Page 108 of Daughter of Garnet

CHAPTER 51

Cameron

I'm exhausted, my limbs heavy as I unlock the door at the back of the chapel. That was a waste of a trip to Raeldell. I received notice from the Arcanist that the Archon needed to speak to me today, so I got on the first train to the capital, but when I got there, I was told he was out.

The trip back was just as exhausting. I have so much better to do than sit on a train all day.

Like find my lovely Zoe and see what she's doing today.

If she knew how much I watched her, she might not feel so fond of me, but I can't help myself. It's an addiction at this point. It's easier to keep an eye on her during the day while she's in classes. I'm very good at blending in with a crowd.

For some reason, I don't think she'd react well to seeing me perched on her windowsill, watching her sleep every night.

Not that I haven't done it a time or two.

Or ten.

The smell of the chapel is all wrong. I had planned to go right to my room, change out of these shitty robes, and sneak off to find Zoe, but something happened here today.

Something bad.

The scent of fear is sour, like fruit left to rot on the vine. I follow it to the sanctuary.

It's a mess in here. There are chairs on the pulpit knocked over, and the pews are askew. Who the fuck made a mess of my sanctuary? On my way to right them, I step on something that crunches beneath my foot.

Delicate crystals of shattered glass and a single needle tell the story of someone taken by force.

I barely make it to a trash can before I lose my lunch.

I can smell Zoe's blood on the needle.

If the stink of her blood and fear weren't enough to convince me that Zoe was taken from here, the broken chain of her garnet pendant glinting at me from beneath the lectern does. I would have missed it if I hadn't fallen to my knees and gotten sick.

I snatch it and shove it in my pocket as I hear the pounding of feet down the aisle. I look up and see Viv leading Cliff, Ray, and Dominic Bradly toward me.

"They took her, Hierophant."

Viv is devout; that was clear from the first time I met her. "No titles, Viv."

She scrubs her face with her hand. "They took Zoe."

"Who is they?" I ask, but in my soul I already know. It's the person who sent me to Raeldell.

Dominic steps around the others. "My father. They made all of the Betas redo the ceremony. She started to shift, and they tranquilized her before she could complete it. I tried to stop them. I told them who I was to her."

"You clearly didn't try hard enough!" Ray rages, shoving the other Alpha from behind. "This is your fault, Bradly."

"You don't think I know that? My father took her. He came here because I told him months ago that I thought someone was hiding their Omega status. That's it. One throwaway comment, and now my scent match is gone. I know it's my fault. No one blames me more than me."

I stand and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand before brushing the dust off the knees of my slacks. The group watches me as I step down from the pulpit, walk to Dominic, and punch him hard in the nose.

He falls to the ground, a loud crack sounding from where his head hits the concrete. Before Viv can freak out, I hold up my hand. "Alphas are resilient. He'll heal."

True to my word, Dominic pushes himself to his feet, the blood flowing from his nose already slowing. "I deserved that."

"You did," Cliff mutters. He's been quiet, his gaze faraway. He's rattled, they all are, but something is different about the way he's affected. When he looks up and sees me staring, his eyes narrow. "Where were you? Why weren't you here?"

"I was called to the capital for a meeting with the Archon." My beast is threatening to push forward, to take over and avenge our mate, but I breathe slow and deep to hold him off. There's nothing he can do right now, and I would prefer not to be shocked while I need to focus. "Which was clearly falsified to get me away from here, because they knew I would not allow this."