. “See if you can speak to Laura without her throwing something at you. I don't think she should come with us, though. If she follows different leads, we will cover more ground.”

  “The repercussions for Laura will be heavier,” Sybil said, quietly. “You two are on suspension; the Jurors are not watching what you are doing. But Laura and Devon are on assignment, and he's bolted. There will be a hearing for that, and if the true reasons come out as to why–”

  “You are undercover,” Nathaniel said. “The Jurors don't need to know.”

  “Maybe they do,” Sybil replied. “It might be a weight off their minds to have some support.”

  “I'll talk to her,” Nathaniel said.

  Desmond let out a sigh, leaning against the table.

  “Are you all right?” Sybil asked cautiously. Questioning a senior Maestro was generally not done, but nothing here was going as planned.

  “We survive everything that comes our way,” Desmond answered with a sad smile. “Until we don't.”

  “Until we don't,” Sybil answered, placing a hand on Kierry's shoulder. “Come, young one. We have work to do.”

  “We should report to Reynolds,” Kierry said. “If he hears about Sienna's disappearance from us, he will think we are still loyal.”

  “Good idea,” Sybil said. “Is that all right, Desmond?”

  “There's no harm,” Desmond answered. “He'll know either way. Make it believable.”

  “Of course,” Sybil winked at him. “I could have been an actor in another life.”

  She and Kierry headed to the library, leaving Desmond alone in the kitchen with his thoughts.

  Oh, Creator, he thought to himself. He had hoped he would never have to go through this again after Reynolds. If he did, he had hoped he'd be hardened to it. But it was just as painful as the moment he found that Reynolds had walked away. Obviously, the situation was different, but it was the same in a lot of ways.

  Even if they found Sienna, he wasn't sure he could go through the rehabilitation again. He wasn't sure he was strong enough to survive, and yet, he knew everyone was counting on him to be the voice of reason.

  But reason would not take away the feeling that his heart was going to stop, and his confidence in his ability to continue to serve the order was failing every second.

  Chapter 14

  “You've had this planned out for a while,” Sienna said when Devon brought them into an abandoned schoolhouse. It was boarded up, but he seemed to know exactly what lock to pick and board to pull.

  “Not this, specifically,” he said. “But when we were assigned this quest, I did some pretty intense research to find potential safe houses, in case we needed to run for it.”

  “So, wouldn't Laura know where we are going then?” she asked.

  “No. I was last minute about it, so I never shared the document with her. I figured if it came to it, we'd be together anyway. But we're not.” He flicked his wrist, illuminating the place.

  It was dirty and damp, but it was safe, and there wasn't any evidence that anyone had been inside for weeks, at least. Sienna tried not to wrinkle her nose as she stepped over a dead mouse.

  “But just for tonight?”

  “Just for tonight,” he said. “Until I can book us passage out of here. I
was thinking maybe Taurine?”

  “Taurine sounds beautiful,” she echoed, knowing it was a desert planet and a tourist attraction. The main city was where people went for vacation, to get away from the Order, to get away from all that was governed and regulated. It was dangerous, but they were living a different life now, after all. “But where did you get the money?”

  “I saved,” he replied. “Quest allowance – literally credits I found on the street. It should get us out and onto a new life. We'll have to work, but….” he smiled. “Work. Get jobs. Can you imagine? What do you want to be?”

  Sienna paused at that. She had never wanted to be anything but a witch, mostly because the opportunity was not presented to her. She thought her choices in life were witch or a half-life, where she watched the witches.

  “I…,” she thought for a moment. “Language. A translator, maybe?”

  “A translator?” Devon smiled at her and her accent.

  “It's just Basic that is hard,” she explained to him. “It's so different.”

  “Well, I understand you just fine,” he answered, as he sat down on a clean spot on the floor.

  “Are you all right?” Sienna asked. He shrugged with a smile.

  “Sure. It's just the first time I've gotten to relax since we've got here.”

  She settled down beside him, and he tucked an arm around her. She lay her head on his shoulder. She had imagined this moment many times, and she expected it to feel perfect. Instead, it felt half-empty.

  “I miss them,” she said. “I know this is the right path, but it feels…I don't know. I'm used to them being around.”

  “I imagine the feeling will fade,” Devon said. “And once everything settles down, we will visit. It will be all right.”

  “What about you?” she asked, and he looked at her, confused.

  “What about me what?”

  “What do you want to be?” she asked. “Since we are embarking on this new adventure?”

  “Oh….” He fiddled with the dirt on the ground. “I just want to relax.”

  “Relax?” she said in surprise. “That's not like you.”

  “It's fine,” he said. “My whole life has been chaos.”

  “Devon, why don't you have a career choice?” she asked suspiciously. “You're the one who led us on this adventure. You should have a plan. Unless....”