With a grinning nod, Iris looked around the room. It was quiet and empty except for a few of the Alpha’s servants. “I need to ask you something. Did you have anything to do with the vision that I had the other day? I know that there are some Griffin who can will things for the betterment of their people, and this definitely would be on that plane.”
The Alpha furrowed his brow and shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't know what you mean. What was your vision about?"
Iris eyed him for a moment, suddenly realizing that she had become suspicious of everyone. But this was Calvary Armstrong, a man with impeccable morals and someone who cared more for the Shifters than the entire council combined. "The vision came over me suddenly; my mother was with me. She told me about a mountain were at the top of the highest peak, a stone is buried. She said that stone was placed there by my great-great-grandfather and that I needed to retrieve it."
Calvary lifted an eyebrow. “Did she say why?”
Iris nodded. "Two reasons. She said that the stone had latched itself to me and that when I finally find my mates, it will be the key to controlling the powers that emerge. But more importantly, someone else is after it. She didn't say who or what, but she said that they are searching for it and that if they are to get a hold of it, they could control the whole Shifter world."
Iris watched him as he stood there, obviously caught up in his thoughts. After a couple of seconds, he glanced down at her and nodded his head. "Come with me. I want to show you something."
Iris followed along, walking across the vast open meeting area, through a smaller door in the back corner, down a long stone hallway, and then descending the spiral stone staircase. At the bottom, they took a right and headed down toward the door at the end. However, before reaching it, the Griffin Alpha suddenly stopped in his tracks, Iris almost ramming right into him. She backed up, putting her head down and clasping her hands in front of her. He smiled as he reached up, tapping her finger to several of the stones before pushing the last of the group inward. Iris’s eyes grew large as she stumbled back, watching the wall begin to shift and move, creating a doorway.
He grinned and stepped to the side, putting out his hand. "After you."
Iris peaked in, hearing the sounds of voices coming from inside. She thought about it for a moment, and shrugged her shoulders, heading in. There was a small entryway that looked the same as the hallway but with a glass door. Calvary reached around her and opened the door, following after her as she very slowly walked into the room. She stood in shock, finding anything other than just another castle-like room within the corridors beneath the building. Instead, it was a large modern-looking area, with what looked very similar to a laboratory or headquarters for an organization. There were computers and monitors everywhere, desks, an actual science lab to the right, and an enormous amount of people milling about, working on various things. Straight ahead on the wall was a large screen flashing with different pictures of landscapes across the country.
Calvary walked up next to her. “This stone is a sacred object to the Griffin. Those that are trying to steal it, they know this. They also know the power that it holds. And while the stone may be loyal to one over the other, anyone can wield it at their will. Those with dark intentions can wreak major havoc on not just the Shifters, but the humans as well.”
Iris nodded. “My mother told me all about it. Though, I have to admit she never told me about this.”
Calvary chuckled and began to walk forward with Iris hurrying next to him. "I had a vision the day that you became a High Alpha. It showed me everything I needed to know about what was going on with the stone. It also showed me the same thing that it showed your mother that the stone belongs with you. It was to sit there until an Alpha of Royal descent, a member of the Griffin's, took their place as leaders of all the Shifters. You are the first of that kind."
This revelation made Iris nervous, unsure she was worthy of wielding such a powerful magical object. After all, she had just become High Alpha. "And do we have any idea who is after it?"
Calvary took a deep breath. "I know for certain the Bat Shifters are involved. The Bat Shifter Alpha has cronies everywhere. Those Dark Shifters that still linger within the shadows and hope for a day that they can avenge the Great Wars." He turned toward Iris and looked at her with concern. "My vision also showed me something else. If the Bat Shifter Alpha gets his hands on that stone, the third Great War will begin. The outcome of this war is unknown, but from my visions, I know that many will die, including your sisters."
Iris's face dropped, and her fists began to curl. No one messed with her sisters, no one. That was one thing about her, beyond the sarcasm and wit; she was fiercely protective over her girls. They were her best friends, despite not having spent a lot of time together as adults. She would go to the ends of the earth for them. "We have to stop this Bat. That being said, I need to know much more about the stone. I need to know what it's capable of, what we're working with, and how I retrieve it."
Calvary smiled and nodded toward a room to the left. “I thought you might say that. Come with me.”
Iris followed Calvary into another room, a meeting room of sorts with a large table and projectors. As they walked inside, Iris glanced over at a man standing there, his hands in his pockets, reviewing some paperwork. He was extremely handsome, it struck her almost immediately, but he didn't seem like her type. He was wearing a sweater vest, a blue and white button-up shirt beneath it, khakis, and loafers.
The Griffin Alpha walked over to him and shook his hand, smacking him on the arm. “Thank you so much for coming here. We knew that we would need you right away. I know that you have a lot going on right now.”
The man nervously nodded, his eyes deflecting the Alpha's stare. Iris didn't blame him, though; Calvary was a bit intimidating. "Of course. When it comes to the sanctity and safety of the Shifter species, you know that I'm one of the first people you can call."
The man's eyes shifted up toward Iris, and Calvary's followed. The Griffin Alpha put his hand out toward her. "Iris, this is Professor Frodi. Professor, this is Iris, daughter of Omera, and High Alpha."
Chapter Five
Iris smiled and walked toward Professor Frodi, reaching out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
The professor glanced at her hand and shuffled his feet, obviously not knowing whether to bow, shake her hand, or possibly even runaway. However, as their hands joined, Iris felt a spark run up her arm and into her chest. It took everything for her to avoid pulling away in a startled fashion, but from the glistening in Professor Frodi's eyes, she could tell that he felt it too.
Calvary walked around the room, commanding it as he unintentionally did. “Professor Frodi is a Raven Shifter. While he works at the local college, he has been studying Shifter lore, history, and ancient artifacts for decades.”
Iris’s eyes moved back toward him, her brow furled. “I mean no disrespect, but you don’t look much older than I do.”
He smiled, his teeth perfectly straight and white, small dimples in his cheeks, and amusement in his stare. "Thank you. But I'm not as young as I may look. As a Raven, our lives last a very long time. Of course, not as long as a Griffin, but long. The difference is that our human form ages in Raven years instead of human years. So, even though I'm older, I still look to be around your age."
Iris scoffed. “That’s lucky.”
The professor looked down, his cheeks red. “I’m actually not that old at all. But I’ve been having visions ever since I was a small child, and those visions were almost like living two lives.”
“And you know a lot about the stone?” She asked.
The professor shuffled around his papers again and nodded. "I do. Originally, the stone manifested itself in the keep of the magician. Where it was before that, we aren't quite sure, but that magician gave it to Iliana, a Griffin Princess. The Princess knew instantly that the stone held the ancestral powers of the Griffin and that it was light and peaceful. It was meant on
ly for those who wished to do good for all the Shifter races. It was passed down through the years until that fateful day when it was buried on the peaks by your great-great-grandfather."
Iris nodded. "That's what my mother told me in my vision. She came to me in sort of a projection form. And the stone sat at the peaks of the mountains ever since then?"
Frodi nodded, his eyes drifting off as if he were visiting another place in his mind. "Indeed. However, if you take the trails up the mountain, you'll find the remains of dozens of men who've attempted to climb the mountain to find the stone. Certain enchantments were placed on the mountain climb to protect the stone. However, the Ancestors had anticipated that the stone would eventually just become an old story, not something that people still attempted to find. Their enchantments have been useful thus far, but with the growing strength of magic within the Shifter realms as well as technological advances, I fear that the enchantments won't last forever."
“Why don’t the Ancestors just up the ante, and place new enchantments?” Iris asked.
Calvary sighed. "Because even in the plane of the Fields of Moribund, there are rules. More like laws of the universe. It's the same reason why your mother had to come to you as a projection instead of physically. They are only allowed to interject in the living world to a certain extent. Your mother and I attempted to retrieve the stone to keep it safe while she was alive, but we weren't able to find it because it wasn't meant for us. The enchantments kept us far enough away, even for your mother's magic."
Iris shook her head, beginning to pace. "If that's true, then I'm not sure how you expect me to be able to surpass these enchantments."
Frodi smiled. "Quite literally because you are a Griffin. You have to understand that the Griffins have a stronger magical ability than most other types of Shifters. When you combine that with the fact that you are the High Alpha, sprinkling in the fact that the stone was left specifically for you, it creates the perfect recipe for success. But beyond even that, your powers will expound beyond anything that you understand when you find your mates. Your powers will be so strong you will have a difficult time fully controlling them. When you have the stone in your hands, when it is back where it is supposed to be, you will be able to use that stone to channel that energy. Through that, you'll not only gather greater control over your magic, but possibly even surpass the intensity and immense strength of your own mother's powers."
Iris chuckled, shaking her head. “Now that I have a hard time believing. Let’s be honest here. My mother was royalty. She was Omera, the mightiest of all Shifters, crossing the boundaries between worlds, able to do things that no other Shifter on earth can. How could my powers possibly get any bigger than that?”
"Because they won't be the same," Calvary interjected. "Your powers will be much stronger, and they will focus on other things. You have the mixture of your mother's blood and your father's blood, a Griffin within you. That special concoction is something that rarely ever happens and creates a power in the universe so strong that even the one holding it struggles to control it. We are but mortal creatures; no matter how long we live, we can die. It is only natural for a mortal who holds that type of magic, to struggle controlling it. It has been written in the Griffin stars that you would eventually come forward, and here you are."
Calvary's smile made Iris smile, and she felt a comfort with him like she would her mother, or maybe a father figure. She took in a deep breath and clasped her hands in front of her. "Then it seems that the only option we have is to go and get it ourselves. Between what you've told me and what my mother has shown me, I see that this is a race against the clock. We have got to retrieve that stone before the others get it."
Calvary clapped his hands together. "I knew that you'd say that eventually. We've taken the liberty of preparing some weaponry to help you in your human form. The rest will be up to you."
"If you allowed me, I would like to accompany you," the professor said, stepping forward. "We can use the map that I've created that should lead us at least close to the stone. Once we reach there, your connection with it will draw us in until we can find it."
Iris smiled at him and nodded, finding comfort in knowing that he would be with her. They headed out to the area where Calvary had packed a bag for each of them. Iris thanked him, taking his hands in hers. "I will not fail us; I will not allow the Shifters to fall victim to the Bats or any other Dark Shifter. I do need to go into the city, to find replacement pieces to rebuild my harness, and then we can be on our way."
Frodi agreed, piling several stacks of papers into his bag and slinging it on his back. “Then let’s waste no more time.”
Calvary saw them to the entryway into the caverns, but didn't go any further. "I wish I could accompany you, but unfortunately, this is a task for you and those meant to go with you. I'm not one of those people. We will be here, waiting for your return, to celebrate the triumph. Remember that your mother is always with you."
Iris blushed as Calvary bowed to her, and the Griffin's beyond him in the city stopped to watch. Turning, Iris tossed the hood of her new velvet blue cape over her head, something the Griffins had given her to keep warm on their journey until she could turn to her beast. She followed Frodi quietly back out into the caverns, and up to the top of the ravine. There, they found a black tinted SUV waiting for them. Going into Lordone was very strict for Shifters. You could not turn into your animal and had to be careful about entering and exiting the city. The humans were very precious to them, and they didn't want any type of drama resulting from a confusing shift in front of a human. So, they would be driving into the city and most likely further than that even.
Frodi drove, Iris finding her nerves were too entangled to drive safely. She leaned her head back against the rest and turned it toward the Professor. "This might be a strange question, but how deep do the powers of the Raven go? I've heard you can see through someone else's eyes."
Frodi glanced over at her with a grin. "Ravens have an array of powers, each personal and specific to their human forms. I'm capable of seeing through other's eyes, yes, but it is an extremely exhausting task. I try not to use it very often."
“Have you used it on me?” Iris asked.
Frodi shook his head. "No, you're the High Alpha. That would be punishable, I'm sure. I decided to let you alone with your thoughts, undisturbed."
Iris smiled sweetly, looking out the window as they entered into Lordone. “I appreciate that.”
They headed to different stores along the route, Iris quickly entering the shop empty-handed and returned each time with armloads of odds and ends. She dropped them into the trunk of the SUV, and they moved on to the next. As she plopped down in the front seat after returning from a small hardware store on the corner, she let out a breath. "That should be all I need."
"Good," Frodi replied. "Just one more stop and we can be on our way. The roads should take us the majority of the way there, though I know the countryside can be dangerous for Shifters, so we will need to keep our eyes open."
“Understood,” Iris replied.
She watched as they headed down a quiet sleepy street on the edge of town. Frodi pulled into the parking lot at the back of an old stone church and shut off the lights. Iris didn't feel the need to ask him where they were going; there was a trust in her chest that she couldn't shake. As they reached the staircase, she glanced over at a giant statue to the right, shrouded in shadows. It was the outline of an enormous lion with large beautiful wings sprouting from its back. It was a strange sculpture for a church, but Iris didn't think much of it.
She followed the professor down the steps and into the catacombs of the church. They maneuvered right and left, down long hallways, and into the crypts. They weren't quite as creepy as Iris had imagined, only ever seeing the crypts of a church in movies. She watched as Frodi ran his finger along the edge of one of the stones on the wall. There were markings on it that she didn't understand.
He pressed his hand in, and the st
one descended, revealing a hidden pocket where a single folded piece of paper sat. Frodi carefully took the paper out and tucked it into the inside pocket of his jacket. With a nod, they walked back out, Iris feeling a tingle of nerves building her stomach. She looked back behind them, but there was nothing in the dim light of the hallways. As they climbed back out of the church, her nerves erupted even stronger. She reached out for Frodi's arm as they reached the outside, but she was too late. Freezing in their steps, Frodi and Iris stared around at least a dozen men, dressed in black, standing around the churchyard.
“Dark Shifters,” Iris hissed.
Frodi put his arm out in front of her. “Even as dark ones, they won’t dare to shift here, not in the center of a city.”
Iris narrowed her eyes. “Then I guess it’s hand to hand then. I’ve been itching for a fight.”
Chapter Six
Iris rolled her shoulders and stepped forward, her eyes roving back and forth between the shadowed, covered faces in front of her. They were all larger men, all hiding behind black masks. Iris could feel the energy pulsating through her, almost stronger than she had felt it before. Frodi stepped up next to her, his eyes trained on one of the figures straight ahead of them. Iris took a deep breath and darted forward, heading straight for another. Her arms moved quickly, throwing jabs and hooks, spinning on her heel as she kicked the guy in the side of the head.
He went down like a sack of potatoes, and she turned to the next without pausing, moving through her actions with ease and calmness she hadn't known before. She had been trained to fight, but she had never been able to get through the movements as quickly and fluidly as she was at that moment. She sprung backward onto her hands, clamping her feet on both sides of the masked intruder's neck. Using her arms, she bounced upward and twisted her body, taking him to the ground. As she did, her body rolled on top of his, and she punched him hard in the throat.
Her Sky Mates Page 3