Chapter 528

"Your motor control is improving," Grace observed, nodding toward the way my hand trembled as I lifted the cup, but didn't spill the coffee. "That's a good sign."

"Yeah. I guess." I took another sip. "Any news?"

Grace's face fell slightly. "Not yet. But Damon's still coordinating the search. He's got half the pack out there."

I nodded. Of course he did. Damon wouldn't give up. Not on Andrei.

I forced myself to eat the toast, then the eggs. Then some of the fruit. It all tasted like cardboard, but I knew I needed it. Eventually, I regained some strength.

When I was finished eating, Grace took the tray and left me to get dressed. I pulled on a pair of leggings and one of Andrei's old sweaters that I'd stolen while packing in Moonshadow. It still smelled faintly like him, which was comforting.

I was just pulling my hair into a messy bun when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Damon entered the room a moment later without knocking. His eyes were wide.

"We got a message," he said, crossing the room. He had something in his hand, which he held out to me. An envelope. "From Celeste."

My heart leapt as I snatched the envelope away. I scanned it, heart leaping into my throat. She said that she spotted someone in the Thornwood yesterday. A black wolf carrying a body.

"Natalia," the letter read, "I swear it looked just like Andrei. But he didn't stop when I called his name. I'm concerned. What's going on?"

When I was finished reading, I looked up at Damon. His jaw was tight. "We're leaving now. I've already got a team assembled. If he's headed north, then he's gotta be headed toward the mountain. We'll find him there."

"I'm coming with you."

"No. You're not." Damon's voice was firm. "You can barely walk, Natalia. You'd slow us down."

"I don't care-"

"Yeah, well, I do. You're still recovering. If you come with us and something happens

to you, what would that do to the kids? To Andrei?"

Dammit. He was right.

I could barely make it from the bed to the bathroom without leaning on something. How the hell was " supposed to track through the Thornwood? Climb the mountain?"

I'd be useless. I hated being useless.

Damon noticed my expression, and his voice softened. "I know you don't like sitting idly by while others handle things for you. But someone needs to stay here with the kids. And I need you

me

to trust on this..

you do that?"

I met his eyes.

"You'll bring him home?" My voice came out smaller than I would have liked.

"I'll bring him home," Damon said with a nod. "I promise."

I nodded and swallowed hard. "Okay."

"Okay.” He pulled me into a quick hug, then stepped back. “I'll update you as soon as I can."

"Be careful," I said.

"Always am." He winked, then turned and left.

The moment he was gone, I sank onto the bed, my legs suddenly feeling too shaky

to hold me upright any longer. I passed my hand over my face and sighed.

The mountain. Andrei was going back to the mountain.

I thought about Isaac's

claims-some ritual to make him the

"next Winter King". Was that what

tel

Andrei had taken Isaac's body for?

Was that why he was returning to the very place where the Winter king had gone mäd, claiming to speak to demons while he was really just inhaling toxic fumes?

None of it made sense. But I supposed things rarely did these days.

I just hoped that Damon found Andrei before he could do something that he truly couldn't take back.