Lachlan strode toward the car and opened the door, gesturing for me to enter. After I climbed in, he shut the door and walked around to the other side.

  “Sleep all right?” Fiona asked, a smile in her voice.

  I frowned at the back of her head. Had she read what there was between us and intentionally put us in such a tiny room?

  I frowned.

  “Fine, thanks.” Lachlan’s voice was short. “The boat burning was impressive. We saw it from the window.”

  “Yes, the builders try to outdo themselves every year.” She turned onto a country road that led away from the town. “We’ll be there soon.”

  The car climbed a hill and looped around. The moon hung low, illuminating the standing stones towering toward the sky. They were utterly massive, fifteen of them at least, flat and wide and tall.

  Fiona stopped the car and stepped out. I followed her, watching her squint up at the sky. “Looks like a clear morning. Good news for us.”

  “Why do we need clear skies?” I asked.

  “We want to see the moon set.” She walked toward the stone circle, and I hurried to keep up, keenly aware of Lachlan at my back.

  As we passed through the stone ring, magic shivered down my spine. Suddenly, my blood and bones felt alive with power. It sparked through me like I was made of carbonated soda, and I shivered.

  Fiona looked back at me, a considering expression on her face.

  The scrutiny made me uncomfortable, so I looked past her to peer into the center of the stone circle. A statue stood in the middle, and I frowned. “That’s unusual.”

  “I know.” Fiona walked around to the front of the statue, and I followed. “Only one of its kind in all of the UK.”

  I believed her. I’d been to quite a few stone circles and seen pictures of many more. There were never statues in the middle.

  From the back, this one appeared to be a woman in a long, simple dress. As I walked around to the front, Fiona pointed to the ground in front of me. “Watch your step.”

  I hopped over a gash that had been carved into the ground, no doubt by the thieves searching for the Moon Stone. Lachlan went the other way around the statue, and he, too, had to step over a gouge in the ground.

  “They knew that their target would be buried at her feet,” Fiona said.

  “Who is she?” I asked, coming to stop beside Fiona.

  “You don’t recognize her?” Fiona pointed to the face.

  I looked up, then felt my heart drop to my stomach. The air whooshed from my lungs, and I nearly swayed.

  It looked like my mother.

  No…it looked like me.

  Not a perfect resemblance, but the similarity was there in the brow and nose and chin.

  I turned to Fiona, my heart racing so fast it made me lightheaded. “How long has this been here? Is this a prank?”

  She laughed. “A prank? No, love, we’re not that bored up here in the middle of the sea.”

  “Of course not.” I swallowed hard and looked back at the statue. My head swam as I stared into the face. “How long?”

  “Long as any of us can remember. Long as our written history. We think it was put here by the wolves who came before us.”

  “And the Moon Stone was found at her feet?” I looked down at the scar in the ground. The dirt was still torn up, a great hole where the stone had once been.

  “Yes. At least, we think.” She shrugged. “We never saw it, of course, since we wouldn’t disturb this place. But it was written about,” she said, and pointed to the standing stones surrounding us.

  It was still too dim to see clearly, but it looked like there were carvings on the stones, just like at the castle.

  “Do you have someone who can read those?” Lachlan asked.

  “Not all of them,” Fiona said. “But some of the carvings are pictures. Those are easy enough to read, along with the Old Norse.”

  The moon was nearly to the horizon. The sun would follow shortly. A bit of me hoped that when the sun finally rose, the light would reveal that the statute was of a completely different person and looked nothing like me.

  Sure, I wanted answers. Of course I did. But I didn’t want to be some kind of figure who was so important that there were statues of me.

  “It’s got to be an ancestor of mine,” I said, suddenly feeling foolish. Not me. Of course it wasn’t me. This had been carved long before my birth. And even though there were seers who could prophecy such things, it was ridiculous to think I’d be important enough to merit a prophecy or a statue. “I just have a famous ancestor. Hell, loads of people do.”

  “Perhaps.” Fiona nodded to the horizon, where the moon was just starting to dip toward the horizon. “Watch carefully, now.”

  “What am I looking for?

  “Look at her hand,” she said, gesturing to the statue. The figure stood with her arms outstretched at her sides, palms up and facing forward. “You’ll see the effect as soon as the moon sets.”

  “Effect?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I noticed that the figure’s hand began to glow. Bright light emitted from the palm, forming the shape of a crescent moon.

  Shit.

  I stared at it, dumbstruck, then looked down at my own palm. It too, was glowing. Brighter than ever, as if it were responding to the moon and the statue.

  I felt Fiona’s gaze on me and closed my palm into a fist. “Why does it happen?”

  Fiona shrugged. “We don’t know. But she’s definitely you—or an ancestor—and the Moon Stone was important to her.”

  “I’m one of them, aren’t I?” The words escaped me, soft and low. “What were they, exactly?”

  “Wolves, like us. But maybe not quite the same.” Fiona shrugged. “They’ve been gone for centuries. And though they wrote things down on these stones, they didn’t write everything.”

  “What else did they write?” I asked.

  Fiona strolled to one of the stones and pointed to the carvings that had been etched deep into the rock. There were pictures of a woman—likely the same woman as the statue—and several wolves. It was difficult to tell what the story was until Fiona spoke.

  “We think that she was meant to shift like the rest, but she never could. Something stopped her. As a result, she was torn apart.” She pointed to a gruesome carving in which the woman lay on the ground.

  I frowned. “How are you making that connection? She’s just lying there.”

  “Touch the stone.”

  I drew in a bracing breath and did as she said, resting my hand against the carving. Immediately, images flashed in my mind. Emotions.

  Pain. Fear.

  Suddenly, I was her, feeling everything she felt.

  Just like me, she desperately wanted to shift. Her body screamed to transform, but she couldn’t. Whatever stopped her was impossible to determine, but it was totally immovable.

  When it became too much, the pain exploded outward from her—from me--tearing us apart inside. It sucked the strength from my muscles and the breath from my lungs.

  I collapsed, my legs giving way beneath me.

  Lachlan caught me at the last minute, swooping me up against him so that I wouldn’t hit the ground.

  I gasped as I tried to catch my breath. As I was no longer touching the stone, everything felt just a little better.

  “Are you all right?” Lachlan’s hands burned against my skin where he held me.

  “I’m okay.” Shakily, I tried to stand under my own power.

  Fiona moved around to look at me, a strange expression on her face. “You freaked out, there.”

  I rubbed my head. “That’s not normal?”

  “Normally, we see what happened to her. We don’t feel it. What was it like?”

  “I—” I swallowed hard. “I’m pretty sure she died, torn apart by the broken magic inside her.”

  Fiona nodded. “That’s what we always surmised.”

  I looked at the stone behind her, my gaze riveted by the carvings that were illuminated by the newly risen sun. If that really was me—and it sure felt like it—then how much longer did I have?

  The need to shift had been growing stronger every day. Eventually, it would be too strong.

  I didn’t have long.

  I shivered, swallowing hard. “What happened to the rest of these wolves?”

  “We think they went like her. Unable to shift, so they died out.”

  “They can’t be entirely gone.” If they were, I wouldn’t be here.

  Fiona shrugged. “Perhaps.”

  I had to find them. They would have answers.

  But even as I thought it, I knew how ridiculous it sounded. If there was another breed of wolves out there—a pack different from the rest—we would know about it. No question.

  Right?

  I looked at Lachlan, who had stopped photographing the stones to stare at me with eyes too dark with concern.

  I shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze, not liking the possible hint of pity. I’d kick his ass if there was pity there.

  “Do you have any idea who stole the stone?” he asked Fiona. “Any clues?”

  Fiona looked at him. “What’s in it for me if I share?”

  “We want the same thing: for the thieves not to have the stone. When we find them, we’ll return the stone to you.”

  She crossed her arms and pursed her lips, considering. “Fine. We don’t know much, but we do know that one of the figures wore the symbol of the Ascending Brotherhood.”

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  Lachlan frowned. “The gang that operates out of London’s docks?”

  “The very same.” Fiona nudged the dirt with the toe of her boot. “It was found just about here. The symbol was etched into a money clip. Seems to have fallen out of his pocket, along with two hundred quid.”

  “That seems too convenient,” I said. “Do you believe it was genuinely lost and not planted?”

  Fiona shrugged. “The cash suggests a genuine loss. Who would leave that behind?”

  “Or it’s collateral damage.”

  “Were there any other clues?” Lachlan asked.

  “Just footprints in the dirt, but nothing we can trace.”

  Damn. “Would you be willing to give us the money clip?” I asked her. “I have a friend who can read information about objects through touch. She might be able to find more information.”

  Fiona frowned, her gaze considering. She sighed. “All right. We’ve got as much as we can from it, anyway.”

  “Will you be sending people after the thieves?” Lachlan pressed.

  “We’re planning to, yes.”

  “Let me go after them. They’re more dangerous than you realize, and there’s more at stake. We don’t want to alert them to the fact that someone is after them.”

  “Of course someone will be after them.” Anger flashed on Fiona’s face. “We can’t allow them to do this and think they can get away with it. There must be consequences.”

  “And there will be. But there are lives at stake in addition to artifacts and pride.” He gestured to me. “Her life, in fact.”

  Fiona’s jaw tightened, and she stayed silent a moment. “Fine. But we’ll work together. A team. I will always be apprised of your progress and plans.”

  “Of course.” Lachlan nodded. “And we’ll bring you the Moon Stone once we recover it.”

  “Good. I can live with that.” She started back toward the car. “Now, let’s go. I’ll get you that money clip.”

  “Thank you,” I called after her, hurrying to keep up. “We appreciate it.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t let me down.”

  Before climbing into the car, I turned back to look at the statue.

  What the hell was I?

  Nothing was as I thought. Had my mother known? Had anyone else? I certainly hadn’t. It felt like I’d been living a lie without even knowing it.

  11

  Lachlan

  * * *

  After Fiona gave us the money clip, Eve and I returned to Guild City. I took her directly back to her tower this time, knowing she’d want her own space.

  The sight of her collapsing at the stone circle had been enough to rip my heart from my chest. Whatever she’d experienced when she’d touched the stone had been horrific. Judging by the drawings and what Fiona had said, she was about to be in dire trouble.

  We’d gone there because we desperately needed information. I hadn’t expected to hate what we found.

  Fear chilled my skin at the thought of what could happen to her. Deep within, my wolf growled, anxious to protect her. Whatever threatened her felt nearly out of my reach—something that I could neither see nor fight.

  I gripped the comforting weight of the money clip. It was a clue that could lead me toward a villain I could fight.

  I just prayed it wasn’t my brother.

  As we crossed the courtyard to the tower, Eve staggered. I swept her into my arms, and she glared.

  “How are you?” I asked. “Is it worse?”

  “I feel like I’ve been put through a blender.”

  My heart twisted at the thought. “Will your pain potion help?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.”

  I hated this more than I had hated anything in my life. As we reached the steps to the door, it was flung open. Carrow frowned at us, worry in her eyes. “How much worse are you?”

  “Same level.” Eve struggled out of my arms and moved slowly to a chair, then sank down by the fire. Quickly, she downed one of the potions. When she looked at me again, her eyes seemed slightly brighter and the lines in her forehead smoother. “Give Carrow the money clip.”

  Carrow looked between us questioningly, and Eve quickly explained what we’d seen. I handed it over, and she took it, frowning. “Whoever owns this has spent time at the South London docks,” she said after a moment’s analysis. “He’s a man—a shifter, I think—but that’s all I see.”

  A shifter.

  Garreth?

  He’d said to give him time. Was this what he meant? Could it be possible?

  Wishful thinking on my part, most likely.

  Carrow handed me the money clip.

  “Thank you,” Eve said to her, then looked at me. “Are you going to get started on tracking that money clip?”

  “I’ll get on it right away,” I replied. “But what about you?”

  “I need to find out more about my past. Maybe Liora, my mother’s friend, can help me find my father. I don’t even know if he’s still alive.”

  I couldn’t imagine that kind of uncertainty, and it made my heart twist for her. “I can ask our guild historian if we have any record of him.”

  “I don’t know if he ever lived here.”

  “If he did, we’ll know a bit about him. He may be on your birth certificate as well.”

  “I don’t have that.”

  “We likely have a record of it. We’ll find him, don’t worry.”

  She nodded. “Good luck. Let me know if you find anything.”

  I nodded, wanting to say something to make her feel better. But my tongue lay dead, my mind empty. There weren’t any words that could make her whole, and I hated that.

  As I left, I felt Carrow’s gaze on my back. Eve’s protective friend would look out for her, but still, I’d reassign the guards to watch the Shadow Guild tower. And her, if she left it.

  I made my way quickly across town and sought out Kenneth, who I found in the library once again. As I entered, he turned to look at me.

  “Kenneth. Can you search for any information about Eve or her birth parents?”

  My second nodded. “There’s no telling what we’ll have. At least names, I’d think, and that’ll give me a jumping-off point. Her mother is dead, but what about her father?”

  “We don’t know. Hopefully alive, and with good reason for staying away.”

  “I’m not sure that exists.”

  “Neither am I.” It was too tall an order, certainly.

  “I’ll get right on it.”

  “When you’ve found something, send it straight to the Shadow Guild.”

  He nodded, and I left him to it, heading back to my quarters. I needed a quick shower before heading to the docks. It was midmorning, a good time to do recon at a place that was probably quietest during the day.

  I made quick work of cleaning up, then crossed town toward the Haunted Hound. Quinn manned the bar, and I gave him a short nod as I passed.

  “How’s Eve?” he called out.

  “Fine.” Lie. I turned to the other shifter. “Not quite fine, but she’s hanging in there.”

  “She’s tough.”

  I nodded and left. Tough was an understatement. Nothing kept her down, and I admired it.

  It didn’t take long to find a cab in Covent Garden, and within minutes, I was making my way toward the docks, where the freighters loaded and unloaded. It was a massive place, though, and I didn’t know exactly where the gang kept their headquarters. Fortunately, I had a contact I could speak with who was familiar with London’s supernatural criminal underworld.

  I found Maurice where I usually did, holed up in his shoe shop in the shadier part of town. For all intents and purposes, it looked like an Old World cobbler’s shop—shoes all along the walls and an area in the back where he repaired old pairs and made new. Shoes were hardly the only things he was selling out of the little place, however, though I’d never asked the details of what exactly he dealt in. I knew that it wasn’t anything too morally questionably, so I didn’t need to know more.

  The little bell over the door rang as I entered, and Maurice came from the back room, wiping his hands on his apron. His gray beard and mustache were neatly trimmed, and his eyes twinkled behind small, frameless glasses. “Lachlan! My favorite Alpha wolf. What brings you to my door today?”

  “Information.”

  He smiled. “Ah, I should have known. What is it you require?”

  “There’s a gang operating out of the freighter docks. The Ascending Brotherhood. I need to know where.”

  “Of course there’s a gang. There are many. What does this one do?”

  “So far, they help a supernatural of unknown species steal ancient artifacts.”

  Maurice frowned, clearly thinking.

 

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