“Does that sound familiar?” Tristan asked the Arrow.
“No,” Anika replied. “But that doesn’t mean much coming from me. The Tordis Scribes have been cataloging the contents of Rowan Estate.”
“The box wasn’t cataloged,” Sarah interjected. “It was kept apart. I was told where to find it.”
The door banged open and Connor stormed into the room.
“I know you asked for time, Anika,” he said to the Arrow. “But I can’t wait. I have to know what happened to Adne.”
Anika grasped Connor’s upper arms, trying both to calm him and to keep him away from the bed.
“Soon, Connor. But we need more information.”
“Anika, wait!” Sarah sat up, wrapping the sheet around her and not worrying about the stone rolling away to the foot of the bed. She could finish healing later. “Ariadne is a friend of yours?” Sarah asked Connor.
“She’s my . . .” Connor hesitated, then said, “She’s everything.”
Tristan sat behind Sarah so she could lean against him. Folded in Tristan’s arms, Sarah was overwhelmed by his acceptance and forgiveness. Despite her mistakes, Tristan loved her; looking at the fear and earnestness in Connor’s face, Sarah hoped he would offer the same faithfulness to Ariadne. Sarah had yanked herself back just before darkness descended. Adne had not.
Sarah looked from Connor to Anika. “Ariadne is the one who had the box.”
“But why—” Anika began.
“Box?” Connor butted in. “What box? You don’t mean that damn thing full of weird Keeper trinkets?”
Anika raised her eyebrows. “Trinkets like wedding rings, a pendant, and a bone.”
Connor’s indignation faded. “Uh . . . yeah. That sounds right. Adne found the box right after the robbery.”
“And she kept it?” Anika pressed him.
“She did.” Connor scratched the back of his neck, uneasy. “She seemed attached to it, though I never could figure out why.” With a frown, he asked, “What does the box have to do with what happened to Adne?”
“Logan wanted it back,” Sarah told him. “And I was the one who accepted that task.”
Drawing a long breath, Sarah continued, “But Adne caught me searching her room for the pendant. I found the box right away, but the pendant wasn’t inside. I would never have found it . . . Adne kept it separate from the other things. She had it in a drawer. She told me she’d taken to wearing it sometimes.”
“She wears the pendant?” Connor sounded surprised. “Eira’s pendant?”
Silence gripped the room, choking off their conversation.
Finally, Tristan said, “Ariadne feels compelled to wear a pendant that belonged to my grandmother?”
“Your grandmother?” Connor looked at Tristan in surprise.
“The line of the Keepers began with Eira,” Tristan answered. “I’m her direct descendant.”
“It’s just a necklace, though,” Connor said. “How could Adne wearing a necklace matter? I admit, it’s a little creepy that this particular piece of jewelry belonged to the first Keeper, but . . .” Connor’s voice trailed off.
“I wish I could agree,” Sarah told Connor. “But from what I saw, Adne wears the pendant because she feels some affinity to Eira.”
“Why would you say that?” Connor whispered. “That’s insane.”
“Logan wanted the box,” Sarah said. “But when Adne found me, she insisted on coming along. She had questions for Logan, or so she said. I thought Logan would be furious that I hadn’t come alone, but he was just the opposite. Logan wanted Adne there.”
“What does he want with her?” Connor’s skin had taken on a gray pallor.
“It’s not Logan who wants her,” Tristan said slowly. “Is it, Sarah?”
“Logan is simply doing his master’s bidding,” Sarah answered. “It’s Bosque who seeks Ariadne.”
“Why?” Connor demanded. “Why the hell would Bosque go after Adne?”
Anika said to Connor, “If the Harbinger is trying to find a way back into this world, he must think that Ariadne can help him.”
“But she wouldn’t.” Connor’s fists clenched. “She wouldn’t.”
“I don’t think she’s acting completely of her own free will.” Sarah struggled for comforting words. “When the Harbinger spoke to her, she was obviously trying to fight him, but—” Sarah stopped. She didn’t want to finish the thought, knowing it would only cause Connor more pain.
“But what?” Connor asked, unable to keep the panic from his voice.
“I don’t know if she’ll be strong enough to resist,” Sarah said reluctantly. “His power is corrupting and absolute. If she’s already under his sway, it might be too late.”
Connor went very still. Then, in a quiet voice, he said, “Never say that to me again.”
Sarah started to apologize, but Connor turned his back on them and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
Guilt gnawed at Sarah. She cast a pleading look at Anika. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s time to stop apologizing,” Anika replied in a stern voice. “Regret helps no one.”
Sarah nodded and Tristan kissed the crown of her head. “You’ve brought us vital information, Sarah.”
With a flat smile, Anika said, “He’s right. If the Harbinger is seeking a way to return, we must prevent it at all costs. The power plays and bickering that have overtaken the Academy mean nothing compared to this.”
Anika went to Adne’s desk and picked up a pen and notepad. She handed them to Sarah and said, “Write down everything you remember about your encounter with Logan and the Harbinger. Every detail, no matter how insignificant it seems. We need to determine what Logan’s next move is. He’s already set a plan in motion. We’re going to have to catch up if we want to stop him.”
“Thank you,” Sarah said.
“For what?” Anika asked.
“For letting me help,” Sarah replied. “I want to help however I can.”
“I’m not letting you do anything,” Anika told her. “You’re one of us, Sarah. A Searcher and a Striker. I haven’t forgotten that. Neither should you.”