The trees were smiling the following morning, Kai thought. Though a fresh layer of snow pillowed their naked branches, the oak, birch and pine's seemed happier than they had the days before. The birds still made no sound and the unnatural cold had grown only stronger, but Kai felt true joy.
He pushed Lunar harder, smiling softly as the world blurred past him. And he saw it. Kai's smile turned to a laugh as a soft cloud of smoke billowed toward the clear blue sky, not half a mile from where he now rode.
He was home at last.
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Kai was still smiling when he pulled Lunar into the clearing. The Arian's—along with Cory, Jean and Gorm—sat around a fire near the treeline. They all stood sharply as Kai brought Lunar to a stop, dismounting with a grunt.
Caleb came forward first, face crossed between relief and pain. Kai's smile faded.
Something was wrong.
"What happened," he said, eyes roving the campsite. A dozen or so tents were staked to the soft ground, and Kai recognized the gray fabric of the shelter in which he had seen Harper last.
"Is she okay? Has she recovered?" His voice hitched in his throat as Caleb cast his eyes toward the ground, obviously at a loss for words.
Saif came to a stop beside Kai a moment later, and though the soldiers seemed curious, they said nothing. The sadness and guilt in their eyes was unmistakable. Kai had not prepared for this. He had not let himself prepare for this. Had not let himself consider the possibility that she might not survive her wound. A wound that she had received because of him. Because she had saved him, sacrificing herself in the process. He blinked tears from his eyes, falling to the snowy ground as his knees buckled. It wasn't right. It wasn't supposed to go this way, he thought. Not her. Anyone but her.
Caleb spoke at last, pulling Kai from his stupor. "She did recover—or at least I believe she would have, only—"
"What do you mean?" Kai cut him off, attempting to keep his hopes from rising. "She recovered?"
"Yes," Caleb nodded. "Last night—just before dark. I had just changed her bandages, and she was healing well. I expected her to wake this morning, but—"
"They took her," Luke finished, eyes downcast. "By the time we realized what was happening, the wraiths already had her. We tried to stop them, but they were fast. Too fast."
Kai felt as though his blood was being drained from his face, his body. She had recovered, only to be cast toward a more terrible fate—the same fate as her father. Death by the wraiths.
"She's gone," Kai said aloud to himself. "They took her." It was more a statement than a question. Although he did not want to believe it, he knew it was true. Harper was gone.
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Kai dried his tears, finding his way to the place where she had been. The place she had been taken from, carted away like an old horse. He would kill them for it. He would kill all of them.
Kai had never felt this way before. Had never felt anger to this degree—nor the power that came with it. His shadows seemed to rise within him, replicating his rage and grief by a hundred fold. Not only did he know that he had to kill the wraiths, for her, he also knew that he could. He had never felt as strong as he did now. He would use this strength, this power, and avenge her—
"Kai."
The assassin turned, meeting Saif's sad and yet reassuring gaze.
"He's strong. We must not be reckless. Not with Skade."
Kai felt a tinge of relief at the word. We. His friend would join him in this fight. He had been too afraid to ask if Saif would truly stay with him, or if he would disappear once Kai was safely returned to camp.
"That being said," the elf continued, eyeing Kai in a way that almost seemed cautious. "If anyone can kill him, it would be you. After all, that's why Skade took your friend."
"What are you talking about?" Kai felt dread building within him. What was Saif saying? Had he caused this? Was she gone because of him? How—
"I should have told you sooner," the elf interrupted his thoughts. "But... Your magic is unique. Magic in a human is impossibly rare as it is, but your type of power has not been seen for ages. It's darker than most, stronger. It is the same variant that Skade himself uses, and, I expect, the other Dark Ones. He is not reckless enough to let someone like you live and grow in power. He fears you, if only slightly, so he wants to get you out of the way."
Kai's eyes widened as he attempted to pick apart the information that Saif had thrown at him. Skade wanted him, so he had taken Harper, which meant that—
"She's alive." Kai felt warmth rush back through him, replacing a fraction of what had been lost. He would recover the rest once he rescued Harper.
"Yes," Saif said. "I doubt that he would risk even hurting her. She is simply bait, meant to lure you to him. I feel that there is little point in asking you if you truly want to walk directly into a trap, but I think that I should anyway." The elf looked at him, rock-hard gaze cutting through Kai's soul. "Must you do this? It is unlikely that either of us will survive."
"I have to," Kai said, without hesitation. It was the only option. Perhaps it was a suicide mission, perhaps he was about to do exactly what his enemy wanted, but there was no other way. He could only trust himself to save her.
"Well, if you're sure, I won't try to stop you," Saif said. He gestured toward the forest. "I supposed we'd better head out while we still have light."
Kai nodded, smiling despite the pain that gnawed at his gut. She may be gone now, but he would see her again. He'd make sure of it.