Chapter Sixty-One (Anders)

“Maybe I’m paranoid, but Ashina and Isla are taking a long time, are they not?” Thane asked, looking at the clock on the wall.

We had discussed a new battle strategy and were about to go over when to attack and decided that night was the best time to catch them off guard.

“It has been too long. It's been over an hour.” I tried to mind-link with Isla, then Ashina, but was unable to. It was like they were being blocked from me.

I rose and headed from office and down to the kitchen. Two men lay unconscious in the destroyed space, panic overwhelmed me as I looked for her, but she wasn’t here. I grabbed the closet man and shook him.

“Where is she? Where is Isla?” I yelled at him.

“She… is safe with Ashina.”

In shock, I dropped him. Had she betrayed us? I looked at Shaw. “Where would your mother hide someone?”

He looked at me and replied, “To be honest, I barely know her, she was never around, and I don’t even know where she stays when she’s here. I’m sorry.”

He was right; he spent m