The Six Heathers Inn appeared deserted. No lights in the windows and not a sound escaped from inside. The beginning of the cold season wasn’t a popular time for visitors to the Citadel, but, even at this late hour, I expected to see a few customers.

A shrill tweet split the air when we rounded a comer. Sounds of a scuffle ensued. We raced back to the noise. Five gangly children sat on top of a man. His indignant cries of protest died in his throat when he spotted me.

“Kade?”

21

“ARE YOU GOING to call off your dogs or do I have to conjure a gale?” Kade asked.

“It’s okay. He’s a friend,” I said to the children sitting on top of the Stormdancer. They didn’t move.

Fisk appeared beside me. “Friend? Following someone at night isn’t friend-like behavior.”

“I feel an extremely annoyed thunderstorm nearby,” Kade warned. “Actually, I’m the one annoyed. The thunderstorm could go either way.”

Lightning flashed and thunder cracked. “I’m sure he has a good reason for being here,” I said. My ears rang from the clap.

Fisk nodded and the children slid off Kade, disappearing into an alley.

Kade stood and brushed the dirt from his brown pants. He wore a short tan-colored cape and had a leather backpack slung over his left shoulder. A few dead leaves clung to his shoulder-length hair, which appeared black in the semi-darkness.

“You do have a good reason, don’t you?” I asked.

He scowled. “Considering two of our glassmakers have been murdered and the other is missing, I thought I would find you and give you fair warning you might be next.”

I gaped as numbing fear flushed through my body. “Who…?”

“Indra and Nodin…pushed from the cave…we found them on the beach.” He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment as if blocking an image. “Varun is nowhere to be found. Either his body washed away with the tide or he’s been kidnapped.”

“When did this happen?”

“End of the storm season—about a week ago. I really wish I could have used your glass orb to message Master Cowan.”

“What—”

“We can discuss it with Master Cowan in private.” Kade glanced at Pazia and Fisk. “I was just leaving the stables, when I spotted you crossing through the gate. I didn’t want to interrupt your evening with your friend, so I followed you to keep you safe.” He scanned the surrounding buildings with a rueful grin. All was dark, and a low rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. “Laid low by five street kids, though. I’m not much of a protector.”

“You would have used the storm to escape,” I said. Seeing Fisk and Pazia’s confusion, I introduced Kade to them.

Fisk’s eyes held a question.

“This changes nothing,” I said to him. “We’ll keep our appointment with Elita in four days.”

“Good. See you then.” Fisk walked away.

Pazia didn’t hesitate to take Kade’s arm and lead him toward the Keep. She chatted with him, asking questions about being a Stormdancer. I followed a step behind. My thoughts churned as my emotions seesawed from apprehension to grief. Questions without answers plagued me and I hustled Kade and Pazia along, hoping to get him alone.

Once inside the Keep, Pazia wanted to go with us to Zitora’s office.

“You have an early class tomorrow,” I reminded her. “This is just glass stuff. Boring to you, I’m sure.”

She said a warm good-night to Kade, shot me a frozen glare and headed to her rooms.

“I take it she’s not a good friend,” he said.

We climbed the stairs to the administration building.

“We’re working together on another project.” Foreboding silence settled on me as I escorted Kade to Zitora’s office.

As expected, a strip of lantern light glowed under the door. Zitora’s surprise at seeing Kade was quickly replaced by concern.

“What happened?” she asked.

He repeated his news.

“Are you sure Indra and Nodin were murdered?” she asked. “You knew they might be in danger, didn’t you have extra security?”

“We did. Two guards, both knocked unconscious. And there’s no doubt they were killed. If they fell, they would have landed closer to the base of The Cliffs. And we think they were unconscious when they were thrown from the cave and hit the beach.” Kade rubbed his leg. “It was late at night, and no one heard the ‘fall scream.’ It’s a distinctive shriek of fear that abruptly stops. It’s not a sound any Stormdancer can sleep through or ever forget.” He drew in a deep breath. “The next morning, we found their bodies and a few drops of blood and scuff marks on the floor of the cave. No signs of Varun.”

His explanation left one question in my mind. “Why them and not me?”

“The glassmakers were the only three besides you who knew the recipe. I’m guessing the Traitor Tal and his friends targeted Indra and her brothers after their attempt to coerce it from you didn’t work. Once they had the sand percentages, they would have only needed one glassmaker to help them craft orbs. The others…”

Thrown away. I shuddered at the image of Tricky threatening Indra’s life if her brothers didn’t tell him the recipe. They were a loving family and would have obliged in a heartbeat. Varun probably volunteered to go with Sir’s group. I understood all too well the desire to sacrifice for another family member. Did he know the sacrifice was for nothing? Did he feel the hot knife of grief ripping his body to shreds when he realized nobody was saved? Not if they wanted his cooperation. He would learn the truth later. If he lived.