Tristan seethed but held his tongue.
“Huh,” Connor said to Ethan. “That can’t be good. I didn’t even know the door had a bolt.”
“Neither did I,” Ethan said.
“We don’t have much time.” Anika waved the Strikers and Sabine over.
“What’s wrong?” Sabine asked.
“Holt’s making his move,” Anika told them. “And it’s much worse than I expected. He didn’t wait for the next meeting of the Council. He and his lackeys are making arrests. It’s only a matter of time before they come here looking for us.”
“Arrests?” Ethan’s brow knit together. “For what?”
“For nothing,” Tristan snarled. “He’s taking down potential threats to his political ascendancy. That’s all.”
“He’s bringing charges of conspiracy, insurrection,” Anika replied. “And treason. They took Sarah Doran first and they were trying to arrest Tristan when we intervened. I don’t know how many of you he’ll come after, but there’s no doubt that I’m one of his targets.”
“We’re just going to let him do this? Stand by while he tries to usurp you? While he throws people in prison?” Connor demanded of Anika.
“Thank you. That’s what I’ve been saying since Holt made his move,” Tristan said to Connor, but Tess shook her head at them.
“It’s already done,” Tess said. “Holt’s calling the shots and there’s nothing we can do about it for the time being. As far as the Academy is concerned, we’re at damage control. Let us handle it. You need to focus on the mission.”
“I don’t understand why anyone would follow that blowhard.” Connor slammed his fist into the wall and winced. The punching bag had a lot more give.
“Because blood wants blood,” Sabine replied. “Holt’s shown us that he can turn the Searchers into a mob. They got a taste of destruction and they want more. Mindless but purposeful violence is the easiest to promote.”
“So we’re just going to fall in line?” Ethan frowned. “We’re not going to fight back?”
“This fight isn’t yours, not right now,” Anika said. “I truly believe that the elder Searchers will prevail in this matter and that reason will trump Holt’s power grab. But you can’t afford to waste time on Holt. Your battle is elsewhere.”
“Really, Anika?” Tristan asked. “Don’t you think getting your house in order takes precedent over what’s happening with Logan?”
“You’re not seeing past Sarah’s involvement,” Anika chided gently. “And that’s understandable, but you know better than anyone, Tristan, what Bosque is capable of.”
Tristan started to object, but then his shoulders slumped. “Yes. I do know.”
“Speaking of Bosque and Logan,” Ethan said, “any progress on where this battle of ours will be happening?”
“Connor.” Anika turned to the Striker.
“What?” Connor said, surprised that the Arrow was looking to him for an answer.
“You’re the closest to Adne,” Anika continued. “Do you have any idea of where she might be going? Where Logan would be taking her?”
Connor ruffled his hair, nervous but resolved. “I’m not sure. Hang on. There might be one thing . . .”
“I’ll take anything,” Anika said.
The sound of voices came through the door, followed by a commotion as whoever was outside discovered that the way in had been blocked.
“I think we’re out of time,” Tess said. “Connor?”
“The necklace,” Connor told them. “Eira’s necklace. Sarah said that it meant Adne must have some sort of connection to Eira.”
Sabine began to nod. “What did Adne say when we first found the box? Something about Logan going back.”
“Back to the beginning,” Ethan said.
“The beginning,” Sabine repeated. “Back to Eira, the first Keeper.”
“Okay, that’s a who.” Tess glanced nervously at the door, from which shouts and pounding fists emanated. “Do we have a where to go with it? Because I don’t think the pitchforks and torches outside are going to wait much longer.”
“Tearmunn,” Anika said.
“What’s Tearmunn?” Sabine asked with a frown.
“It was a Conatus fortress in the Middle Ages,” Anika said.
“A fortress?” Shiloh piped up. When they all looked at him, he smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. It just sounds cool.”
“It’s a ruin now. I can’t say for sure what you’ll find there,” Anika told them, and Shiloh managed to look sincerely disappointed. “Most of the structure was destroyed in the early years of the war. But Tearmunn is the site where the first Rift was opened.”
“Okay, I’m in,” Connor said. “That’s as good a guess as any.”
“Sure.” Ethan was nodding. “So this ruin. Where is it?”
“Scotland,” Anika said. “In the Highlands.”
The pounding at the door had transformed into a ramming sound, shoulders being thrown heavily against the wood.
“Do they not realize that they could just get a Weaver to open a door and come in that way?” Sabine asked.
“The Weavers don’t like Holt,” Mikaela said in a tiny voice.
“What?” Anika asked the girl.
Ducking her head at the sudden attention, Mikaela said, “We don’t like Holt. He’s a bully and he only cares about fighting. Weaving is an art. It requires thoughtfulness and grace. Holt doesn’t understand that.”
Tess and Anika exchanged a look. “Well, that’s something.”
Encouraged by her elders’ approval, Mikaela added, “The Scribes aren’t his biggest fans either.”
“Thank you, Mikaela.” Anika smiled at the girl. “That gives me something real to work with.”
“It could prove vital. If Holt has been strong-arming with only a handful of Strikers at his back, he really is only playing at power,” Tess said to Anika, then turned to the diminutive Weaver. “Now, Mikaela, make us a door. Take us near Kyle of Lochalsh. I think we should regroup and find a place to use as a base of operations before we end up in the middle of the wilderness.”