Panthers of Brigantia Shifter Box Set

by Lisa Daniels

  So many decades later, many druids had forgotten the role Darius had played, and he was content to let them believe that the success was all Caspian’s doing.

  After thousands and thousands of years, things still don’t make any more sense. The problems are constant, just in strange variations of those that we faced in the beginning. I wonder, if the alliance with the seers had held, would we have found a better path forward?

  Itzel continued to stare out the window, her mind wandering, knowing that Darius would eventually break the silence. His ideas and proposals were almost always right. The panther had a kind of flawless logic that was almost terrifying, and the fact that he exhibited so little emotion was its own mystery. It made him a poor confidante, as Darius would never provide anything that people wanted to hear. He offered the truth, for better or worse. It was not entirely unheard of for him to tell others that accepting a suicide mission was the only way out of a particularly perilous emotional state. This apparent heartlessness toward how others felt had made him almost unapproachable. Itzel had been angered by him on numerous occasions, but had always hidden it behind jabs and light sarcasm so that he would not be alienated any further.

  A part of her had always feared that one day he would grow weary of the entire society, leading to his own self-exile. That would have been a disaster on nearly every level. Even if they did not realize it, the druids had come to rely on him far more than even Caspian, and they had taken it for granted. Itzel feared that one day it would be too much even for the stoic Darius. When she talked with him, she always made a point of thanking him and expressing her gratitude because she knew that he was owed far more than he was given.

  He’s not a bad travel companion either. There is no idle chatter or ulterior motives to his actions. It is quite nice to have time to think and to know that every conversation has a point to it. Her eyes moved to the sky. Maybe that is why I seek him out all of the time. Unlike the rest of them, I always get the truth as he sees it, no sugar coating. It is going to spoil me.

  To her surprise, Darius did not speak again until the coach stopped outside of the palace. He leaned forward and looked at the structure. “I know it is unnecessary, but I feel compelled to warn you to be extremely cautious. Watch your words with more care than you usually exhibit.”

  Itzel shifted, picking up her small bag. “You aren’t joining me?”

  His eyes turned back to her, but he said nothing. Itzel nodded, then smiled. “Right. Of course not. I should have known that there was only so far you were willing to go with me. I swear, Darius, I will be as careful as I possibly can.” She stood up and moved to the door. “Stay out of trouble.”

  With that, she stepped out of the coach and began the pleasantries of speaking with dignitaries and personnel of the mystic nation. The peace and calm were replaced with the same kind of tension and forced happiness that she displayed to the world. Internally, she was analyzing and judging every little action, every word, every look. As the carriage rolled away, she made her way along the long walk to the door, accompanied by two guardians. Her eyes drifted back to the carriage as it moved away, the blinds lowered.

  And what do you plan to do while I am away? We both know that this is going to take longer than either of us will find comfortable. Is that why you really came?

  She smiled in response to something one of the guardians had said. Chatting happily with them, her mind was still in the carriage, trying to figure out just why he would have come so far from home, against his better judgment, knowing that he would be alone for hours.

  Please be careful, she pleaded as she entered the palace, her head turning one last time to see the carriage disappear from sight. Pulling her shawl over her shoulders, she felt a bit of a chill as she stepped into the palace.

  Chapter 2

  Give, Take, and an Unexpected Reaction

  Itzel was led to a large round room with windows on all sides, her mind barely taking in the area as her thoughts were still in the carriage that was somewhere in the city with a passenger who was clearly up to something. There was no chance that Darius would be in the palace, and that meant that she was truly isolated with no allies to come to her aid if needed. But she did not think that was the worst of her problems. Darius was loose in a city of people who had, until recently, been very hostile to assassins.

  Please be careful. The thought was unbidden as she worried about her travel companion.

  Realizing she had been silent for the last few minutes, Itzel turned to look at the guardians who had brought her up, fully expecting them to take seats. Without a word, they bowed to her and left.

  “Oh.” She watched as the door closed. Turning back around, she realized how foolish she had been in being so distracted, especially after she had sworn that she would be cautious. Her mind immediately stretched out and she quickly realized that it was not a trap being sprung, but something else entirely. A quick flick of her wrist, and she knew that she and the guardian in the room would be able to speak freely.

  “Hello, Hector.” She moved to a window, her small, fragile frame far more intimidating than it should have been as she clasped her hands behind her back and stared out at the beauty of the mountains. “We have never met, but you have my full respect and most sincere condolences, although I realize that the appropriate time for such an expression has long passed. I always felt it was foolish to ignore the loss of one of our own, but the druids are… well, you are part of the Order, so I don’t need to explain tradition to you.” A cool breeze came through an open door to her right. Stepping over to it, she spread her arms out to the side and enjoyed the feel after being trapped in a small carriage for so long. After taking a deep breath, she continued, “Had I been in your place, I don’t know that I could have been so understanding, but you made the right choice.” She smiled and muttered, “Not that my travel buddy would agree with that.”

  A tall, exquisitely handsome man appeared by her side. “Where is your escort?”

  With a gentle laugh, she turned, letting the beauty of the man take its full impact before speaking. His yellow eyes were much softer than the eyes she had faced for weeks. Though he was trying to be tough, Hector clearly had something on his mind, but she wasn’t about to disappoint him quite yet. “My gods, but she would be a fool to ignore you.” She laughed again, then held up a hand, “I'm not dodging the question. Don’t worry. My little assassin has run away, and is no doubt sulking somewhere because he was unable to persuade me not to come here.” Fool, you have nothing but doubts about that, yet here are you are, making light of something that is clearly eating away at you. Itzel hated that part of her brain because the commentary was unnecessary—she simply wanted to think of something else for a while. The thought forced her to smile more broadly. “How are you these days, Hector?”

  “As good as could be expected.”

  She placed a hand on his face, allowing some of her warmth to spread into him. “From someone like you, I expect much.” The touch flashed for a second in his eyes, and she saw the sadness lessen for a moment.

  He sighed and pulled her hand from his face. The sadness in Hector’s eyes was obvious, but he was clearly trying to hide it. “Thank you for coming despite the mistrust. I know that they will listen at some point, but I fear it may be too late when they do.”

  Musing over how he was not reprimanding her for the magic she had used to lessen his pain, Itzel shook her head and turned back to the scenic view. “That is why I am here.” For a brief moment, she opened up about her intentions, “The seers are all but destroyed. I would prefer that not happen to these ladies as well, if for no other reason than we cannot face them alone.”

  “Is that your only motive?”

  Itzel smiled and shrugged. “It’s a beautiful view. I want to envy it, if only for a moment.”

  Silence stretched out, but it felt different than her time with Darius. She did not have weeks to get to the heart of the problem, and Itzel knew it was best that everyone i
nvolved be at ease as much as possible. Not really my strong suit. Rosaline would have been a better choice.

  She looked up at him, “I know what information you want to discuss, but unfortunately I really don’t have any answers for you. We were not involved with what Anders was doing. Someone will be along shortly who can enlighten you, though I must warn you that what little I know is not good.”

  “And what is it that you know?”

  “Both Anders and Alexis are missing.” Itzel wanted to soften the blow, but she knew there was no way to say it without lying. “I am sorry.”

  “What do you mean by missing?” Hector was biting his lip.

  “I have no details. You likely know more than I, as it was the Order who had so many slaughtered trying to get the babe to safety. The extent of my knowledge is that Anders and Alexis went after them. I have heard nothing else. Though, to be fair, I have had no one from which to get regular updates, and my little assassin certainly would not have any intelligence on the matter.” No, I am certain he knows, he just doesn’t want to share what he knows. The thought was a little bitter, but she understood his reasoning. By keeping Itzel in the dark about what was happening, he was either putting pressure on her to return home because of the dangers with being around the Order and mystics. Or he was shielding her from something truly horrible. One was just as likely as the other, but she felt certain that she would learn once Haiden arrived.

  Itzel looked up at Hector, who was clearly upset at the news. “I am sorry that I don’t have more information. You really deserve so much better. Just wait a little while.”

  He gave a small nod of his head and turned his yellow eyes to take in the view.

  Itzel cleared her throat, “What I can offer you is information about your grandmother.”

  Hector’s head whipped back around and he looked at her, the surprise obvious on his face.

  Maintaining eye contact, she told him, “While I realize that you really do not need additional concerns being piled onto your current load, I thought you needed to know that Kendra is free and will find peace once she has finished a few things. She is in good hands until that time. Of that, I can promise you. A better, more compassionate person could not have been chosen to help her move on to the next life. And from the sound of it, Kendra actually helped save her caretaker as well. You really come from an illustrious line, and I hope that you will continue to prove that love goes beyond rules and restrictions. Kendra certainly did.”

  Hector’s expression was a mix of shock, concern, and hope as his eyes flicked toward the top tower. Itzel knew what he was thinking, but she just wanted to see for herself if things were as unchanged as she had thought. A faint smile moved across her face. She would still look for the bond, but Itzel did not need to see it to know that Hector’s feelings had not changed in the time since his brother had died.

  Before he had a chance to ask anything, they were interrupted by a knocking sound. Hector turned with a frown on his face, Itzel with a beaming smile on hers. Standing in the doorway was a champion, his blond hair with black highlights making it obvious what his shifter form was. His orangish eyes buried any doubt as to his lineage, but at first glance, this was not who had been expected. Itzel’s wide smile faltered. The champion’s hand was still up, his knuckle gently rapping on what appeared to be air, but there was definitely something blocking his motion.

  The voice sounded like it was coming from the other side of a closed door. “Itzel, I trust that you weren’t torturing the poor boy.”

  Both Itzel and Hector gawked for a couple more seconds. Itzel was the first to respond. Flicking her wrist as she ran across the room, she threw her arms open and wrapped them around the champion’s neck. Her legs dangled well off of the floor as he laughed and hugged her back.

  “My gods, but I have missed you, Haiden! You had us so worried. I thought Draven was going to create a trench in the floor, and poor Orion has been through quite enough without having to worry about what you forced Caspian to do.”

  “No one forces Caspian to do anything.” He kissed the top of her head and placed her on the ground.

  “That is true. But the way you barreled in there. It’s a damn good thing that Callie provided support because that maniac was about to run in after you.”

  “There was never any—okay, well, yes, I couldn’t have done it without their help. The disguise only worked because Callie clouded the minds of the Unwashed around Harmony. I should probably thank her and Caden while I am here.”

  “That may not be the best idea.” Hector strode over to them. “Caden isn’t exactly Caspian’s biggest fan, and any mention that they worked together is more likely to set him off again.” He offered his hand to the champion.

  Haiden smiled broadly, his hand extended, “None of that.” Grabbing Hector’s hand, he pulled him in and wrapped the startled guardian in a big hug.

  Hector cleared his throat, then pulled back, his mouth tweaking up a little. “You are just as outgoing and obnoxious as usual.”

  “Obnoxious? Me? I think you have me confused with the assassins.”

  Itzel laughed, while Hector rolled his eyes. His expression quickly became serious again as his eyes moved to the tower. “Now that you are both here, I had best let her know.” He walked through the door. Once on the other side, he paused and turned, “The look doesn’t suit you.” With that, Hector moved out of sight.

  Waving her hand, Itzel disagreed, “I think you look amazing. Kudos to Harmony.” Itzel reached up and moved a hand through his hair, the tip of her tongue sticking out between her teeth as she messed it up. “Ooh, it even looks amazing. I assume this was her idea?”

  Haiden laughed, “Of course. It doesn’t matter what she has been through, she insisted that I be protected, and that meant changing a few things before placing her protection on me.”

  “I can add to it.”

  “That isn’t necessary.”

  “Harmony would appreciate it.”

  Haiden narrowed his eyes, sighed, then shook his head, “Yes. Yes, she would. Fine, but wait until we get out of here.”

  Itzel clapped and jumped a little. There had been so much going on over the last few years, but she had been largely left to languish at home. Taking risks was not normal for druids, but that did not mean that they didn’t get bored being safe. “Now, on to… less happy subjects. What is the word on the baby and her protectors?” She spoke low as she headed toward the window.

  “Before we get to that, I thought that the voice barrier only worked with other druids. How could he hear you?”

  She waved her hand, “That is something you will need to ask him.”

  “Itzel.” There was warning in his voice.

  She turned and looked at him, all of the humor gone from her face. “I know you are suspicious, but honestly, it is not for me to say.”

  “But you could have done something else. You knew I was on my way up here, so you meant for me to see.”

  Her eyes widened as she looked up at him. She blinked her lashes a few times, her pinkish blue eyes sparkling in the light from the window. “I agree that we have got to be more open, so I want you to ask the right questions from the right people.”

  “It was a setup.”

  A huge grin spread across her face, and Itzel bit her lip as she wiggled her shoulders. The giggle that escaped her was almost sincere.

  Haiden smiled at her and shook his head again, “I really missed you, too. If only you were allowed out of your cage more often.”

  The smile faded, and she looked back out the window. “If only.” Holding in a sigh, she brought the topic back to where it needed to be. “Ask him about it when you get a chance. Once things in Solona finally change—and that day is rapidly approaching. Then you will need to find Legend because Hector is going to have to talk to her at some point. There is no guarantee that I’m going to be able to do anything after this trip, and I can’t tell him because right now his focus needs to be on one person.
This whole thing with Alexis is another wrinkle that is going to distract Hector from what he needs to do. I planted the seed. I request that you water it once he is ready. It would have been best to do it later, but, well, I have a cage to return to, and no one else would bring it to his attention. That is unfair to him.”

  “I have no idea what you just said. Why would I look for Legend so that Hector can talk to a woman?”

  “You will know when the time comes.” She looked up and he was giving her an annoyed look. “I swear, it will make sense later. Please, trust me.” She blew up on her bangs. “But now, I really need to know what is going on with Anders and Alexis. Last I heard, no one knew what had happened, or where the baby was. I don’t need to tell you how angry that has made some of the druids, and the assassins…” she simply sighed in response.

  “I understand their concern. We have talked about it ourselves,” Haiden clasped his hands behind his back, “but it is too risky to go in with that much power in one place. Alexis may not be the most powerful mystic, but she is without a doubt the most well practiced.”

  “And Anders is no slouch after all of the bonds he has had. Yes. That was exactly what has been holding us back. Their powers coupled with the baby’s untapped abilities are dangerous enough in one place with corrupted magic users.” Itzel had to bite her lip at that point because she very nearly talked about the person who had been most adamant about staying out of it because of how much more dangerous it would be to send anyone else into the fray—Darius. I wonder what he is doing. I hope he’s alright moping somewhere… I hope he is moping somewhere. Gods, I need to go find him before he decides to do something, don’t I? Suddenly, Itzel had an idea of just why Darius had joined her beyond wanting to persuade her to leave. Shit.