Panthers of Brigantia Shifter Box Set

by Lisa Daniels

  “Watch it, old man,” Maverick said, his eyes not leaving Miracle’s face.

  Caspian held up his hands, “Find, but if her prophecies put me in a foul mood, I will be taking it out on you.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t be leaving her side, so I will take on the responsibility of keeping her prophecies bottled.”

  Miracle just rolled her eyes, “I could push you away and force you to listen if you keep it up.”

  Maverick moved his hand down her back. “Would you really push me away?”

  Caspian groaned, “Oh, dear gods, you had plenty of time for that already. Get your heads out of your own asses so that we can hit the road already!”

  “You seem back to normal.” Maverick turned and smiled at Caspian.

  Caspian looked up at the sky, “Yeah. I guess that wasn’t news I really wanted to break to you. Between the prophecy and her explanation, I didn’t have to do much of anything. Saves time and means we can get this over with a little faster.” He shoved his hands into his pocket and smiled up at a few birds passing by overhead. “Strange as it is, thank you, Miracle.”

  Miracle rested her head against Maverick’s chest. “There is no reason to thank me.”

  His eyes seemed a little less fierce as he looked at her, his face still toward the sky. “That you would risk explaining your prophecy.”

  “I didn’t, I just—” Miracle realized a second too late what he was doing. Pressing her lips together, she smiled at him, “You are welcome, Caspian. Perhaps we can discuss it after this is over.”

  His eyes were trained back on the sky, “Eve.”

  “I’m afraid talking of it this evening will be too early.” Miracle felt a little guilty. “Sorry.”

  “No. Eve. Not evening.” He pulled a hand out of his pockets and rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t realize things had gotten that bad. Never a good sign. Then again, that’s what people say about me, too. What does it mean when a curse has its own curse?”

  He stood there, motionless. Unsure what to do, Maverick and Miracle continued holding each other while Caspian’s mind churned.

  Almost as if they had not stopped talking, Caspian jumped back into an earlier part of the conversation. “I do need a bit of information, and knowing that some of it is yours, all I need from you is for you to nod your head. Or shake it. Alright?”

  Miracle wanted to point out that he wouldn’t be able to see since he was still staring up, but felt that would just start a fight. She nodded in response.

  Despite not looking at her, he knew her response, almost as if he already knew the answers to his questions. “Great. Maverick, stand by at the ready.”

  “Gladly.” His arms squeezed her a little more.

  “You say that there are only five of us, but one of them is certainly a guardian.”

  Miracle nodded, her stomach feeling a little unsettled as she did.

  “Is it his white hair that makes you certain?”

  She nodded again.

  “With pink eyes?”

  Miracle frowned, then placed a hand on her mouth as she thought about some of the images that had woken her in the night. Slowly she nodded.

  Finally, he lowered his gaze. “I guess if you are going to meet him anyway, he’s no guardian. He’s one of ours. One of the best. One of the very few people that I would trust with my life. Orion would say the same.” He smiled as he looked at Maverick.

  Maverick frowned and ran back through his memory. “The only other assassin that comes to mind is Ignacio, and he doesn’t have white hair.”

  Caspian waved a hand, “That whelp. Well, sure, I would trust him with my life, but only in a very limited capacity, just like you. I would never place those kinds of demands on anyone so young. I mean Darius.”

  “Darius?” Maverick looked taken aback. “I never imagined he had…” Suddenly a lot of puzzles from his youth fell into place; Darius always talked to him and Draven from the shadows. All Maverick had was an image of the assassin of his own making. “Huh, I never knew.”

  “And that was the point. Not much reason to hide it now, though, not if he is going to be part of this. Shall we?”

  “But Darius never leaves.” Maverick took Miracle’s hand. Placing her on the side opposite from Caspian, they fell in step.

  “Actually, this will be the second time this month. At least in this part of the world. In some parts it’s still the same week.”

  “What?” Maverick had lost the thread of the conversation. Miracle had stopped trying to follow what they were talking about as none of it made sense to her, and her stomach was upset after the events since the stranger had arrived.

  “Don’t worry about it. We will fix all of that in the end. The point is that Darius went to Solona with Itzel, where clearly his appearance gives everyone the wrong idea.”

  “Why was he in Solona?”

  “Destroying a heart. And escorting Itzel. He wasn’t about to let the love of his life travel alone.”

  “No one would let a druid travel al—Wait, what do you mean the love of his life?”

  “Darius finally confessed to her—about damn time, too. His moping around was pathetic. Do keep up, Maverick.”

  There was annoyance in his voice, but Maverick was clearly working to stay civil, “And the heart near Solona. That should have been a serious concern.”

  “Good, you picked up on that. Enough of a concern that Darius went and took it out on his own.”

  “What, really? On his own? It must have been fairly small, then.”

  “It was larger than the ones you have done on your own.”

  “But, he never leaves! How could he—”

  “He is an assassin. Do you think he came by the title without proper training?”

  Maverick pursed his lips, then laughed. “Touché. Of course, he is not only better trained than me, he has a lot more experience.”

  “What do you mean better trained? I trained both of you. Same training. But you are right about the more experience part.”

  “Who is she?”

  Caspian looked over at him, “Surely you remember Itzel. It hasn’t been that long.”

  “No, not her.” Maverick squeezed Miracle’s arm to reassure her. She began to listen. Whatever they were talking about now, it was important and the champion wanted her to listen.

  Caspian opened his mouth, but said nothing for a moment. His mouth moved into several different positions before finally he shrugged, “I have no idea.”

  “She’s even stranger than you.”

  “I should hope you would say that.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s difficult to have a coherent conversation with that woman. It’s a particularly unique challenge that is part of a riddle that I don’t understand.”

  Miracle looked around Maverick at the assassin, “What makes you say that?”

  Caspian licked his lips as he sorted the words in his head, “She only turns up when things are really going wrong.”

  “That sounds a bit familiar.” Maverick smiled at his mentor.

  “Yes. And it taught me how people feel about finding out I am around.” A bitter smile flicked at the corners of his mouth. “I’ve gone back and forth about her being an angel who helps me and a demon who condemns me.”

  Miracle asked quietly, “Have you made a final decision?”

  Caspian shook his head.

  “Is it alright if I ask when you last saw her?” Miracle was being far more careful because the woman had been very specific. They weren’t to mention her. What was going to happen if she found out that Caspian knew? Then again, that wasn’t their fault; Caspian had figured it out on his own.

  “That’s another reason for concern. Usually I go centuries without seeing her. But I saw her…” the memories started to come back, and Caspian immediately shut them off. He did not need to relive that failure. “Just a few years ago.”

  “When you saved Dulce?” For the first time in a long time, Maverick was
trying to be gentle dealing with Caspian. He knew just how much it had torn Caspian up when Darinon had died to protect his seer. All Caspian could do was get Dulce out while her champion had sacrificed himself to buy them time. And Dulce had still nearly died a slow, horrible death. It was Draven who would eventually save her from the poison. There was no telling Caspian that Draven couldn’t have succeeded if Caspian hadn’t been there—or that Draven was only able to help because Caspian had been his mentor. To Caspian it was all a failure where he was concerned. It was not something that Maverick wanted to discuss again, but there was no doubt in his mind that something had stopped Caspian’s downward spiral. This was the first time where things were starting to make sense. And it would clearly be easy to cause Caspian to retreat from everyone else again.

  As expected, the assassin looked at him askance, but then just nodded, almost like he had been defeated.

  “And you don’t know who she is?” Miracle was intrigued by the idea that even the assassin had someone who helped him. “She is beautiful for a seer. In fact, I would say she’s far more beautiful than any seer I’ve ever seen.”

  “She looked like a seer, huh?”

  “Well, with black hair and blue eyes, that’s the most likely conclusion. I’ve never seen a mystic who looked like that, and druids don’t travel alone. And from what she said…” Maverick was giving Miracle a look, but she noticed a little too late.

  “She never has the same color hair or eyes. The rest of her pretty much looks the same, and I agree she is beautiful.”

  “If you had to guess, what would you say she is?”

  “Until today, I would have said a specter because I can never find her. There’s never been a person I couldn’t find when I search, so that was the only explanation I could reach for her absence from… the reach of my considerable skills.”

  “But today you think you know what she is?” Maverick watched his mentor carefully.

  “Of course. We’ve been told what she is.”

  “What?” Maverick asked as Miracle asked, “When?”

  “If the prophecy that she provided us is true,” Caspian looked over at them, “she’s a druid.”

  Chapter 4

  It Has to Work

  Heaven ran out the other side of the opening she had made when she fled from Maverick and Miracle. The hole closed as soon as she was through, letting her focus on what had just happened. Clutching her chest, the druid began to pace.

  “They won’t say anything, right? Of course not. Maverick is a smart kid. One look into Caspian’s eyes and he will see exactly what I mean. Then it is just up to him and Miracle to sell the story of her having a prophetic fit. That Caspian didn’t hear. Shit.”

  She walked over to the small couch and fell onto it, realizing too late that there was no way those two would be able to sell the lie. Almost immediately, she hopped up, like it had burned her. Sadly, she looked down at it. Caspian had been here just a few hours ago. All of the signs were there, from the torn-up labels in the trash to the spotless state of the place. Half of her mouth tweaked up as she fought back tears. How many people knew that Caspian attacked dirt when he was feeling particularly emotional?

  “No one else knows.” Heaven placed her hand over her mouth and turned away. “I shouldn’t have come here, that was just plain stupid of me.”

  Stepping forward, she entered a new space, much further removed from the place where Caspian hid when he couldn’t face the world. It had been the only safe place from her sister; now she tried to leave it free for him. Running there had been something she had done automatically, after millennia of avoiding the place. It had been his smell that had reminded her that she no longer belonged there—the space was now his haven. She had no right to be there.

  Heaven looked around the large palace in front of her. It was elegant, impressive, and completely hollow. Her sister had taught her how to build from nothing. It was only much later that Heaven learned that it hadn’t been nothing, but stolen from other places on their home plane. Something she realized after teaching her sister the secret to creating a little plane just for themselves. It had been one of the first times they had fought, as Heaven was mortified Paradise wouldn’t see anything wrong with theft. Just because they were stronger than most people didn’t mean they could do whatever they pleased, that was Heaven’s argument. Paradise did not see the world the same at all.

  Growing up among the druids, neither of them had been particularly happy. Paradise had been shunned for being part seer, with many of the druids thinking she should be expelled. Heaven did not have the same gifts as her sister, but she was still different from the rest of the druids. As they worked on honing a few aspects of their skills, Heaven constantly sought to learn more about the world around her and to understand how her magic worked with it. She had been the first person to discover the Holding Place, though that was not what she called it, and had shown it to Paradise. Later she would teach one other person how to access it and they would travel together between the palace and their original plane. Then an assassin had figured it out on his own, and wandered into the Holding Place where she was trying to hide from everything. After her own life had begun to fall apart.

  Heaven had not heard him approach as she sat in the middle of nowhere, holding her knees to her chest and rocking. Running her hands over her head, she continually changed the color of her hair in an effort to exercise her emotions through spending her magic. Unfortunately, she had never tired from using her abilities. The muffled sounds of her crying must have attracted his attention, but he soundlessly approached her.

  “Why are you crying?”

  Startled, she had nearly fallen over, hurting her wrist in the process. She had quickly gotten to her feet and held her wrist behind her back. Never show weakness, that was the lesson she had learned from the people around her.

  “I’m not crying.” She glared at the assassin.

  “My mistake,” he held out a small handkerchief, “it must be allergies, then.”

  “Of course I don’t have allergies, I’m a druid. We don’t have any physical flaws.”

  “You are wearing glasses.” He smiled at her, his soft green eyes partially hidden behind some very long, black bangs.

  She adjusted them. “Light hurts my eyes.”

  The smile relaxed a little, then he hitched it back up. “Do you come here often?”

  “I should say not. This isn’t the kind of place where you stay. It’s Nowhere.”

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what that means.”

  “Of course not. You’re an assassin.”

  “In training.”

  “What?” Heaven’s frown deepened.

  “I’m still in training.”

  “Then how did you wander into Nowhere?”

  “Perhaps the same way you did.”

  “I never just wander into Nowhere. I come here on purpose.”

  “But I thought this wasn’t a destination.”

  “It’s not. I just… right now I can’t go anywhere, so I figured Nowhere is as good as anywhere else.”

  The assassin sat down. “You must be incredibly intelligent to find a place like this on your own.”

  “Are you trying to compliment yourself?” She looked at him, then sat a little way from him. She was slightly annoyed, but Heaven also felt glad to have someone to talk to, someone who wouldn’t try to tell her what to do. Or try to kill her. Probably, wouldn’t try to kill her.

  The assassin smiled, “Maybe a little.”

  “Besides, who said I found this place on my own?”

  “I did, and you didn’t disagree, so you must have found it on your own just like I did.”

  “Clever little thing, aren’t you?” She couldn’t help but smile at him a little.

  “Sometimes. Or maybe I just wanted to see you smile.”

  Heaven looked away, wiping the rest of the tears from her face. “No one wants to see that.”

  “Who wouldn’t want to s
ee a beautiful woman smile instead of cry? I think you are beautiful either way, but I am not fond of the idea of you being sad.”

  “What do you care? You don’t know me.”

  The assassin-in-training moved a little closer. “We could change that.”

  Heaven moved away, “You would regret it.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Well, I’m a lot older than you, and I am telling you that you would.”

  “You don’t think I’m old enough to make up my own mind?”

  “How long have you been in training?”

  “I just started today.” The young shifter beamed at her, “The first time I’ve been away from home, and there was just so much to explore I couldn’t stay put.”

  “You are going to get into a lot of trouble for leaving.”

  “Not any more than a druid who goes wandering away from home.”

  “No one cares that I am gone.” She dropped her head onto her knees. “At this point, most of them don’t even know I exist.”

  “That can’t be right. Druids are very carefully tracked.”

  Heaven shrugged, “I don’t need you to believe me for it to be true.”

  “You’re right.” He leaned over so that she had to look at him. He smiled at her, “So I may as well believe you, then. Now I can care that you are gone.”

  Heaven looked away, “You’ll forget. Everyone always forgets.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t spend so much time alone, then. It can’t possibly be good for you.”

  “It’s less painful than talking to people.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” He moved a little, “If you want me to leave, I will.”

  Heaven looked at him, “Do you even know how?”

  He bit his lip before beaming at her, “I’m sure I can figure it out.”

  Heaven couldn’t help but chuckle, “I’ve no doubt you could if you put your mind to it.”

  “Just say the word, and I will leave.”

  “No, it’s okay.” She fidgeted a little. “I guess it is nice to talk to someone every once in a while.” She put her chin on her knees. “It’s not like you can get me in any more trouble anyway. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. Time doesn’t stop here, so someone is bound to notice your absence.”