“Typical,” Orion muttered.

There were barely enough days in a year to count the times Locke had pushed himself on him. Even when he didn’t see him, he could feel his presence — like a rotting carcass fouling the air with its stench.

Yet now, Locke was nowhere to be found.

Of course, he could be hiding on purpose, just to spite Orion. But the man was so obsessed with mirrors that Orion couldn’t believe there wasn’t even a single leaf rustling somewhere. He wished he could vent his frustration to one of his feline friends, but he’d sent them off with an enchanted compass and planned to follow as soon as Merlin reached out through a whisper spell. Normally, he would’ve gone with them right away, but he couldn’t leave Cody behind — nor could he delay the search.

Only Spekkie was still at home. Unfortunately, Spekkie wasn’t much of a conversationalist.

Orion let out a deep sigh.

For a moment, he half expected some snide remark in response. But there was only silence.  A creeping sense of dread settled over him. What if Locke had gone after Cody?

It would be just like him — stirring up trouble, twisting things around. Maybe whispering in Cody’s ear that Orion hadn’t told him about meeting his brother. Back when they’d lived in the Valley of Men, Locke had spun lie after lie for Luther, too.

Locke had once claimed it physically hurt him to stay away from Orion. Said they were destined to be together. Orion didn’t believe that — didn’t want to believe it — but Locke had clung to that idea with terrifying persistence over the years.

Maybe he thought Cody was worth the pain.

Or maybe it was just another lie. Orion had long suspected that everything about Locke was a lie.

He lowered the mirror. He’d have to go look for them.

He hadn’t even crossed the garden when a large silhouette came stomping toward him. The ogre. Right before reaching him, the creature tripped over a tree root and crashed hard onto the ground. Orion recoiled as Moss’s head snapped clean off and rolled past him.

Stunned, he watched as two massive arms dragged the body forward, grabbed the head, and shoved it back onto the shoulders. Thick fingers yanked moss from a tree and stuffed it into the gaps.

Moss turned around — his head slightly more crooked than Orion remembered. “A forest wraith,” Moss panted. “A forest wraith led me away from Cody. She lured me into a swamp, and by the time I fished all my limbs back out, Cody was gone. I ran here as fast as I could.”

“A forest wraith?” Orion repeated, dazed. “I’ve never even heard of them.”

“They’re rare.” Moss bent over, bracing himself on his knees. One kneecap seemed to be twisted at an odd angle. The ogre puffed little gusts of air as he struggled to catch his breath.

Orion waited, impatient, for him to be able to talk properly again.