Oath Bound

by T. G. Ayer

  I sniffed. "The people of our colony aren’t known for their looting skills."

  Mom shrugged. "I think they're more concerned about kids playing pranks than anything more sinister. Now, let's get these drinks to the parlor and then we can have an Odel family meeting." Mom lifted the large tray and hoisted it in front of her, stalking out into the hall without another word. I carried my mug and followed her to the parlor where the warm air kissed my cheek and enveloped me as we entered the brightly lit space.

  The fire roared in the hearth, adding more light to that cast by the ancient wrought-iron chandelier and about half a dozen tiffany lamps which dotted the room.

  Three overstuffed sofas covered in rose-and-bramble printed fabric, plus four giant beanbags, were scattered around the room. The twins were lying on their stomachs on the floor playing snakes-and-ladders, eyes focused on the board, legs propped up and twirling in the air.

  Dad was staring at his laptop with Iain peering over his shoulder pointing something out on the screen. Iain was still wearing a dark suit with his shirt-sleeves rolled up, blue-and-gold striped tie undone and hanging over the arm of the sofa. His golden hair reflected the firelight and I paused to study my brother, his profile broadcasting his strength and intelligence, not to mention his good looks.

  Darcy and Logan were beside the window, faces worried, eyes dark. Darcy’s pale hair framed her face, almost hiding her features in shadows, but I didn’t miss the smudges of shadows under her eyes.

  All heads turned to Mom and me as we entered the room, smiles breaking out at the sight of me.

  Looks like I rate as high as hot chocolate then.

  I submitted to the round of hugs as well, with the twins racing around me trying to be the first to get to me. Alina won out and threw her tiny arms around my neck, squeezing me so tight I could have sworn she’d have throttled me to death had Alix not whined about getting a turn.

  The little girl sighed and brushed her dark hair out of her face, then met my gaze, rolling her eyes as if to say “Boys, what can we do?” I let go of her and she slid to the ground to be replaced almost instantly by her brother.

  “I’m glad you’re safe, Kai. We were very worried,” he whispered in my ear.

  “I’m safe, kiddo. And I’m back. No more worrying, okay?” I said with a soft smile, all too aware I was lying through my teeth.

  Soon the twins were paying attention to their drinks and I turned to face the adults in the family. I looked over at Lily who rolled her eyes. “Sorry, Lil’s. We need to have a council meeting.” I shifted my attention to Darcy and said, “Means we’re throwing Darcy out too, so don’t feel too bad.”

  Darcy smiled and reached out to grab Lily’s hand. “Misery loves company, right? Let’s get the kids out of here and let these guys have their council meeting.” Lily smirked and obeyed in silence, gathering the kids with Baz and Darcy and heading out the door. I found it significant that none of them took the opportunity to point out the Logan wasn’t an Odel.

  As soon as the door closed, Dad said, “Is Mom safe?”

  I nodded and quickly ran through Grams’ transfer to her new safehouse without divulging her location. That would remain a secret to divulge only to Mom and Dad for now. I felt bad about keeping my brother and Logan in the dark for now, but I’d needed to speak to Horner or Cassie first to see who I was allowed to share the secret of the space realm with.

  I suspected they’d prefer I didn’t discuss it with anyone, and though I knew it was probably wise, I’d also never been good at keeping secrets.

  For now, I said, “There’s something Grams had to say that I think everyone would find surprising.”

  “Something to do with the fae king who was after her?” asked Iain, eyes shining with worry.

  I nodded and repeated Grams’ conversation with the fae king, bringing them all up to speed without mentioning the Ni’amh and how the five of us were involved in the mix.

  I wasn’t sure how or when I’d need to divulge those details, but in the interim, everyone knew what they needed to.

  At last, I sighed and sank onto the sofa behind me, limbs finally calling it quits. “I think I’m going to fall asleep right here.”

  When nobody complained, I snuggled close to the pillows and toed off my shoes. The fire was warm, the chocolate was heating me up from inside, and Logan slid in beside me, offering his shoulder as a pillow.

  Soon the hum of conversation surrounded me and I slipped into welcome oblivion, knowing when I did open my eyes, a new day would greet me where new challenges would arise.

  And I knew one thing.

  I was really going to hate myself for the next few days.

  Lying usually did that to me.

  19

  I woke with the dawn light streaming into the bedroom. I was still dressed, the armband weighing my one hand down. Someone had drawn the covers over me and I guessed it was Logan who’d carried my unconscious body up to bed.

  The next thought in my head was Mel. Seeing as she would be meeting Cassie and the Director at Sentinel before lunchtime, I owed it to the tracker to let her know at least as much of the developments as I was able tell her.

  We’d all been counting on Grams and Mom to join the mission to Mithras, all well aware of how much of field experience and supernatural talent the two of them had.

  Now that I knew for a fact that Grams would not be joining the mission, and neither would Mom, it wasn’t fair to allow Mel to continue to believe they were.

  And since I’d been distracted and exhausted yesterday after Cassie had brought me back to Chicago, I had no choice now but to head out to see Mel to let her know. And I wanted to do it in person.

  Why I wanted to be face-to-face with Mel when I lied to her, I didn’t know, but it felt like the deceit would be so much more unforgivable if I texted or even called her to fill her in.

  Integrity was a funny thing.

  I turned up on Mel’s doorstep in the wee hours of the morning, feeling awful knowing I was probably going to be disturbing her. We were all still recovering from the blasting and Mel had sustained her own share of injuries both physical from being impaled by the branch, and psychic from the blasts she’d suffered at the hands of the shadowmen.

  I messaged when I arrived and parked Grams’ bike outside Mel’s house, and was relieved when the tracker replied saying she’ll be at the door in a jiffy. True to her word, she was already opening the front door when I climbed the stairs, blinking at me in the weak early morning light.

  “Hi,” she whispered--as though the whole street would hear her if she spoke aloud--then waved me inside before closing the door so quietly that all I caught was the snick of the lock.

  Then she waved me down the hall and I followed her into the kitchen feeling terrible for having woken her up so early. Her dark hair was mussed and standing up on one side, and she wore a pair of fluffy bunny pajama pants and a singlet that I was pretty sure she wasn’t aware was upside down.

  “Have a seat,” she said softly as she waved me to the table. “Tea or coffee?”

  “Whatever you’re having is fine,” I said, still feeling terrible for waking her so early. I watched her stare at the kettle, bleary eyed, then blink and head over to grab mugs and teabags.

  Minutes later, she deposited a mug of fragrant peach-and-jasmine tea in front me. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I had a hate-hate relationship with herbal teas.

  After taking a seat, Mel let out a silent yawn, then said, “So why the early morning visit? Is it bad?”

  She looked a little worried now and I waved a hand at her. “No, no. It’s not that kind of bad. It’s bad news, yes, but not as though anyone died or anything.” As I spoke, I realized how close we’d actually come to death, and I wanted to bite my tongue for tempting fate.

  Too late now.

  I wrapped my hands around the mug and said, “So, I know this is going to be a blow to the mission preparation so far—”

  “Don’t y
ou dare tell me you’re backing out!” Mel said, her voice ringing around the kitchen a little too loudly.

  Loud enough for the pair of us to wince simultaneously. I shook my head. “No, not at all. But you are losing two bodies.”

  “Is it Grams? I didn’t think she’d recover too quickly from those injuries.”

  “Sadly, yes, it’s Grams. But health wise she’s fine. She’s just off on some mission right now. She pretty much had no control of her current situation, to be honest.”

  At least some of what I was saying was true. I felt terrible lying to Mel like this, but it had to be done. I couldn’t let her continue to believe that Grams was still recovering from her injuries just in case Mel decided it was a good idea to pop by and check in on her. It was the kind of thing the tracker would do. Plus, her affection for Grams and Mom were obvious when she spoke about them.

  Now Mel was nodding after sipping her tea. “So? Who else are we losing?”

  I shrugged. “That would be Iain. He’s still tied up with Walker Council stuff, just got back from Europe last night and he’s going to be heading back there very soon.”

  Mel made a face. “Well, that just blows.” Then she brightened a little. “Please tell me we can at least have your Mom on board. We could really do with her field experience.”

  I avoided Mel’s eyes, but I must have had Supreme High Council on my mind because the first words out of my mouth were, “She’s been called to a meeting with the Supreme High Council. We’re thinking it’s about a mission, but she didn’t really say.”

  Ugh. The more I spoke, the worse I was making it. Maybe I shouldn’t have come to tell Mel in person. This was much harder than I’d expected it to be.

  But Mel didn’t appear to have noticed my discomfort. She was rubbing her forehead then running her fingers through her hair. She looked tired--probably about as tired as I was.

  At last, she sighed. “Thanks for coming to tell me in person.”

  “I felt bad to disturb you so early, but I knew you had that meeting with Sentinel, so I figured you’d want to have this info ASAP,” I said, getting to my feet.

  The mug of tea remained untouched on the table in front of me, but Mel didn’t comment on it. Either she was too tired to notice, or she didn’t care too much about a wasted cup of herbal tea.

  She gave me a bright smile then got to her feet to lead me to the door. After a warm farewell and a ‘Good luck,’ from me for her meeting with Sentinel, I left the tracker’s house and drove home, my mind focused on one thing.

  Breakfast.

  20

  I’d returned from my visit to Mel and enjoyed a quick breakfast of pancakes and soft buttery scrambled eggs. Mom had been busy in the kitchen, and though I’d wanted to bring up the topic of when she would want to join Grams, I’d decided to wait—only because I enjoyed watching Dad, Iain and Darcy work together to prepare the breakfast.

  It was one of those family moments that you wanted to just preserve forever. So perfect and filled with contentment.

  A lie though, because nobody was content, nobody was calm.

  Lives were on the line, futures were hanging in the balance, and nothing would ever be the same again for our family. And I had a horrible feeling that fact applied to everyone in the DarkWorld Universe. We all stood on the brink of a catastrophe that nobody knew was coming.

  Other than the SHC that is.

  Which meant I needed to have a chat with Horner to have him arrange a meeting with the Supreme High Council. I had a few questions I needed answered. And soon.

  After a congenial breakfast during which everyone—other than Logan who’d left before anyone had risen--enjoyed light-hearted conversation. The twin’s studies and antics at their academy and Lily and Baz’s progress with fighting and weapons were the brunt of many a joke, with laughter and pleasantries being the way everyone wanted the day to begin.

  The housekeeper had finally shown up and with her small cleaning crew who set about cleaning up the mess we’d made, as well as airing rooms and making things a little more comfortable for the Odels and their extended clan.

  Dad and Iain had arranged for clothing and other personal items, as well as medical equipment and supplies, to be brought over from the house, refusing any of the family to return to the house. He’d admitted he was more concerned with possible damage to the foundations as well as the safety factor involved in moving around in the part of the house directly above the living room.

  It made sense to be careful.

  Especially since his treatment room and his medical equipment were in that end of the house. I meant to ask Dad how Lily was faring, but I figured I could grab her later in the day, knowing she and Baz would meet us at the workshop soon enough.

  I’d forgone a shower, deciding to enjoy a run through the mountains on my way to the city. I’d entered the woods, dressed in the flowing shift that would fall off my filing form once I transformed, and wearing my little backpack that carried my clothing and valuables. My need to let my panther run free was important but not more than being reckless and getting arrested for public indecency.

  My panther was eager to be free and I let her take me over, reveling in the surging heat, the ebb and flow of pain as my head lengthened, eyes widened, ears tufted. My jaw and nostrils grew and repositioned themselves, and slowly the rest my body, limbs and ribcage and, claws and teeth, all flowed into place.

  With the shift completed, I pushed the discarded dress with my paw, smooshing it into a small pile before patting it down to make it as small as possible. Then I nosed a small rock over it so it wouldn’t fly away.

  The rock was also as a sign to the wardens of the forest who looked after the shifters’ clothing. Someone would come by and take the garment away to be laundered and then returned to me later in the week. We had a good system going, and I felt a tug of sadness as I wondered how much longer we had before many of life’s little privileges would be taken away.

  The run was invigorating as I absorbed nature into my body and my soul. A part of me had hoped to run into the goddess Ailuros again, but I hadn’t been blessed with another visit since I’d been regifted the armband.

  A few days ago, I’d requested a few ancient books to be delivered from the SHC library to help me with understanding a little more about the bracelet, but I hadn’t heard back from them yet. For all I knew, they wouldn’t want me discovering more than I should, which was kind of the MO of the SHC.

  I’d have to make a fuss in order to get my hands on it. And if I got that meeting, I would do exactly that. It was time the SHC was held accountable for centuries of secrecy.

  I arrived in the alley at the back of the workshop in panther form, barely out of breath though covered in a sheen of perspiration. Nosing the rear gate of the workshop open, I shouldered the door ajar only wide enough to allow my feline body to slip through. After shoving the door shut with my hindquarters, I waited until I heard the click of the lock as it hit home before I allowed myself to relax.

  The place still smelled like the heated metal Tara used to work with her fae powers, and I drew some comfort from the room which also held her scent. As I shifted back into human form, bearing down on the sharp jabs of pain I experienced as bones shifted and reshaped themselves and as skin transformed from fur-covered to smooth and olive-skinned. I shrugged off my little backpack, slipped inside the hallway and hurried to the bathroom before someone came along and caught me in all my natural glory.

  After a quick shower, I dressed in boots, black jeans and a red sail-sleeved shirt, then hurried into the kitchen, drawn by the glow of the fluorescent lights and the smell of a fresh pot of coffee.

  I found Logan squinting at a large sheet of paper on the kitchen table. He looked tired and I worried that he hadn’t gotten enough sleep since he’d been gone from the house from before I woke up.

  Peering closer, I studied the enormous mishmash of mini drawings and maps Logan was frowning at. He must have glued them all together to
form a tentative map of the city of Kamsin, though there were a few holes here and there.

  Before I could voice any questions, he glanced up with a welcome smile and said, “I wasn’t able to get much sleep while you were away so I got to sketching from my memory of what Saleem spoke of about the city.”

  I nodded slowly, staring hard at the maps he’d drawn. They were detailed enough that I was impress at his ability to recall mere conversations with Saleem that he’d had months ago. “This is good. I’m impressed. But what are these ones?” I asked, pointing out a few very clean sheets. “They look like official printouts.”

  “Yep. They are. Cassie just sent those through, and I printed them out. Was pretty glad to see they filled in a few blanks for us. We only need a fairly good idea of what to expect so we avoid getting caught in dead-end streets and alleys.”

  “That’s the last thing we need when we’re running for our lives,” I murmured, aware I was stating the obvious but needing to keep the conversation going because my mind was still focused on Grams.

  Logan got to his feet and reached for my hand, then pulled me close to his chest. “You got something you need to get off your chest? I can help you out.” There was laughter in his voice at the double entendre, but I knew he was trying to lighten the mood though still wanting me to feel comfortable enough to share my worries.

  I smiled and shook my head. “You’re just terrible.” Then I sighed and sat back down on one of the chairs. “I’m worried about having to lie to Mel. Cassie knows and she’s a pretty good liar herself, but we have to keep the truth from Nerina, Darcy and Mel. The other two are so-so, but Mel is so involved in the Mithras mission, and we’re going to be spending so much time with her over the next few days that I’m worried.”

  “Worried about your conscience not giving you a break?”

  “No, worried about being unfair to the rest of the girls with keeping this from them until we get back.”

  “It’s a fairly acceptable choice, Kai. And they ought to understand they wouldn’t have been able to do anything with that information other than distract themselves. We all need our heads in the game, but we can afford to carry one person’s weight, look out for one team-member who may become distracted. But we can’t afford for you, Mel and Darcy to all have your heads elsewhere.” Logan reached for my hand, then squeezed it tight. “I know this is hard for you, but it’s necessary. They will understand.”