When Stars Come Out (When Stars Come Out 1)

I clear my throat, mostly to make sure when I speak, my voice is clear.

“What’s up?”

“I came to see what you were up to,” she says. “And to say I’m heading to the Compound for a few hours.”

“Are you being reinstated?”

She looks uncertain. “I’m meeting with Elite Cain to discuss reinstatement.”

“Oh.” I don’t know much about the process of being reinstated once a Shadow Knight is placed on probation. I imagine it has to do with how severe the offense is. “Do you regret helping Blake?”

“No. I saved a life and that’s more important to me than my position in the Order.”

“I wish the Order felt the same.”

“Me, too,” she says, unfolding her arms. She crosses my room and kisses the top of my head before heading out.

I set my tablet aside, stand, and shift into my raven form. At first, I think I’ll take a break, fly to the lake and sit a while, but I find myself en-route to Anora’s.

Questions only Anora can answer.

I’m ready for answers.

If I have to show up in her bedroom in my hybrid form just to get them, I will.

As I near her house, I know something’s off because three of her five Hellhounds are sniffing the ground as if they’re trying to catch a scent. I fly in circles over their heads. The hounds look up at me, glowing red eyes like lasers, and gnash their teeth. I’m thinking they remember me from last time.

One of the hounds lets out an ear-splitting howl and at first, I think it’s reacting to me, but it darts down the road into the darkness. The other two follow. Something’s not right here.

My hand goes to my blade as my feet touch the ground. I take a step toward the house, but the air around me changes, and I twist to find Natalie shifting into her Valryn form.

“She’s not home.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Only a few minutes more than you. Seems we both had the same idea.”

I sincerely doubt that.

“And what idea is that?”

“To find evidence Anora’s Exchanging souls.”

I glance at the house. “And how did you plan on finding evidence?”

Natalie shrugs. “We’re not bound by human law.”

“You can’t just break into her house, Natalie.”

“I’m a little beyond the point of respecting boundaries, Shy. Lily’s dead and Anora was the last person to see her alive. What else has to happen before you accept she’s responsible?”

I’m not sure, but I know something has to change...and maybe that’s Anora’s anonymity, even if I don’t trust what Roth’s planning for the Eurydice—at least the Order has the final say.

“Shouldn’t you be a little more discerning now that you’re a Tracker?” Natalie glares at the green threads on my suit. “Why?”

“What do you mean ‘why’?”

“No one gets promoted before training, Shy. Not even you. I’d think real hard about why Roth wants you as a Tracker. Real. Hard.”