Terror tore through Kyra at the girl’s words.

They took Prija.

Anselm is gone.

Gina took some poison.

We don’t know where Sana is.

Barak killed Lazlo.

Diman.

Jarrod.

The mothers. Gone.

The brothers. Gone.

Her sisters. Gone.

Gone gone gone.

Kyra fell back into the nightmare. Someone caught her arms, and there was shouting. Voices pounded against her mind. Scraping pain along her arms. The careful shields she’d built around her mind closed in on her and she was left with chaos. Intira’s panic. Niran’s spike of anger. An inky black flood of power rippling from Sura. The bright flash of Alyah and Ginny’s magic like a flame in the darkness. Thoughts from every direction attacked her, and she felt herself falling inward.

And then…

Slemaa.

Two hands gripping her arms.

Slemaa, reshon.

A single voice, like a deep bell tolling in her mind.

Slemaa.

He enclosed her, lifted her. Kyra reached for him and pressed her face into his chest. She tightened her arm around his neck as he surrounded her. The silence gave way to white noise, which gave way to Leo’s voice.

“Breathe, Kyra.”

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Leo was carrying her toward the porch.

“Intira,” she said.

“The others are with her.”

“I collapsed?”

“I think her panic must have unraveled your shields. Everyone came running, and you collapsed when they got close. I can’t imagine what all our thoughts were, but they must have overwhelmed you.”

She nodded. “Someone needs to check on the other kareshta. They could be having similar reactions because of Intira’s fear.”

“Ginny is checking on them while Niran and Alyah try to find out what happened to Prija.”

“Set me down, Leo.”

“No. You’re white as a sheet. I thought you’d hit your head when you—”

“Set me down.” She wasn’t panicked anymore.

He stopped. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. His touch had wiped her mind of the sudden rush of voices, and she knew she needed to try something. “Set me down and step away. Just for a minute.”

Kyra could tell he didn’t want to do it, but he slowly set her on her feet. She held on to his hand as she calmed her mind and opened her senses. She focused on the memory of Prija’s voice. Not the silence of the woman, but the voice of her angry soul.

She closed her eyes, dropped Leo’s hand, and listened.

In her mind’s eye, Kyra soared into the night sky and over the forest, leaving the immediate voices in the background, white noise among the rustle of bamboo. She welcomed and sifted through the friendly cacophony of voices from the human village, veering away from it and searching for Prija’s voice when she found nothing familiar close by. She ranged over the mountains and through the trees, the wind guiding and whispering to her as she searched.

This was why Barak had kept Kyra and Kostas together. Her father had been a Guardian of Heaven, the bearer of a Guardian’s blade, and Kyra and Kostas were the strongest of his children, the most gifted when they listened for danger. When the twins held hands, Kyra’s range was nearly as powerful as their father’s had been. Alone, she could still hear for miles.

“What are you doing?” Leo’s voice came to her as if he were talking from beneath the sea.

Kyra ignored him.

Voices of humanity. Voices she’d never understood. The same, everywhere in the world. Over hills. Through forests.

There.

Kyra focused on the familiar voice and tracked it.

Prija’s soul was spiked with anger. She was headed north. Directly north. Her thoughts were blood-red and wavering on the edge of violence. Kyra tried to listen to the voices closest to her. One Irin. Two… Grigori?

What did it mean?

She opened her eyes and grabbed Leo’s hand. The weight of silence made her head swim, and she took a deep breath. “Prija is with an Irin scribe and two Grigori. She’s headed north. Fast enough that I think she must be in a car. She’ll hurt them if we don’t find her soon, and I doubt she’ll stop with her attackers.”

Leo’s eyes went wide. “How can you hear that far?”

“My father was a cardinal angel,” she said. “I am not without power of my own.”

“I’m going to have more questions about that later, but for right now, we need to get back and let Niran and Sura know. Are you steady enough?”

She squeezed his hand and began reciting the spells Ava had taught her. Her battered walls clicked into place. The door she’d flung open in her mind eased shut. After a few moments, she nodded. “I’m fine.”

His brilliant blue eyes were wide. “That is amazing.”

“I’m sorry I collapsed before.” She swallowed, trying to rid herself of the tightness in her throat. “Intira’s voice was so panicked, and the memories…”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” She could tell by the set of his mouth that the answer didn’t please him. “Maybe… not now.”

He nodded, and the tight set of his mouth eased. He was so open. So expressive. But he hid deep feelings behind that happy facade. She was beginning to see him now.

As they walked, Leo kept her hand in his, and Kyra remembered the words she’d heard from him when he held her, the voice of his mind that sang like a crystal bowl.

“Leo?”

“Hmm?”

“What does slemaa mean?”

He frowned. “Slemaa? It means peace.”

“Peace.” She smiled. “You were thinking that when you were carrying me.”

He smiled. “That’s not what I remember thinking, but I’m glad that’s what you heard.”

“And what does reshon mean?”

He stopped in his tracks. “What?”

“Reshon. Your voice was very, very clear, and you were thinking that too.”

Leo’s jaw dropped.

Kyra was adept at reading expressions, but she couldn’t read his. The closest she could come was picturing a paper lantern glowing from the inside. She’d seen people lifting them into the air at the lantern festival in the city. That’s what Leo’s face reminded her of.

“What does it mean?” she whispered, her stomach in knots.

She didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t for the giant man to drop to his knees before her, kneeling on the forest floor. He took both her hands in his and pressed them to his forehead, whispering words in the Irin language she didn’t understand. He pressed her palms to his face, and she felt tears on his cheeks.

“Leo, I don’t understand.”

He lifted his face, and she had no trouble interpreting his expression then.

Pure, incandescent joy. His smile lit the night.

“What does reshon mean, Leo?”

He rose before her, pressed her hands over his heart, and took her mouth in a fierce, radiant kiss. “We don’t have time right now, but I’ll explain later. I promise.” He started jogging through the trees, Kyra forced to follow.

“That’s not fair.” She tried to keep up with him. “Leo, you need to tell me now.”

He lifted her in his arms, picking up the pace as if she weighed nothing. “After we get your sister. I promise you.”

* * *

Leo’s elation had been tamped down by the time they reached the others. Someone had cleared the dining table and a map spread across it. Alyah was talking on the phone in rapid Thai while Sura, Ginny, and Niran examined the map.

“Kyra found Prija,” Leo said. “She listened for her and heard her.”

“How?” Sura didn’t look anything like a laid-back college kid anymore. His expression was blank, but Kyra could feel the slow-burning anger in him. She could even see his tattoos lighting up like Irin tattoos sometimes did. They had a silver tinge she’d never seen before.

“When I focus my mind, I can hear very far,” Kyra said. “When I heard Prija, she was heading north. I’m almost sure she’s in a car because she was going too fast to be walking.”

Ginny looked at the map spread out on the table. “This road, maybe?”

Niran nodded. “If she’s heading directly north, that would be the only path. It’s a good road. Very clear. Winds through some small villages, but it’s all paved.”

“It’ll take them straight into Burma,” Ginny said. “How long?”

“Two, two and a half hours perhaps?” Sura said.

Niran asked, “Any reason why Irin would take Prija into Burma? You don’t have any scribe houses there.”

Ginny shook her head. “That whole area is controlled by Arindam.”

Sura looked up. “You know of Arindam?”

Ginny said, “The Fallen who controls most of Myanmar? Of course we know about him. He’s been making attacks into Irin-controlled areas of northern India. It’s a huge problem.”

Niran was staring at the map. “We don’t have fast cars. They’re taking the most direct route. There’s no way to cut them off. I’ll take the motorbikes with two others and see if I can catch up with them.” He nodded to Sura. “Keep your phone on. I’ll call if I find them.”

“Wait!” Kyra said. “There were three of them. One Irin and two Grigori.”

Every eye turned toward her.

“What?” Niran said.

“Only one Irin has her. There are two Grigori with him.”

Sura said, “One Irin and two Grigori?”

Everyone was silent for a moment.

“It doesn’t matter,” Niran said. “We have to go after her. We won’t go into Burma, but until they reach Arindam’s territory, they’re fair game.” He nodded at two of his men. “Let’s go.”

“I’ll go with you,” Leo said.

“You don’t know the roads and you’ll slow us down.” Niran was nearly out the door. “Stay with Sura and protect the temple.”

Leo looked like he wanted to argue, but he nodded.

Ginny asked, “Leo, do you know of any other Irin who are looking to cooperate with Grigori?”

“No,” he said. “Or not in this area. There are smaller-scale alliances being made in Europe. One that I know of in South America and two that already exist in sub-Saharan Africa. But in Asia, our meeting is the first I’ve heard of.” He pulled out his phone. “This warrants a call to Damien and Sari. If there are any other rumored alliances among the council, they’ll know.”

Kyra noticed Ginny staring at the map. “What are you thinking?”

“We knew.” Ginny looked up. “We’ve always known. There are Irin who work with Grigori. There has to be. It never made sense otherwise.”

Sura asked, “What didn’t make sense?”

Alyah walked back to the table. “How we were so thoroughly betrayed. How our retreats were compromised. How our hiding places were found. It wasn’t just the Rending, you know. It’s been happening for years.” Her face was bleak. “Anytime we found a safe place, it would be compromised. Who were we telling? Not the Grigori.”

“But word got out to our brothers,” Ginny said. “To the scribe houses. To the council.”

“And then word got to the Fallen and the Grigori eventually,” Alyah said. “And we’d be hunted and killed.”

Ginny placed a hand on Alyah’s shoulder.

Sura said, “I am sorry that happened. No one should have to live in fear.”

“One Irin, two Grigori,” Ginny muttered. “Arindam’s children?”

“Most likely,” Sura said. “They are the only ones who would dare come this close to us. Most of the Grigori we find in Chiang Mai—”

“Are wanderers,” Ginny said. “I know. That’s what I’ve observed too.”

“We need to find out who tried to grab Prija the last time,” Alyah said. “If they’re not working with Grigori themselves, then they told someone who is.”

Kyra said, “Can you call your watcher in Bangkok? Is there any way of knowing?”

“Yeah, there is.” Ginny walked to the door. “Tell Leo I’m taking his car.”

“But he’ll have no way of getting back to the city,” Kyra said.

Ginny offered a droll look. “You really think he was going back to the city with you here?” She slipped out the door, leaving Alyah, Sura, and Kyra in the dining room, a giant map on the table and Sura’s quiet rage permeating the room.

Kyra walked to him and put her hands on his shoulders. “Slemaa.”

At once, his shoulders relaxed.

Alyah’s eyes went wide. “Where did you learn that?”

“I heard it in Leo’s mind when he carried me,” Kyra said. “He said it means peace. I was just trying to comfort Sura.”

Sura squeezed her hand. “It worked. Thank you, sister.”

Alyah fell quiet, and Kyra knew the Irina probably didn’t approve of Kyra using the Irin language. She hadn’t thought about it. It had been instinctual. She had felt Sura’s anger overwhelming the quiet man, and she’d wanted to help.

In a blink, a dark man appeared before her, leaning his elbows on the dining room table, staring at Kyra.

“Such familiar energy I feel on the wind,” the dark one said. “Hello, Barak’s daughter.”

The Fallen smiled, and Kyra screamed.

“He is not allowed to be here!” Alyah said, her silver blades drawn on the Fallen angel sitting at the dining table.

Leo stood between the Fallen and the rest of them, his hands up. “He’s not an enemy! Not… precisely.”

“I don’t need you to defend me,” the angel said. He was picking at the fruit on the table. “Do you have any sticky rice? I love sticky rice.”

Kyra stared at him. “Who are you?”

“I’m Vasu. I felt you when you went looking for the other one,” he said. “You’re Barak’s daughter.”

“How do you know that?”

“His power was distinctive,” Vasu said. “Can anyone find out about the sticky rice?” His eyes darted up to Sura. “You’re not what you seem. You’re interesting.”

“I don’t consider that a compliment coming from a Fallen,” Sura said quietly.

Vasu cocked his head, reminding Kyra of a curious bird. The Fallen had taken the form of a tall, handsome man with Northern Indian features. His skin was the color of cinnamon and his eyes were a vivid gold rimmed with black lashes. His lips were full and sensuous, and his hair was streaked black and amber. The angel exuded an erotic allure that was alien to Kyra, but there was something innately familiar about him at the same time.

Vasu’s eyes turned toward her. “You remember me.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I am a friend of your father’s. I was with him often when you were young, but I was likely in a different form.”

“My father is dead.”

“No.” Vasu shook his head. “We don’t die, you see. Barak is merely… returned.”

“Is that supposed to comfort me?”

Vasu frowned. “Why would I want to comfort you?”

Leo said, “Put your daggers away, Alyah. You won’t be able to kill him anyway.”

“That’s true,” Vasu said.

Leo spun and faced the angel. “You’re not helping.”

“Again, why would I want to help?”

“Why are you here, Vasu?” Leo asked.

Vasu nodded at Kyra. “Because of her.”

“What?” Kyra asked. “Why?”

“You’re surprisingly powerful. I no longer wonder why he had such patience with you and your brother.”

Fear stabbed Kyra’s heart. “What do you know of my brother?”

Vasu waved a hand and continued picking at the fruit. “I don’t care about your brother. But why are you here?”

“Why are you?”

Vasu rolled his eyes. “We’re going in circles. This is boring. Maybe I will go.”

“Wait,” Leo said. “What do you know about Arindam?”

The flare of anger was fast and frightening. In the blink of an eye, the lazy man with hooded eyes vanished, and in his place, a giant of seven feet appeared. Every trace of humanity was gone from Vasu’s visage. His eyes flashed, and the air around the table heated.

This, Kyra realized, was a hint of the angel’s true power.

Alyah drew her blades again, but Vasu flicked his wrist and they flew from her hands, sinking into a palm tree bordering the garden.

“Why do you ask about Arindam?” Vasu said, his voice low and lethal.

Sura stepped forward. “Because he has taken one of my sisters.”

Vasu looked at Kyra. “Is this true, Barak’s daughter?”

“We think so. That was the kareshta I was looking for when you… heard me.”

“I felt you.” Vasu’s form became more stable, but he didn’t shrink. “Why would Arindam take your sister? Is she powerful?”

“Yes,” Sura said. “But very uncontrolled. She can be quite violent.”

“He admires that,” Vasu said. “Did he take her himself?”

“No. His sons did.”

Vasu shrank back to his tall but still human-sized form. “Then she is probably an offering. Once he has her, he won’t give her back. But you might be able to trade her for another sister if there is one you like less.”

Kyra gaped at Vasu. “She’s the daughter of an angel.”

Vasu shrugged. “I’m not saying I’d want her. But these Grigori slew their father, did they not?”

Sura said, “Yes.”

“Then he’s not violating anyone’s territory. If his sons want to collect kareshta from other angels, then I doubt Arindam would stop them.”

Leo was fuming. “Jaron said there were prohibitions against things like this. That the Fallen wouldn’t take other angels’ daughters.”

“Not to mate with her.” Vasu shuddered. “Most of us considered Volund quite aberrant in that regard.”

“So why—”

“You said she was powerful. He probably wants some talent she has.”

Niran and Sura were both deadly quiet.

Sura finally spoke. “Prija is too uncontrolled for anything but rage.”

“Liar.”

“It’s true,” Niran said. “She takes after our father in that way.”

“Does she?” Vasu’s eyes gleamed. “It all becomes clear.”

Leo said, “Explain.”

Vasu sat back at the table. “If you want me to explain, get me sticky rice.”

Kyra said, “Are you a child?”

Another blink, and a beautiful child sat on the bench, swinging his legs. “When I want to be.”

Kyra shook her head and turned away. “Come on.” She put a hand on Sura’s arm. “Let’s get him some sticky rice so he’ll stop speaking in riddles.”

Sura said, “Why do I get the feeling that will probably never happen?”