by Jane Godman
Lidi turned her head, catching him unawares with the radiance of her smile. Was this how it felt to be under the influence of a magic charm? Could that be what was going on here? Was there a chance that the mystery woman called Allie was a sorceress who, instead of a cat, had chosen a dog as her familiar? Had she sent Bruno to continue her work, weaving a charm that pulled Ged in deeper by the minute? He already knew the answer to that question. He was under a spell; that much was for sure. But there was no magic involved. The truth was a whole lot simpler and scarier.
The cause of his enchantment got to her feet, brushing crumbs from her jeans. “Tell me about the plan once we reach Frankfurt.”
“When we get to Frankfurt we’ll fly to Anchorage in Alaska. From there we’ll travel to Russia, and cross the Callistoya border in Siberia.” He studied the screen of his cell phone before leading the way across the square and down a winding side street. They walked on a little farther. Ged was about to take a left turn into a narrow road that would lead them to the park when Bruno started to behave oddly. Instead of continuing to prance eagerly at Lidi’s side, the little dog sat down and refused to move. When Lidi tried to coax him, he flattened his ears, dug in his heels and stayed in place.
“I’ll carry him.” As Ged reached down to pick him up, Bruno, who was trembling all over, started to whine and look back in the direction from which they had come.
“He doesn’t want to go this way.” Lidi pointed to the road into which they had been about to turn.
Ged’s lips tightened. “I think it’s about time Bruno learned who is in charge around here.”
Lidi placed a hand on his arm. “No, Ged. Look. He’s terrified.”
She was right. Ged’s respect for Bruno’s intelligence might not be high, but he couldn’t ignore the evidence from his own eyes. Something around that corner was scaring the hound half-to-death.
“Take Bruno and wait on the steps of that church.” He indicated a building they had just passed. The doors were open and people were going in and out. He figured that if there was any risk, Lidi would be safer among a group.
Her face paled. “What about you?”
“I’m not going to put myself in any danger. I just want to find out what the problem is.”
She cast a nervous look in the direction of the street before nodding. “Be careful.”
There were a number of things he could have said in the instant before she turned away. He could have told her that for the first time in a long time, he would be careful. Until that moment, he had been a reckless fighter, seeking danger and exulting in it. Walking around a corner into the unknown would have been exactly the sort of situation he’d have sought out. Now he would take care. Because of Lidi. Because he finally had a reason to be cautious.
Because I want to see how our story ends.
“I will.”
Although Bruno willingly went with Lidi when she walked toward the church, he did cast a few looks in Ged’s direction as though questioning his decision not to accompany them. Ged watched them walk away, then turned the corner into the street that had caused the dog so much anxiety.
At first sight, he couldn’t find any cause for concern. The road was short, with a few shops and cafés on either side, and he could see the park gates at the other end. As he progressed slowly along the sidewalk, he became aware of voices. A group of people, hidden from his view, were talking loudly, apparently disagreeing about something.
As he drew closer, his heart rate kicked up a notch. Genoa was on the northwest coast of Italy. It was a cosmopolitan area. It wouldn’t be unusual to come across a wide variety of languages in this region, so Ged wasn’t surprised to hear a tongue other than Italian. What did shake him was that the conversation he could hear was being conducted in his own language. Since it was not known to mortals, Callistoyan was not usually spoken outside his homeland.
Keeping close to the buildings, Ged moved stealthily toward the voices. When he reached an olive oil shop, he paused. After this point there was a break in the line of buildings. A quick glance around the corner showed that his next steps would take him past the courtyard of a large bar. It also confirmed the presence of a group of five male bear shifters.
Ged wanted to listen in on their conversation, but he was not yet close enough, and he needed to remain hidden. Another swift look revealed a narrow alley between this shop and the bar. Crouching low, Ged slipped into the alley and found a space between two dumpsters where he could stay close to the ground and hear what was being said.
“We are wasting our time here, Artem.” The speaker sounded frustrated.
“I agree, but do you want to be the one to tell the king we have failed in our mission?”
There were a few moments of silence followed by the sound of glasses being placed on a table. “Coming to Genoa was a mistake. While we’ve been chasing our tails here, the Rihanoff woman and Gerald Tavisha have been able to get away.”
There was a thud, as if a fist hit a flat surface, then an enraged growl. “I stand by my decision to check this city out. This is where that damn boat was headed, the one owned by Tavisha’s friend. If Tavisha hadn’t shown up when he did, the others would have been able to snatch the woman then.”
“So what now? The mortal realm is a big place. We have no way of finding them.” The words, as well as the tone, conveyed both despondency and fear.
“True, but we know the woman has an incentive to return to Callistoya.” It was the voice of Artem, who Ged surmised was leader of this group. “Her father is imprisoned there. To get there, she will have to cross the border.”
“The king has already ensured that Tavisha cannot make the transition from the human world into Callistoya. The spell that has been cast means his banishment is permanent.” The laughter that ensued made Ged clench a fist hard against his thigh. “All we have to do is wait for the Rihanoff woman to show up at the crossing point.”
“You are sure she will take the conventional route?”
There was a spluttering sound as though Artem, having been caught unawares, had choked on his drink. “Are you crazy? Even the Rihanoff spitfire would not brave the mountain crossing at this time of year.”
Ged had heard enough. Easing his way carefully out of the cramped space, he made his way back to the street and headed toward the church where he had left Lidi and Bruno.
Chapter 10
Lidi sat on the church steps and hugged Bruno close, keeping her eyes fixed on the point where she had last seen Ged.
“I should have gone with him.” Until Bruno licked her hand, she wasn’t aware she’d spoken out loud. Ruffling his silken ears, she sighed. “What was it? What did you sense in that street that frightened you so much?”
The dog gave a whine and ducked his head under her arm as though keeping out of sight. If Lidi hadn’t been so worried about Ged, she’d have laughed at his antics. It was nonsensical to suppose he could understand what she meant, even though that was how it appeared. He seemed determined to turn away from the street where Ged had gone. Lidi might even have suspected he was hiding his face. But that was nonsensical. He was a dog, incapable of such a complex train of thought.
Her mind refused to stray far from Ged. What would she do if anything happened to him? She didn’t mean the question in any practical sense. She was more than capable of looking after herself. But in the short time since they had met, she had come to depend on his companionship as much as his support. Now, she couldn’t imagine her life without him in it.
Telling herself it was foolish to think that way, that one day, sooner rather than later, she would have to cope without him, didn’t work. Right here, right now, she was gripped with a paralyzing fear that she might never get the chance to tell him what he meant to her. Which in itself was a problem. Because...what did he mean to her?
She wasn’t sure she could put her fledgling emotion
s into words. Physically, he sent her senses into overdrive. And, because she was new to this, she couldn’t be sure that wasn’t all there was to it. What if she was mistaking desire for something more?
“How would I know?” She asked Bruno, and the dog tilted his head to one side, as though attempting to understand what she was saying. “It’s not like I’m experienced at this sort of thing. I hardly know any men.”
Bruno gave a bark, which she took to be a sign of encouragement. She soon realized it was something else entirely. The dog had turned away from her and was wagging his tail. As she looked up, the source of his excitement became obvious. Ged was walking toward them.
All her soul-searching about her feelings became meaningless. As she tucked Bruno under her arm and ran to him, she took a moment to register the truth. This was more than physical. Meeting Ged had been like opening the page of a new book and finding there were stories within it that were so wonderful they took her breath away. She was still finding her way through the layers of these mysterious new emotions, each discovery as wonderful, and, at the same time, as life changing, as the last.
“Hey.” Ged caught hold of her as she charged into him. Unable to hold her close because of the dog who was squirming and trying to lick his face, he leaned in and briefly pressed his lips to her forehead. The caress instantly grounded her and chased away the gnawing anxiety. “I told you I’d be okay.”
“What happened?” She clutched his sweatshirt with her free hand. There was a strong possibility she might never let him go.
He looked over his shoulder. “Not here.”
They walked downhill from the historic city center, heading toward the port. Although the colder weather meant that many of the quayside cafés were closed, a few had remained open. Finding one that was dog friendly, Ged chose a table overlooking both the harbor and the roads that approached it. Lidi could tell his selection was deliberate and waited for him to explain why.
He got straight to the point. “A group of Vasily’s men were in the street that Bruno was afraid to go down.”
“Oh.” While he ordered coffee for them and water for the dog, she considered the implications of what he was saying. “Does that mean they know we are here?”
“No. They suspected we could be, but, from what I overheard, they’ve given up the search and are about to leave town.”
Lidi slumped back into her chair, relief hitting every part of her body. “Surely that’s a good thing?”
“It’s not a bad thing.” Ged’s attitude was cautious. “It means they’re moving on. For now.”
The waiter brought their drinks and Lidi remained silent until they were alone. “It sounds like there’s more to it.”
Ged explained that he had listened in on a conversation between Vasily’s men, during which they plotted to wait for her at the magical border that existed between the human world and Callistoya.
“They speculated that you would take the conventional route, since no one would attempt to cross the Callistoya mountains during the winter months.”
Her lip curled. “They may lack the courage to do so. I do not.”
Ged sighed. “How did I know you were going to say that?”
Lidi frowned. “None of this answers the question of how you will enter Callistoya.”
He took a sip of coffee before answering. “There are several ways of getting to Russia. Going via Alaska is not the most direct route, but I have my reasons for choosing it.”
She reached across the table and took his hand. “Does that mean you think there may be a way you can bypass Vasily’s magic spell and cross the border?”
“I know someone who may be able to help.” There was a distant look in his eyes as though he was briefly gazing into the past. “We’ll know for sure when we get to Anchorage.”
While they were taking, Bruno had made an alarming discovery. It involved his tail. This strange, plumy, waving thing was following him and, no matter what he did, it wouldn’t stop. In a determined effort to get rid of it, he started charging around in a circle, growling and snapping wildly at his rear end.
“I have a horrible feeling that canines are considered superior to bears on the intelligence scale,” Ged observed.
Lidi laughed as Bruno, exhausted by his exertions, flopped, panting, onto his side. She looked up at Ged. “He did warn us not to go down that street.”
“Do you really believe that was anything other than coincidence?” His expression was skeptical.
She gave it some thought. “Yes, I do. Bruno knew there was danger awaiting us and he did everything he could to stop us.”
Ged shook his head. “He was frightened, Lidi. Pure and simple. Maybe he sensed Vasily’s men were bear shifters—”
“Oh, no.” She pounced quickly. “If that’s the case, why is he okay with us? We’re bear shifters, but we don’t scare him. And there’s more to it.” She was warming to her theme now, a mild suspicion growing into a certainty. “You heard what Rico said. Last night, Bruno turned up in the square around the same time we did. He left the stage when we finished our dance. Then he showed up outside our hotel. He was looking for us, Ged.”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he finished his coffee, keeping his eyes on Bruno. Eventually he turned his gaze back to her. “You really think the furball is some sort of protector?”
“Don’t you?”
“I’m not sure what to think.” He reached down and rubbed the top of Bruno’s head. “But I guess we’ve got ourselves a traveling companion after all.”
Luckily, he gripped the sides of his chair in time to steady himself as, with a squeal of delight, Lidi leaped up and threw her arms around his neck.
* * *
That night, after Ged and Lidi had danced, they boarded the coach with Rico and the other performers and set off on the journey to the German city of Frankfurt. They both carried lightweight backpacks containing a few changes of clothing. Lidi also had the forged passport that had cost Ged a fortune to arrange in such a short space of time. Ged, having lived in the mortal realm for so long, already had documents to prove his human identity.
Bruno, who wore a new red leather collar and matching leash, had taken an initial dislike to the idea of being confined on the bus. After a few minutes of vocal objection, he had heaved a long-suffering sigh and fallen asleep on Lidi’s knee.
Before long, Lidi, her head eyelids drooping, had also succumbed to slumber. Ged carefully eased her head onto his shoulder, shifting his position to ensure she was comfortable. He knew from years of experience of touring with Beast, on a considerably more luxurious bus, that he wouldn’t sleep. Leaning his head against the window, he watched the lights of the freeway flash by and gave himself up to his thoughts.
This was a journey he had convinced himself he would never make. Because of shifter immortality, human and Callistoya years were different. But in mortal time, thirteen years had passed since he had left his home. He had barely reached the age of shifter maturity when his life had been destroyed by the assassins’ silver blades.
He couldn’t pretend that everything about the intervening years had been bad. Although his friendships with the members of Beast and the band’s success had undoubtedly been the highest points, there had been other triumphs.
Khan described Ged’s rescue missions as the Red Cross for shifters. Ged was proud of those words and of what he’d achieved. There were men and women—wolves, dragons cats...shifters of every description—who were only alive today because of the network of liberators he had established. But underlying everything there had been an ache that couldn’t be assuaged.
Home. Callistoya had been the pain in his heart that wouldn’t go away. He had denied it, even without knowing it.
It wasn’t about wearing a crown. Ged had always known that. It was about the principles his father had stood for and the proud name of Tavisha. It wa
s about the history of their family line and the land bequeathed to them by the descendants of Callisto herself. For a long time, he had been unable to see past the grief and shock caused by the massacre of his family and friends. Feelings of guilt had overwhelmed him. He should have been able to prevent what had happened. He should have protected Alyona. Even once he had been exiled, the feelings of inadequacy persisted with his inability to find his brother.
He knew he could have made more of an effort to return. When his only attempt had ended in failure, his emotional turmoil had raged out of control. By closing the border with a magic spell that excluded Ged, Vasily had been one step ahead of him. Unable to see a way out of his predicament, Ged had been forced to leave the resistance in his uncle’s hands.
“The Tavisha name will rise again.” Eduard had placed a hand on Ged’s shoulder. “You cannot see it now, but one day your broken spirit will heal.”
Thirteen years. Every day, he had waited for a sign that his uncle’s prediction was coming true. That Vasily’s reign was ending. That his own fear and inertia toward his exile were subsiding. It had never happened.
Ged had always assumed he was seeking a transformation that would start within himself. That, whether gradual or instant, his own attitude would be the catalyst he sought. Now he knew he had been wrong. He glanced at the slender figure beside him, and a warm feeling washed over him. His uncle had been right. It was Ged who had been mistaken. One day was here. Lidi was the change he had been waiting for.
She had lifted him out of the trough of his own despondency, making him search for possibilities when in the past he had only seen barriers. The difference was internal, but she was the driving force behind his new approach. Her full-on attitude made him realize he had been living a half-life, hiding from reality. Looking back, it was as if, after the horror of what had happened, he had crawled under an imaginary comfort blanket and stayed there, waiting for the world to come to him.
And it had. In the most unexpected, exciting way imaginable. As Ged stared at Lidi, Bruno opened one eye. Yawning, the dog stretched until his head rested on Ged’s knee.