The Stone Wolf (The Chain Breaker Book 4) by D.K. Holmberg (digital book reader TXT) 📕

“She reminded me of what it was like when I was working with the constables. Strange she’d be the one to point that out, but she wasn’t wrong. I had a team I could rely on. You know what that was like?”

“I’ve never had a team,” Gavin said.

“Obviously, otherwise you wouldn’t have snuck off by yourself.”

“So I’m saying. I could never have a team. I was trained to do things on my own.”

“You think that makes you stronger or weaker?”

Gavin stared at him, and he shook his head. “I know what it did.”

“Do you? You know that it made you more powerful, or do you think that it somehow made you less? By forcing you to dig into things that you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise, I can’t help but wonder whether this did make you more independent but also more isolated. It was easier to control. Who was going to come for you if something happened?”

“He was teaching me how to get out of anything that may come for me.”

“By forcing you to rely on him. That’s an interesting tactic, you realize.”

“I’m not so sure it was any sort of tactic,” Gavin said.

“Not a fair one, that’s for damn sure,” Gaspar said. “When I was working with the constables, there was one thing they taught us. There weren’t a lot of good messages from that time, and after what happened with Desarra”—he shot Gavin a hard look, practically daring him to say something—“I got out. I wanted to get out. I wanted to get away, and yet I recognized that there was something that I missed by leaving.”

“The other constables?”

“I missed knowing that somebody else was there if I needed them. I missed knowing that if something were to happen, there would be another person to have my back.”

“Which is why you brought in Imogen.”

Gaspar shrugged. “Imogen just sort of found me. And she’s been reliable.” He smiled and shook his head. “I’ve tried bringing others in, but no one really clicked.” He looked up at Gavin, meeting his gaze. “Until you, boy. Can’t say we’ve always gotten along. Can’t say we always will. But you have the right intention, and that’s what matters.”

With Imogen, it was her discretion. With Gavin, it was his intention.

“I suppose I should be thanking you?”

“Don’t go getting sappy on me,” Gaspar said. “I’m just trying to tell you that you’ve got a team, if you are willing to take it.”

“And?”

“And one of our team is missing.” Gaspar held his gaze on Gavin. “When I was in the constables, what do you think I would’ve done if one of my team was missing?”

“I don’t know.” With what Gavin knew of Davel Chan and the other constables, it was hard for him to even guess. They seemed to have some ties to each other, but there was also the possibility that they didn’t completely count on one another.

“I would go after them with whatever thunder I could. And I would make sure that the bastard responsible knew better the next time.”

Gavin sighed. “You have no idea what you’ve signed up for.”

“Probably not,” Gaspar said. “But I’m telling you that I’m willing to do it.”

Gavin looked around the room. “Tristan must’ve had somebody following me here. He sent them down, and I don’t know if it was to try to keep me from getting past them or to target me once I got here. It’s got to be about that egg.” He pointed to it, though Gaspar seemed leery of picking it up. “She called it something else, though.”

“Distract. Divide. Defeat. Good strategy. Now what are you going to do about it?”

“Get Wrenlow. Protect the egg. Protect the city. And defeat Tristan.”

“Sounds good. Now. If we are going after him, then we need to do it. And you don’t have to go alone. I’m coming with you, and so is Imogen. You have your team, and we will go and get our other team member. I’m not going into this blind, boy. I know dangers when I see them, and though I might not be able to see them in this case, I can at least feel them.”

“It’s good you recognize this isn’t going to be easy.”

“Not at all,” Gaspar said. “But like I said before, you aren’t going to have to do it yourself. Now, if you’re not going to run off on your own, I’m going to have a few words with Imogen, get back to the Dragon, and then make my own preparations. You had better make yours.” He swept his gaze around the chamber. “If this man is as dangerous as you think, then we need to do something that will surprise him. Something he won’t expect.”

“I’m not sure what that’s going to be,” Gavin said.

“That’s why it’s unexpected. Figure out what he wouldn’t think you would do, and then be ready to do it.” He tapped his hand on the table again, pushed past Gavin, and then paused for Gavin to open the door. Once Gaspar had disappeared through the tunnels, Gavin sealed the door closed once again.

He had a team. That was one thing Tristan wouldn’t expect.

But considering that Tristan had abducted Wrenlow, maybe he had figured that out. What was worse, Tristan may have been capitalizing on it, which meant that Gavin would have to find another advantage.

He just didn’t know what that was going to be.

Chapter Ten

The streets were dark, and Gavin couldn’t sleep. He had gathered everything he thought he might need out of the lair, including the sh’rasn powder and the few enchantments he had. Since he had not wanted to rely on enchantments, he hadn’t acquired as many as others would have. And now, he ventured through the darkened streets, trying to come up with answers.

He was going to have to return to the Dragon. To Gaspar, to Imogen—to his team. That was something Gaspar had been right about. Even though Tristan had taken Wrenlow, he wouldn’t have expected Gavin to work with