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adopted foal trembled from anger. “I’ve looked everywhere for him.”
    Breton rubbed his temples and sighed. “Have you asked your brother?”
    “Varest hasn’t seen him either.”
    “How about Maiten? I don’t see Horasian here.”
    Ceres blanched. “I haven’t seen Maiten since this started.”
    “He certainly couldn’t have gone far,” Breton said cautiously. The Rift King’s impatience with confinement in the camp had been a sore point for a week. He hadn’t thought Kalen would act . How far could he go when blind? Breton had trusted in that fact to keep the Rift King under some semblance of control. Was Maiten with his foal and Honey? “When was he last seen?”
    “No one is really sure. Before this mess, though. Captain Silvereye hasn’t seen him since last night. He told me he had gone to his tent before coming to see you and asked me to locate Father.”
    “Silvereye hadn’t told me that,” Breton replied, frowning.
    Ceres shrugged. “I’ll keep looking. He couldn’t have gotten into too much trouble. He doesn’t seem to be in danger.”
    “If he were, he’d be a lot easier to find,” Breton snapped. “Find him and tie him to his horse if you have to. Actually, I’ll do it myself.”
    Ferethian snapped his teeth. Breton glared at the stallion. “And why aren’t you with him?”
    “Are you certain that’s a wise idea?” the Rift King’s foal asked in a bland tone.
    “What exactly do you mean by that?”
    “The last time you ‘spoke’ it was in shouts. I’m pretty sure Father was ready to strangle you. Quite a feat with one hand.”
    Breton scowled. “This is an entirely different situation.”
    “It’s your head, Breton. I’m not fool enough to cross Father when he’s like this. If you’re smart, you’ll let me and Varest take care of him. He wouldn’t strangle us, and you know it.” Ceres held his hands up in a placating gesture. “Right now is not the time for unnecessary bickering.”
    “You’re staying here,” he ordered. “I’ll need you to help with the horses. You’re better at it—and you’re better with the Delrose brood. Finish packing and make sure they’re ready to march. I’ll send Varest after Kalen.”
    Ceres scowled, but nodded instead of arguing. “Varest took care of my packing. He’s helping the mercenaries with their beasts.”
    Breton closed his eyes, dread tightening his throat. All he could do was trust in Ceres and Varest. He hoped he wouldn’t regret his next words. “Get to it. If you don’t find your father by the time the company moves, we’re leaving without him.”
    Ceres’s eyes widened and the young Guardian’s mouth hung open. “You can’t be serious.”
    “We leave with the mercenaries.”
    “But—”
    Breton shook his head. “If half of what Captain Silvereye told me is true, we can’t be here when what came out of Morinvale arrives.”
    “But—”
    “Ceres, we do no one any good if we’re dead. Honey’s not here either. If Honey is with—”
    Ferethian snorted, bobbing his head. Stomping a hoof, the stallion shook out his mane, all the while keeping his ears pinned back.
    Breton sighed. “Honey is likely with him. Trust in his horse. We’re no use if we’re dead.”
    ~You are correct, Guardian,~ Dorit’s voice rang in his head, driving away all other thoughts. ~The captain spoke truth, and I have confirmed it with my own eyes. Morinvale is in ruins and half of the Wolf Blades are dead. It comes.~
    “Hellfires,” Breton gasped.
    ~We must hurry.~ The Yadesh emerged from among the Rift horses, both golden ears turned back.
    “We leave,” he whispered, his tone far calmer than he felt, but he didn’t dare let Ceres know the truth. If he panicked, so would the others—even if it meant that Breton had to make them believe that he’d leave Kalen behind without any sign of remorse.
     
    ~~*~~
     
    Breton found Varest at the picket lines, saddling one of the Mithrian’s scrawnier horses. The