Giving him a droll look, Effie asked, “Who do you think did the wash at the estate? If you ever need tips on getting a blood stain out, I’m your girl.”
Ronan gave her an appraising look. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
They took a few more steps when Effie added, “But if you shit your pants, you’re on your own.”
She heard Ronan’s breath hitch and smiled to herself as she continued on. He was still laughing by the time she caught up to Lucian.
“What’s that about?” Lucian asked.
“Laundry.”
The Guardian raised a brow.
“Nearly there now,” Xander called. “It’s just around the next bend.”
“I didn’t realize laundry could be so amusing,” Lucian said after a beat, glancing down at her.
Effie grinned, seeing through his carefully bland statement. “Are you prying, Guardian?”
Lucian glowered. “I don’t pry, fledgling. I observe and comment.”
“Call it what you will.”
Sighing, Lucian shook his head. “You’re impossible.”
Somehow the way he said it made it sound like a compliment.
Smiling, she opened her mouth to goad him further, just as they came around the last hill and stopped dead.
Chapter 5
“Mother’s tits,” Ronan swore.
Between one step and the next, they’d left the quiet beauty of Sylverlands behind and stumbled upon . . . hell.
There was no other word for the wasteland before them. Nor was there need for tricks or magical abilities to suss out signs of corruption. The Shadows’ taint had spread far and wide, their destruction unmistakable.
The lake was more of a swamp, the water murky and rank. No signs of life moved beneath its surface, although there were large bubbles that would burst at infrequent intervals, releasing more of their foul smell into the air.
Outside of the water, the land was dry and cracked, mutilated carcasses of what had once lived within scattered around. The soil beneath them appeared leeched of any kind of nutrients. What was left of the lush grass was brittle, the few spikes looking like they would slice through her fingers if she tried to touch them.
“It grows worse every day,” Xander said, his voice pained.
“Is it spreading?” Lucian asked.
Swallowing, Xander nodded.
“Is there anything we can do to stop it?” Effie asked Lucian in a low voice.
And by we, Effie really meant Lucian. Her power was useless here.
Lucian’s frown deepened. “Not without risking corruption ourselves.”
Too big a risk.
“We need Helena,” she murmured, eyes darting to Ronan. “Is there any way to contact her?”
“She and her Mate did not leave word of where they were going, but I have an idea. I will try to get a message to her once we get to the keep.”
The thought of having to leave the ruin in front of them alone to fester and grow did not sit easy, but it was the only avenue available to them.
Her eyes sought out the Sylvanese heir. “I’m sorry there’s not more that we can do.”
“Coming here is a good start. I hope that it helps you find and eliminate the source.” He gave her a small smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. What was happening to his land was affecting him deeply.
Sighing, Xander said, “We should start heading back. It’s probably not good to remain here longer than necessary.”
Lucian and Kael nodded their agreement.
“I would keep your people away from here for now. Other than to mark any new developments, they should not come into contact of any kind with the tainted land,” Lucian said.
“It will be done,” Xander promised.
“We will be back once we know how to eliminate and hopefully reverse the effects,” Lucian added, his expression fierce.
Something like hope flared in Zane’s silver eyes. “We would be most grateful.”
With a curt nod, Lucian turned, his hand briefly resting on Effie’s lower back. With a gentle press of his fingers against her, he signaled for her to start moving.
As she turned, Effie caught a glimpse of the expression on Kieran’s face, and her steps faltered. His gaze was zeroed in on the spot where Lucian touched her, his face filled with disgust and unmistakable malevolence.
She shivered, drawing both Lucian and Kieran’s attention.
Her tutor’s expression cleared, and he spun away, stalking back along the path.
Lucian lifted a brow, silently asking what was wrong.
Effie shook her head, not having an answer, but the feeling of unease wouldn’t leave. Whether triggered by the corrupted lake, or the darkness of Kieran’s expression, she wasn’t sure, but a feeling of premonition swelled. It grew with each step, until a single refrain echoed inside her.
A storm was coming. One they couldn’t outrun.
Dinner was a somber affair. The large hall was obviously meant for entertaining, its raised dais likely for live entertainment of some kind. There was no entertainment tonight.
There were maybe twenty people in total, the Keepers’ small group joined by a handful of the Sylvanese court. The clatter of silverware on dishes and their hushed voices were lost in the giant space, giving the illusion of silence.
The heir had invited the Guardians to sit at his table, but there was not enough room for the others, so Effie, Reyna, and Ronan sat across from them at another table made out of silvery wood. Kieran had been absent since they returned to the keep, and she had no clue if he’d be joining them or taking his meal elsewhere.
Nor did she care.
Effie pushed her food around her plate, unable to take more than a bite or two. The succulent clams and cream sauce over a bed of noodles should have been appetizing, but she couldn’t seem to make herself eat it.
“Eating works better when you actually put the food in your mouth,” Reyna murmured beside her.
“Is that how it’s supposed to work?” Effie replied, looking up.
Reyna’s smile grew. “I have it on good authority.”
Wrinkling her nose, Effie explained, “My stomach is still too unsettled for such rich food.”
“Your body is still recovering; you need to eat something. Want me to see if they can bring you some broth?”
The Sylvanese ate a primarily seafood and grain diet. Effie had a hunch their broth would be similarly made, and the thought of anything fishy made her gag.
“No, but thank you for asking.”
Reyna frowned. “I’m not the only one that noticed, you know.”
“What do you mean?” Effie asked, her brows dipping in confusion.
The Night Stalker used her chin to gesture to the table parallel to theirs where Lucian sat with Kael and members of the Sylvanese court.
“Your Guardian keeps glancing over here and frowning.”
“Is that all?” Effie laughed. “All Lucian ever does is frown. Don’t read too much into it.”
Reyna hummed.
Setting her fork down, Effie turned to face Reyna fully. “Okay, what’s that supposed to mean?”
A small smile played across Reyna’s clean face. “He does more than frown.”
“Oh, and when in the short time you’ve been here have you had a chance to witness that miracle?” Effie asked, genuinely curious.