Treachery Read Free Page B

piece at a time. The way its shape burned in front of my eyes, scorched out of existence. The husk I felt like every moment since they took it away.
    Logan piped up. “Have you so little faith in us, Ansel? What we’ve taken away we can give again.” The quasi-delight in his voice pulled my gaze to him.
    The shaking began at the base of my neck, creeping slowly over my shoulders, gripping my arms. In moments, my entire body was close to seizing up.
    “Breathe, Ansel,” Ren murmured.
    Logan’s smile curved with pleasure.
    “But it’s gone.” I could barely whisper. “You killed it. Killed that part of me.”
    “That’s true.” Logan nodded. “But you’re forgetting your history. Once, there were no Guardians. The first wolf warriors had to be made. Do you think we’d be careless enough to lose that magic?”
    I swallowed hard, clenching my fists with what little strength I had as I tried to gain control of my limbs. “You’re lying.”
    “He’s not,” Ren answered.
    The smoke from Logan’s cigarette had filled the airless room. I wheezed, but Logan shrugged, flicking ash from the burning tip.
    “It’s not worth my time to concoct a lie for you,” Logan said. “We’re on a timeline here and if you want to be whole again, I can offer you a deal.”
    “What do you want?” I squinted through the haze of clove-scented smoke.
    “Your sister has chosen some unsavory allies,” Logan said, grinding his teeth. “The Searchers have deluded her with their lies. We need to put a stop to their collusion before matters get even worse.”
    “She’s with the Searchers?” I couldn’t imagine how that was possible. Running away was one thing, but seeking refuge with our enemies? “That’s insane,” I muttered.
    Logan laughed. “That’s the consensus we’ve arrived at as well. We think Calla somehow convinced herself that she’s in love with Shay and that by offering to help the Searchers, she can be with him.”
    A quiet growl rolled out of Ren’s throat.
    “But we’re going to fix that.” Logan looked at the alpha. “Aren’t we, Ren?”
    “Yes, Logan,” Ren answered.
    Logan stood up, dropped his cigarette, and put it out with his heel. With his hands folded behind his back, he paced the cell. “We need to get your sister and Shay back. In order to do that, we first have to find them.”
    “How can I help with that?” I asked. “I’m worthless.”
    “Actually, in your current state, you’re quite priceless.” Logan smiled. “Though your sister is a traitor, I’d wager she’s also guilt ridden about leaving her family behind. She knows how our punishments work.”
    Ren growled again, louder this time. I glanced at him, but he turned his back so I couldn’t see his face.
    “If you don’t know where she is, how am I supposed to find her?” The more I talked, the easier it became, as if my vocal cords were remembering how to work.
    “An apt question,” Logan said. “We’ve known for some time that the Searchers have a hideout in Denver, from which they pester us in Vail. But the precise location is cloaked by enchantments. We have to break down those spells so we can attack.”
    “So why don’t you?” I frowned.
    “These sorts of enchantments can only be dispelled from within,” Logan said. “Obviously, we can’t get inside the Searchers’ hovel if we don’t know where they are.”
    Logan threw a sharp look at Ren. The alpha pivoted to face me, crouching low to be at eye level with me.
    “Calla will want to help you, Ansel,” Ren told me. “You can get inside.”
    “But I don’t know anything about Denver.” I balked at the idea. I could barely stand, much less hunt down Searchers—who would kill me on sight if they knew who I was.
    “Leave that to us,” Logan quipped. “Being the wretched creatures they are, it wasn’t too hard to narrow down the parts of Denver where they might be. We’ll send you out into those areas one by one, until they pick you