Arik leaned against the doorframe, his heavy-lidded brown eyes studying me through the eyeholes of his helmet, arms folded, head cocked.
“Kale will stay here with you,” Merl said. “Keep your doors locked and do not open them until I return.”
I’d go nuts waiting to hear whether Faith was okay or not. I might not trust her totally yet, but I’d feel horrible if something happened to her because of me. “I want to help search for her.”
“I’d prefer you stay here where it’s safe,” Merl said.
“She can tag along with me,” Arik said. “I’ll make certain she doesn’t get into trouble.”
“I’ll get changed,” I said, without waiting for a reply from Merl. Though I didn’t want to be alone with Arik and have my feelings go all berserk over him again, he was my only way out of this room.
Our footsteps echoed across the wide corridors and high, arched ceilings as Arik and I searched the classroom and dorm halls without saying a word, which was completely uncomfortable.
Arik finally broke the silence. “You okay?”
“I’m good.”
“I like your hair curly like that.”
I brushed my fingers through my hair. The curl was from the bun I had in it earlier. “Thanks.” The flutter in my stomach returned. I told myself he didn’t mean anything by it, not with him having the hottest girl on the planet as a girlfriend.
“Are you feeling better? You were homesick…”
“Oh that, yes, thanks.” We rounded a corner. “But now I’m worried about Faith.”
“I’m sure she’s fine,” he said.
“Then why all the fuss? You know, why the search party and all?”
“You got me there. I was trying to ease your concerns.” He searched the corridor. “Merl is worried. Faith would never leave her duty. With the current uprising in the Mystik world and a compelled at large in Asile, we’re on heightened alert. Anything abnormal must be investigated.”
I glanced at him sharply. “You guys haven’t found the compelled, yet?”
“No. There wasn’t any data recorded by the surveillance eyes during yours and Veronique’s encounter with the unfortunate soul. Not in the Sentinel hall or in the hall to your room. Whoever it was knows how to avoid our security.”
I couldn’t speak, fear muting my voice, the dim corridors suddenly feeling more sinister. Could someone have done something bad to Faith? Why? Was it because she was protecting me? My thoughts went to that feeling I had in the hallway. Maybe I led whoever it was straight to Faith.
When we came into the Sentinels’ section of the castle, Veronique stepped out of her room wearing tight yoga pants and an even tighter t-shirt. She spotted Arik and me together and gave me the death stare again.
Fantastic. My shoulders straightened. The girl really was hot.
“What’s ‘appening?” she asked, her French accent lacing her words. “Zere’s been much agitation in zee hall.”
“We’re searching for Faith. Have you seen her?”
“No. Shall I ‘elp?”
“If you care to,” Arik said.
I forced a smile. “It’s probably nothing. Faith might just be out doing whatever Faith does.” I wished she wouldn’t come with us.
“No, no, I want to ‘elp. Just a moment,” she said and went back into her room. I hoped she was putting on a bra. When she came back out, she had a breastplate on and her sword strapped to her side.
A horn sounded somewhere outside the castle and we took off down the hall. We flew around several corners until we reached a door and barged through it.
The sky was purple with the threat of dawn. I dashed across the slippery, wet grass after the shadows of Arik’s compact body and Veronique’s svelte frame. The other Sentinels and some people I didn’t recognize had gathered on the pasture down the hill from the castle. A pale figure was shackled to one of the thick maple trees.
I stopped beside Arik and Veronique. My stomach dropped. It couldn’t be.
Arik turned and grabbed my shoulders. “Let’s go back to your room.”
“No.”
I pulled away from Arik and ran toward the tree. Jaran tried to head me off, but I darted around him. And froze. It was her. “Faith!”
She was kneeling in the mud, her stone-white arms shackled across the tree. Head limp. Chin against her chest.
Arik trapped me in his strong arms. “You don’t want to see this,” he said.
“No. No. No!” I clung tight to him. Salty rivers ran down my cheeks. “It’s all my fault,” I whispered against his chest.
“It’s no one’s fault,” Arik said, holding me up. His tenderness surprised me.