by Petra Landon
“With some assistance from you, if you’re willing, Duncan.”
“Of course, my boy. Whatever you need.”
Duncan studied the other Shifter gravely. Like he’d told Tasia, Raoul had never been responsible for anyone else, and keeping watch over her was a complicated endeavor at the best of times. Where he’d take risks for himself, Raoul would always play safe when it came to her welfare.
“You and I both know there’s more to vanquishing Lady Bethesda than a few bouts with her leech army. What we face is a battle for Chosen hearts, minds, fairness and justice. This war will decide what we Chosen want as our future. Do we sit back and give someone like her a free pass because it has nothing to do with us? Or do we take a stand to throw out the rulebook on the Chosen tradition of non-interference unless it affects us personally? You know the First Ones will make that argument, Raoul.”
Raoul sighed. Yes, he knew the First Ones would bring up tradition as an excuse to steer clear, as might some Shifters, though Faoladh would never allow it. The First Ones were a much looser confederation than the Wyrs.
“So, for what it’s worth, I think you made the right call, Raoul. This matter of Lady Bethesda is not something anyone can sit out, least of all Tasia. It won’t just blow over. If our world falls to someone of her ilk, it becomes more dangerous for Tasia. This is going to change our world, force us to work with each other and make some tough decisions for the future. And frankly, unless we find a way to align our interests, other Lady Bethesdas will follow on the heels of this one. Tasia was not born to hide in the shadows while the rest of us battle to save her world. She has the power to change the game. With you and the Pack behind her, she can finally aspire to it. In my book, it is infinitely better for her to learn to use her powers, even if she makes mistakes at first, than to sit back and watch our world burn. These months with us have been good for her — she’s starting to come into her own. In the forest, she was itching to use her magic, to help Nandini and you. It was palpable.”
In the woods, Tasia had stood up to the boy to stop him from taking a risk she believed her powers could mitigate, and Duncan had taken note. When Pack canons had forced him to back down from questioning his Alpha, Tasia, unfettered by any such mores, had gone toe to toe with Raoul. To Duncan, it boded well for the future. In her unassuming way, she’d never back down from challenging him, allowing nothing, not the boy’s temper or his forceful personality, to stand in her way when he insisted on keeping her on the sidelines. And Raoul, in his innately fair way, would eventually give her a hearing once his temper had cooled. They’d made a good team.
“Being locked up at the Lair might keep her safe, but it’s no life for her, Raoul” Duncan said gently.
“I know” Raoul said heavily. “But the timing couldn’t be worse.”
“Better now than when Lady Bethesda emerges from the shadows” Duncan reminded him.
Before the Alpha could respond, the door rattled softly to warn the two Shifters. Sienna peered in while Jason held the heavy door open for her.
Raoul invited the two Wizards to join Duncan and him.
“Scotch” he offered, holding up his own glass towards them.
“Yes.” Sienna’s response was heartfelt. “I need a drink. In fact, I wouldn’t mind getting rip roaring drunk today.”
“I’ll pour you a glass, Sienna.” Jason grinned.
Jason, who now knew where the Alpha kept spare glasses on his desk, busied himself. Sienna strode towards the two Shifters to plop herself on the couch beside Duncan.
“I talked to Trevor, the Guardian” she said to the Alpha. “He’s flying in the day after tomorrow.”
“Good.”
“How much should I tell him?” Sienna asked him, without prevarication.
“Whatever you believe will get him to help us.” Raoul was equally blunt. “I want this whole business out in the open, Sienna. Secrecy only helps her, not us.”
“There’s a slight problem.”
“What?”
“I’m not sure where to meet with him. Jason believes I shouldn’t be out by myself. And you don’t allow Guardians into your Lair” she reminded him, not mincing her words.
Raoul studied her. “Not in the Lair. But you can meet him downstairs. The offices on the first floor have meeting rooms.”
“I’m not sure Trevor will be as forthcoming if he knows your entire Lair is listening in” she said slowly.
“Of course.” Raoul couldn’t blame the Guardian for being careful.
“There’s the small room downstairs” Duncan reminded the Alpha. A few years ago, when refurbishing the Lair, a small windowless room on the first floor had been made noise-proof. The effort had not been taken to completion, since they had never really required a private room on the first floor, but it could easily function as one if they replaced the door.
“I’ll have them put a rush order on the door” the Alpha said.
“If not, you can use my place, Sienna” Duncan offered. “My Shifters will keep their distance while you meet your friend.”
“Are you sure, Duncan?” Sienna asked.
“Absolutely.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m counting on you to convince him, Sienna.”
“I know, Duncan” she said soberly. “Otherwise, the Alpha will rampage and the GCW will cut Jason off.”
“Sienna” Jason protested laughingly, handing her a glass. “Don’t have the Guardians cut me off yet.”
Sienna grinned at him, before addressing the Alpha. “Before I get drunk, I have to ask you something.”
Raoul arched an eyebrow inquiringly.
“Did you tell her about Nandini?”
“Yes, I did.” Raoul paused. “I enjoyed breaking the news, Sienna.”
“You should. How did she react?”
“Not well, but it’s not what pushed her into revealing the bit about Faoladh.”
“Then, what did?”
“Your aunt, for one. She had a hard time holding on to her temper, when I told her that the locket was with the First Wizard and that she should negotiate with her.”
“This is good.” Sienna’s voice hardened, hope flaring in her. “She’s not come to terms with the past yet. We can use it against her, can’t we?”
“We can, but I’ll feel a lot better once we locate your sister.”
“Tasia, Hawk and I are meeting in the morning to go over all the reports again with a fine comb.”
Chapter 20
The Rainmaker
“Dance with me. Bring my demons to their knees.”
- Nicole Lyons
Tasia pored over the investigator’s report that detailed tracking Lady Bethesda to Venice yet again, her fourth trip in three months. Across from her, Sienna murmured something to Hawk, engaged in perusing a similar document. Faoladh’s investigators had kept meticulous records, she’d grant them that. Reading through the mountainous pile was slow going, but Tasia was beginning to realize that she enjoyed this type of work — a slow, meticulous and patient probing of a puzzle, to piece together events in a bid to find a tenuous pattern that might provide a clue. More than anything, this is what she enjoyed about the investigation into the past. The Pack was a very generous employer and Tasia did not intend to hitch a free ride on their bounty. That she enjoyed her role in unraveling the past was a huge bonus, though.
It was noon, but the Pack Room was unusually busy for this time of day. The Alpha’s Room, in particular, buzzed with activity, fielding a steady stream of visitors all morning. Shifters hung around the Pack Room, clearly waiting for an audience with him. Tasia mused with amusement that the Alpha was akin to the conductor of a fine-tuned orchestra. His absence from the Lair for a mere two days had slowed down the well-oiled machine.
Her cell beeped discreetly, interrupting Tasia’s musings.
She glanced at it, to do a double take. Think of the devil.
“Need 10 mins with you.”
Brief and to the
point, as always. Tasia set aside her report to respond to him.
“Now?”
“Yes.”
Did she want a conversation with him, she wondered, her eyes on the crowd of Shifters awaiting their turn. No, prompted her inner self unequivocally. Not until she’d had more time to process the predicament she found herself in. But Tasia’s conscience wouldn’t allow her to make excuses, so she typed back determinedly.
“OK.”
Within moments, the heavy door to the Alpha’s Room slid open. Three Shifters strode out, with the Alpha following. He held the door open with his shoulder, his cell clamped to his ear, to shake his head at a Shifter who glanced at him with anticipation. Instead, the gold eyes zeroed in on Tasia, across the room.
“I’ll be right back.” She excused herself to Hawk and Sienna.
Without breaking off his conversation, he waved her to the single chair across his desk, and shut the door behind her.
“She’ll be at the airport by eight” he said into his phone. “SivoTar’s people will get her there. After that, she’s our responsibility.”
The cell squawked in his ear as he listened intently. “Watch your step, Luis” he warned. “At the Lair, she’ll be locked up like Fort Knox. They know it.”
“Good.” He signed off, turning his attention to Tasia.
The gold eyes pinned her down dispassionately. “We’ve a lot to talk about, witchling.”
She sighed inwardly. As he hesitated, seemingly picking his words, a nervous Tasia felt herself stiffen, only for his words to surprise her.
“You did very well with the leech enchantment.”
Tasia’s startled eyes met his gaze. She’d assumed that he would press her on her admission about Blutsaugers.
“Without you, Nandini would still be with her mother.” He was unequivocal in his praise. “But when you venture into the unknown, you must think it through carefully.”
“I had trouble finding my way back” she confessed, the admission coming easily. She had been a tad impetuous, Tasia acknowledged. She should have anticipated the potential confusion and disorientation from the sea of auras in her mind.
He nodded. “What you did was extraordinary, despite being a novice at it, but leaping into uncharted territory without an exit strategy is always foolhardy.”
The gold eyes met her squarely, intent on getting his message across. “Remember this. Raw power can be a huge advantage, but it is the person wielding the power who stands between victory and defeat.”
Tasia agreed silently, her eyes on him.
“Your instincts are fantastic” he reiterated. “It is your execution that needs work.”
Tasia said nothing. She couldn’t disagree with anything he’d said so far. She wondered if she was to be kicked off the team. Without the investigation, there would be no role for her in his Pack. Perhaps, this was the sign she had been waiting for, she mused, to start disentangling herself from the Pack. And him.
He contemplated her.
“You’re different from other Chosen, witchling. The power you possess will always give you an edge, but it also puts an additional burden on you. If not channeled properly, your power can lead you into situations that overwhelm you. You were taught to channel your magic, and you do it fantastically well, improvising to adjust to the demands of the situation, but there’s one more skill you must master, or the next Chosen you go up against will crush you, regardless of your superior magic.”
The unmistakable warning had Tasia straightening. No, she realized suddenly, he didn’t mean to kick her off the investigation. He was suggesting a different approach altogether — something even her wildest dreams had never offered her.
“We’re entering a phase where confronting Lady Bethesda and her leech allies will become the norm. I want to be sure you can defend yourself.”
This time, she did not hide her astonishment. “You’re going to allow me to use magic?”
For a moment, he studied her silently.
“Not yet, witchling. But one day, when I think you’re ready.”
Tasia looked thunderstruck by his words.
“You lack experience, because of your unique circumstances” he said. “Let’s rectify that first, before we discuss other options.”
“How?” Tasia looked puzzled. She’d never gain any experience if she wasn’t allowed to use her powers.
“We train you.”
“Train me?” Her eyes widened.
“To use your magic” he said matter-of-factly. “If you can go up against me, I’ll know you’re ready.”
A confused Tasia could only stare at him in response. This was a rather lofty goal. Very few Chosen would ever go up against him successfully. Why would she be any different?
“There’re always options, if one knows how to look for them” he suggested gently. “You don’t see me wade in and use my fists when I can get my way without a fight, do you?”
With those compelling eyes on her, Tasia shook her head mutely. Yes, she had noticed that he didn’t jump in head first, unlike other Shifters. This quick-tempered man never allowed his emotions to rule him.
“Don’t fret about your secrets or cover yet. We’ll tackle that when the time comes. For now, focus on learning to defend yourself.” The gold eyes held her gaze, a subtle message in them.
Tasia, whose wildest and most impossible dream had always been to walk amongst her brethren openly, did not press him. She didn’t want to know, she realized. They’d cross the bridge when they came to it. For her, learning to effectively defend herself could only be a huge advantage. Regardless of whatever path her future took, she’d always have powerful enemies on her trail.
Raoul leaned back, confident he had made his point.
“One day, we’ll need every able-bodied Chosen to fight back against the very idea of Lady Bethesda or someone like her” he said slowly. “When that day arrives, I want you ready. This is an uncertain world. You should have the tools to survive, even without your friends and allies by your side.”
He wasn’t to know the effect of his words on Tasia. For a mad moment, she wondered if he believed that one day, his Wyr loyalties might force him to fight on the wrong side — or at least, not the same side as her. Was this his way of preparing her to face an eventuality where they might find themselves on the opposing sides of an ideological battle? Perhaps, the bombshell about Faoladh preyed on his mind, as it clearly did on Sienna’s. At the thought, a deep pang pierced her, one of mingled sadness and alarm. She didn’t want to battle the Pack, or her friends.
Or him.
The man across from her narrowed his eyes. Raoul could sense the turmoil in her but not the reason for it. He wondered if she was nervous at the prospect of working magic, when it was something she had eschewed all her life. If so, he knew what to do. She was not a woman to step back from a challenge, so he set out to make it one.
“Using your powers effectively has more to do with your mind than anything. If a Shifter can do it, it should be a piece of cake for a Wizard.” There was a subtle note of provocation in the statement.
As he had known, it got through to her. Tasia straightened, determinedly banishing her dark thoughts.
“I’ll work hard” she assured him.
“Good.”
He glanced at his watch. They had much to discuss, but his schedule was a mess today. It would have to wait.
Tasia waited for the other shoe to drop. He had not brought up her deadly ability to poison Blutsaugers. The conversation so far had only covered her missteps working magic in the woods. While he had been fair, as usual, she was not looking forward to the rest.
“The rest will have to wait” he remarked, his eyes on his watch.
“I’d like your advice” Tasia said impulsively.
He was eminently qualified to give her advice on this. Duncan and Hawk, her usual mentors when it came to the Pack, would not do for this. With her newly acquired Pack knowledge, Tasia knew what a disaster consultin
g either Shifter would be, for a variety of reasons.
He studied her, an arrested look in the gold eyes.
“Alright.” He chose his words carefully. “We’ll give it a shot.”
“This is about Sara.”
“Yes?”
It was Tasia’s turn to choose her words carefully. “Do you think Luis is the kind of Shifter to torment Sara for being different?”
“Luis Beltran?” His astonishment was clear.
“Yes.” Tasia nodded.
“No” he said clearly, without hesitation. “If Luis has a problem with anyone, he won’t hide behind innuendos. He’s upfront. Unlike someone like Simeonov.” The last was added as an aside.
No kidding. Stefan Simeonov gives me the creeps.
“That’s what I thought” she concurred aloud.
A strange expression flitted across his face, one Tasia had trouble interpreting.
“Luis came to this country forty years ago. He knows what it is to feel like an outsider. I doubt an ambitious Hispanic kid had an easy time of it. He’s had to fight tooth and nail for everything he has today. He’s the last person to judge anyone for being different.”
Tasia stared at him, taken aback by his unexpected insight into Luis’ struggles to fit in. Of mixed heritage herself, she had not been completely immune to the baser instincts of people.
“We Chosen might believe we’re better than the humans when it comes to judging people by the color of their skin or something equally irrelevant, but we’re not immune to Si’ffa mores” he said quietly.
Luis strode into the Pack Room with Nandini in tow, to close the heavy door behind him. Tasia could sense Sienna’s anticipation and excitement beside her, as well as the curiosity of the Shifters. They had gathered here minutes ago for a briefing, at the Alpha’s direction, one timed to coincide with Nandini’s arrival.
The Alpha strode forward to greet Nandini. The Ancient girl, composed as always, glanced around the room, her eyes zeroing in on Sienna. That was the signal Sienna had been waiting for. She moved forward eagerly, her eyes on her half-sister.