The palace was a storm of moans and lightning. Stories of Axel's vanishing had cut through the corridors like a knife, courtiers dashing, children wailing, and warriors drawing swords to fight. The wards on the Black Claw fortress throbbed wildly, as if the boy's departure was a blow to the very institution of the palace.

Dani huddled into himself in the nursery corner, knees tightly wrapped up to his chest, rocking to some inner rhythm that no one else was privy to. Quinn dropped to her knees ...