CHAPTER 426: THE SEARCH

The thudding of hooves was only interrupted by the splashing of splattering water as the horses ran through puddles on their paths.

Silas kept tabs on his people lest they’d lose someone else on the way. The human guards trailed behind him as they could not keep up with his speed.

Still, the thought that truly kept his mind busy was the truth that no trace of Allegra lingered after her abduction.

They licked the forest pathways and back, gone off trail and yet no good news to be told.

The possibility that all of it was nothing but a ploy from her to divert from her deception and betrayal did cross his mind.

However, why start then? Why didn’t she do it before?

Was it because Arabella had been pressing her with questions about the death of Edna or was it that she somehow figured out that we suspected her?

He and his wife did discuss exactly that topic the night prior to her disappearance after all... It was all too convenient.

As his nose and ears kept on sweeping the area around them, a new odor and sound braved through.

That of wet fur accompanied by the quick and periodic battering of the ground by what Silas only imagined as something or someone heavy.

Although, as the distance between him and the mysterious runners grew shorter, he needed no more clues to guide him towards the right conclusion.

Not to mention, the familiar scents among the herd that his olfaction managed to distinguish.

By the time Cynric and his people came into view, Silas had already stopped all motion and stood in the middle of the path, expecting their arrival.

"What brings you out here on such a gray day?" the vampire wasted no time with pleasantries.

Once the gnarly cracking of bones from their shifting had ceased, Crynric crackled his neck one last time before responding, "All of that fine reading for nothing, it seems," he chuckled, "We are no felines. Those hate the rain,"

"What do you need?"

"What do I need? And here I thought I was coming to do you a favor," Cynric was just as... Cynric as always. Brought his attitude along with his pack and all.

In broad daylight, there were only two parties with the authority to take such initiative. Members of the syndicate or no other than Arabella.

In other words, there was no use in asking the obvious follow up question to his statement.

"You do no favors, Cynric. What do you want?"

"Frigid as always, silver warrior," Cynric’s grin slowly faded, "I do have a price, but don’t worry, it doesn’t involve your wife in any way shape or form,"

"It better not,"

"So, I hear you lost a pretty little thing last night. Give me all you have on the situation," it was as though a different person had taken hold of Cynric’s body. The nonchalance he came with practically vanished as those lines were spoken.

That shift reminded Silas of the reason they got along on the battlefield many moons ago.

"A shoe?" the wolfman scoffed upon taking Allegra’s shoe off of Silas’ hands.

"It contains traces of Yuniper," Silas declared dryly.

"I can smell that,"

Cynric spun and flipped the item between his hands. To the onlooker he seemed a tad mesmerised by the tiny thing, feeling its texture as he dragged his finger from its tip then along its heel with delicacy Silas had never before witnessed Cynric perform.

"And she is a vampire," the wolfman half asked without taking his eyes off the footwear.

"Do you need another piece of her belonging to take her scent in without the Yuniper to taint it?"

"No, her scent is quite distinct," Cynric finally looked back at Silas, "Through it alone, I dare assume she is a daring woman,"

Had anybody said that same thing about Allegra a little more than two weeks prior, Silas would have wholeheartedly disagreed, but there they were...

If going solely by Arabella’s theory, Allegra was to be considered far beyond a daring individual.

"In any case," Silas sighed, "We combed the path leading towards and back from KasselMoon, but feel free to go over it again. We may have missed something,"

In response, Cynric clicked his tongue against his palate a few times, "If it isn’t the great silver warrior admitting out loud that he may have missed something I could spot!"

"The time isn’t for such foolery," Silas’ tone had barely changed at all since the beginning of their conversation, "I will have you know that young woman counts as a sister to me,"

"Well, did your sister have a lover? Perhaps a scorned one that may or may not have felt wronged," Cynric did not tip toe around the ice, even though his tone sounded as though he did.

"According to her sisters, there is nothing to be said on the matter,"

As he uttered those words, memory served Silas something that Katherine had said which was corroborated by Grace too.

Based on what they had witnessed, the only man that had approached Allegra with seemingly such intentions was none other than Dragomir’s right hand man.

All of the trails, all of the fingers pointed in that direction.

In the end, Silas decided to share none of that with Cynric. They were no more than mere theories and he was competent but quite volatile at times. He had always been as such and his impulse to abduct Arabella in their recent days proved he hadn’t changed much with time.

"What about witchcraft? I know you have a direct line of connection to the one and only Morgana. Why not enlist her efforts as well?"

"We have," Silas broke eye contact.

"I am guessing she found nothing as well if you have that kicked cub look on you,"

His diamonds quickly snapped back on Cynric’s eyes at those words.

"Let us split up," Silas suggested, "I will cover the eastern area. You take whichever one you please other than that one,"