The moment I stepped out of the submarine and into the port—the primary entry and exit point of The Shade—Cameron Hendry, one of my most trusted friends, greeted me with a curt nod and handed me a wooden stake.
I looked at him questioningly as I lifted the object in my hand mid-air.
"Trust me. It's likely you'll need it."
I grimaced as I stared at the stake. I knew there was reason behind the sense of foreboding I had throughout my journey back to The Shade, but I wasn't expecting something like this.
The majority of the Elite—some of the most powerful warriors we had at The Shade—were present at the port when I arrived. Liana, Cameron's wife, came to me and explained, "We don't know how news of your return came out. We tried to keep it between just the council, but well, someone got wind of it and now there's a riot outside. You've got a lot of explaining to do."
