He gargled a reply.
“What?” I was furious. “Where is Percy?” I shouted in his face, ignoring how his scent and spittle that hit my face made me almost gag.
“Arrr,” he gargled again. I growled frustratedly. “Arrrr,” he continued, his head lolling back and forth in my grasp. “Arrr-dens,” he finally croaked out.
“Ardens?” I asked him, my voice low. He met my eyes in confirmation.
I dropped him to the ground.
Valen had Percy.
19. The Dog Would Talk
Selene Borealis
Against my instinct, I carried the Viridis mutt back to the Royal residence and lay him in one of the many rooms of unoccupied suites.
He had witnessed Percy’s abduction, and I needed to know everything. As much as I wanted to kill him, I needed him. But the bastard was severely beaten and couldn’t tell me what I needed to know.
Healing would take too long. I didn’t have the days it would take him to recover enough to speak with me.
Heidi, and her ability to speak telepathically with others, was the only alternative.
My senior guard, Rylan Borealis, stood awaiting me; he was a distant relative, though his Borealis blood was almost negligible. I had heard him return, presumably in search of me, upon becoming aware I had left the ball.
I cursed myself. I should have had my full guard in attendance. If I had, Percy would not have been able to leave alone and unprotected. But I had given most the evening off. Sanguis Academy provided enough security for the event, I had thought. But they were not bound by blood oath to protect her.
“My Royal Highness,” he greeted me, and I saw how he struggled with the scent of beast. The mutt wasn’t even fully shifted and still his odour emanated through the halls.
“Percy has been taken by Ardens,” I told him and noticed how deep lines of concern marred his brow.
“When?” he asked, stepping towards me.
“I don’t know exactly, but most likely within the last hour. A Viridis mutt was with her. I need you to return to the ball and bring Lady Heidi of Coactus to me immediately,” I instructed him and watched momentarily as he ran to complete the task issued.
Valen had my pet.
I stumbled back, the weight of the knowledge knocking my balance. He had her. He had her. I didn’t know what he would do with her. I didn’t know what he may have already done to her.
Why take her?
To punish me?
If so, it didn’t make sense. She was only a pet. Greatly valued, but a pet.
He could not know who she truly was to me. The soul match was known only by myself, my guard, Percy, and her family of two. They surely wouldn’t have sold out their own daughter. No. They wouldn’t. Her father had been protective, from what I had seen and what Percy had described of him. Even his chosen mate had clung to my Percy like a mother would.
Valen could not know of the soul match.
I had to get her back.
I went to my rooms, the stationed guard opened the door, and I retrieved my phone, dialling the number for Leilani.
She answered on the second ring.
“Leilani, head servant and student coordinator of House Borealis, speaking,” she answered professionally.
“Leilani.”