by C. L. Bright
When he broke the kiss, he kept his mouth close to mine as he asked, “Did Geori try kissing you?”
I laughed and swatted his chest. “No, he’s another male shapeshifter who’s fallen for your cousin.”
“He has?” Dante’s eyebrows shot up as he released me.
I nodded.
He considered what I’d said. “I like him better than Alaric.”
I let out a bark of laughter. “Geori?”
“Yes, he may be moody, but he’s not hurting my cousin.”
“He’s not as bad as I thought he was,” I admitted.
“So, he plans to pursue Serena?”
“He’s holding off on that,” I began. “I think he’s right to wait. Now’s not the time.”
“No, it’s not,” he agreed. “Let’s go track down Peony.”
Chapter 35
It wasn’t easy finding Peony.
“Peony!” I shouted when I saw the demon hurrying toward the wooded area behind her home.
She didn’t stop or even acknowledge me.
“Gee,” Dante began in a dry tone. “I’m starting to get the feeling she doesn’t want to talk to us.”
“You caught that too?” I asked as we raced after her.
“Why are you following me?” she demanded without sparing us a glance.
“Why are you trying to avoid us?” I asked.
She stopped walking and glared at me. “Why would I avoid you? Did it ever occur to you that I have other matters to attend to?”
“Peony,” Dante began in a patient tone. “I understand you’re busy, and I know helping us could put you in a difficult position.”
“Yes, it could,” she snapped. “I’ve worked hard to build my life here, and you want me to risk losing it all to help you. I don’t even know you.”
I glared at Dante, certain the demon was going to turn down our request after he’d mentioned her fears. He caught my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before continuing.
“I know you’re probably worried we’ll reveal the truth about your identity to those who may want to use it against you. You don’t want the rest of the world realizing you’re not a witch.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you threatening to reveal my identity if I don’t help you?”
Dante shook his head. “We have no interest in getting more innocent people killed. You aren’t causing us or anyone in this area problems.”
She let out a startled bark of laughter, still looking tense. “Innocent? I’ve never been accused of innocence.”
“You aren’t hurting anyone with your deception,” I added.
Peony relaxed some and nodded. “I don’t hurt many people, only those who deserve to be hurt. You shouldn’t have come to me. It’s not fair.” She stomped her foot.
“I’m sorry my situation is causing you stress,” I said honestly. “Until recently, I never appreciated how hard it could be to try to build a new life like you’ve done for yourself here. The day my stepmother betrayed me, I lost everything—my safety and my home. There isn’t a safe place for me, so I understand your desire to feel secure. I’m sure Dante does as well. He can never return to his home.”
She studied me before nodding. “Yes, you’ve both been through a lot. Do you honestly believe it will be safe for you in the Heathergate Refuge, even if you kill your stepmother? Do you think they’ll accept you now that you’re bound to a spellcaster? And what if they do? Can you step back into your old life? I couldn’t, even if I was welcome. Sometimes, we change too much to ever go back.”
“No, I can’t just return to my old life. I’m no longer the same person,” I admitted. “The changes aren’t bad. I’ll be able to make a real difference as the leader with my new knowledge.”
“What about your warlock?” she asked. “Where is he supposed to be while you’re making those changes? He’s not a shapeshifter, and your people won’t accept him.”
“I didn’t think I could accept a shapeshifter before I met Juliet,” Dante stated. “I doubt Juliet believed she’d ever bring a spellcaster past the Ivorfalls. We can all change.”
“Change.” She spat out the word as if it left a foul taste in her mouth. “Few want change if it means giving up the hate that fuels them.”
“You’re right, but I’m not giving up Juliet, so they’ll just have to get used to me being around. Are you going to help us?” Dante asked.
She hesitated before nodding. “I think you’re fools for trying, but when you get yourselves killed, I’ll no longer have to worry about you revealing my secrets. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. I’ll make your bracelets later today, and you can set out on your suicide mission. How many do you need?”
“Nine,” I replied.
I’d planned to travel with Dante, Serena, and Sin, but Alaric insisted that he and the other shapeshifters go with us.
She snorted. “Nine. She wants nine bracelets.”
She spun on her heel and stalked away, but not in the direction she’d originally been heading.
She stopped and cursed before turning to wave an angry finger at us. “You’re both a distraction!”
She stomped off in the right direction, still complaining under her breath.
“I think your speech touched her,” Dante remarked.
I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but I laughed at the suggestion of Peony being touched by anything. “No, I think she’s hoping we’ll get killed.”
“Either way, we’re getting what you want,” he said.
I frowned. “This isn’t what you want, is it?”
He shrugged. “I want to be with you, and I know this is important to you.”
“If you could go anywhere with me, where would you go?”
“I’d take you and Serena back to the place where I met Sin,” he replied without hesitation. “That’s not an option. Neither of us can hide and ignore what’s going on. I doubt I’d be welcomed back, anyway. It was less safe for them when I was there.”
“I hope we both feel safe again someday.”
He squeezed my hand. “Me too.”
Chapter 36
Peony had four bracelets ready for us that evening.
“Only four?” Alaric asked. “We need more than that.”
“Stop complaining,” Serena told him.
Peony smiled at her. “He’s worried you’ll leave him behind, and he won’t be able to protect you. The foolish male doesn’t appreciate your strength.”
“Few do,” Serena replied with a smile.
“This was all I could manage,” Peony told us. “It takes a lot of energy, and I can’t afford to drain myself to the point where I can’t protect my people. If you come back in a week, I can have the others.”
“We can’t wait a week,” I replied.
“Juliet is right,” Dante agreed. “It’s too risky for us to stay in this area another week. The bracelets will allow me, Juliet, Serena, and Sin to enter the Heathergate Refuge.”
“I don’t need a bracelet,” Sin announced. “That spell isn’t designed to keep demons out.”
“It might have been nice to know this sooner,” I complained. “You could have gotten word to my father.”
“I’m not a messenger,” Sin snapped. “Besides, they wouldn’t likely have given me a chance to talk. People don’t usually welcome help from demons.”
“You’re right,” I replied. “Sorry for being so rude.” My attention shifted to Peony. “Thank you for all you’ve done.”
She nodded. “You can stay another night and set out in the morning.”
She walked away without waiting for a response.
“I’ll take the fourth bracelet,” Geori offered. “I’m the best fighter among us.”
“Second best,” Alaric corrected him.
Geori waved off his words. “Fine, second best, but you can’t go with us. You’re too high ranking among our people. You and the others should head back.”
“I am your alpha,” Alaric tol
d Geori through gritted teeth. “I decide who accompanies Serena, and you aren’t going.”
“Why shouldn’t it be Geori if he’s your second best fighter?” I asked. “No one else in your group is likely to volunteer.”
Alaric glared at me. “Since when do you even like Geori?”
I shrugged. “I don’t hate him, but I wouldn’t exactly say I like him. That isn’t a requirement for him coming with us. Why are you arguing against this so hard?”
Alaric didn’t want to let Serena go without him. That seemed like an even stronger argument for leaving him behind.
Alaric wasn’t thinking clearly. He was acting volatile, like a male shapeshifter who’d recently found his mate. At the Heathergate Refuge, males were put on light duty when they first met their mate because they were so hard to deal with.
Since there was no magical bond between Alaric and Serena, I suspected his temperament would level out once they were apart. He usually seemed calmer when she wasn’t nearby, so distance could be just what he needed. The only other option was claiming her as his mate, and he’d made it clear that would never happen.
“If anyone should go, it’s me,” Alaric bit out. “I’m better in a fight.”
“Which is why you should stay with the rest of your people,” Dante told him.
“Exactly,” I agreed. “You’re their leader and responsible for their safety.”
“It’s time to let me go, Alaric,” Serena whispered.
Alaric snorted. “This isn’t about you, Serena. We’ve already discussed how any relationship between us is impossible.”
“Yes, you have.” This time, there was a note of sadness in her voice, as well as a finality. “It’s time for you to go home. We appreciate all you’ve done for us, but this isn’t your fight.”
“You know I’m the right choice to go with them,” Geori argued. “I’m expendable where you aren’t. Besides, none of us want to return and be forced to explain your absence.”
Alaric still didn’t look happy, and he was glaring at his friend as he replied. “I don’t know if you’re lying to me or if you’re blind to your real reasons for going with them.”
“Knock it off, Alaric,” Serena warned. “I am not in the mood to put up with your stupid games. Geori is my friend. Even if he has an ulterior motive, I trust him, and I like him.”
Alaric looked down at his feet, clenching and unclenching his fists before letting out a tired sigh and nodding. “You’re right. I’ll let the others know.”
He stormed off, barking out orders at the other shapeshifters.
“That was intense,” Sin remarked with an eager smile. “I’m so glad she made four bracelets instead of three.”
Dante rolled his eyes and muttered something about demons and drama.
“Are we leaving now?” Geori asked.
“No, I think we should wait until morning,” I replied. “Tonight, we can make our final plans and get a good night’s sleep.”
“You should put that bracelet on before Alaric changes his mind,” Serena suggested as she gestured to Geori’s wrist.
“Why?” Geori asked. “He could still order me to take it off and give it to him.”
I shook my head. “It’s not that simple. If you take it off, the bracelet is ruined.”
“Good to know,” Geori responded as he snapped the bracelet around his wrist. “Well, I’m committed now.”
I put my bracelet on and said, “Hopefully, you don’t regret that by this time tomorrow.”
Chapter 37
I’d worn a bracelet my entire life, up until my stepmother had taken it from me, and it had always felt like a part of me. I hadn’t noticed the soft hum of magic in those many years, but I noticed it now. After a few hours, I got used to the sensation, but the others still seemed bothered by it.
“I hate this bracelet,” Geori muttered as he scratched around it.
“Stop messing with it,” Serena told him with a frown. “You’ll irritate your skin.”
“Or break it,” Dante added.
“They’re fairly durable, but I wouldn’t want to test its strength when we can’t get a replacement,” I stated.
Geori studied his bracelet. “They look delicate. I’m still surprised they adjusted perfectly to the size of all of our wrists. How do you keep them on your entire life? I’m not sure I could wear this thing for long.”
I shrugged. “They’re put on shortly after birth, so we’re used to them.”
The bracelet's spell allowed it to grow with us, so there was never a need to change one unless it got broken. I’d only heard of that happening twice.
“You’ll get used to the magic,” Serena assured him. “I’m already finding it easier to wear. It’s a lot more comfortable than that ankle cuff I had when I was under house arrest.”
“Let’s stop talking about the bracelets,” Dante suggested as he pulled his sleeve down over his. “We’re close to a trading post, so it would be best if we head off the trail and make our way east for a short time to avoid any Azureans.”
“Or enemy shapeshifters,” Serena added.
I nodded. “It’s best if we don’t run into anyone until we get past the Ivorfalls. I’d prefer to find my father first. He’s the only one I know we can trust.”
Dante squeezed my hand before releasing it. “We’ll be there soon.”
“I wish we had more shapeshifters with us.” Geori suddenly froze.
“Someone’s coming,” I whispered.
We all hurried off the trail and crouched in the bushes.
I remained perfectly still as I listened to the group approaching on the trail. They were talking loudly, clearly not afraid of being overheard.
“This is a waste of time, Kaine,” a male complained.
“Do you have something better to do with your day?” the male who had to be Kaine demanded.
“Anything is better than wandering around in this cold weather,” the first male replied.
A female laughed. “Cold? You’re too weak to be a Shadow Walker, Paulo. It’s a perfectly nice day. Besides, if Kaine hadn’t pulled you from rotation, you’d be on the peninsula where the wind is much colder.”
I looked over at Dante, and he seemed just as surprised by the presence of the Shadow Walkers. This wasn’t their hunting territory, and I’d never heard of them venturing so close to the Heathergate Refuge.
“Are we really going to use that excuse about getting tapaberry salve from the Azurean trading post?” Paulo asked.
“That’s what I told the others we were doing, and they bought it,” Kaine replied. “Could you stop complaining? We’ll be back home soon. I swear, I’m never taking you with me again.”
“I was hoping for a good fight,” Paulo complained. “Isn’t that why you’re here, Calista?”
“Nope,” Calista replied. “I came because I need tapaberry salve. Kaine’s excuse worked out well for me. Now, let’s finish this wild goose chase and grab the salve. I have three patients who need it, and I’m running low.”
“All right, Cal,” Kaine replied. “We should be able to head back soon.”
We waited several minutes to allow them to put more distance between us before stepping out of the bushes.
“Why are there Shadow Walkers this far out?” Serena asked with a frown.
Dante shrugged. “That’s an excellent question. Tulurean healers travel to these trading posts for supplies, but we rarely see any Shadow Walkers out this way.”
“They said something about a possible fight,” Geori remarked. “Do you think they might be planning to attack the trading post?”
“Not likely,” Dante replied. “Azureans and Tulureans may not spend much time together, but we aren’t at war. I can’t see any reason a Shadow Walker would attack a trading post.”
“Regardless of why they’re out here, I’d like to avoid them,” I replied. “They’re probably not happy about me impersonating a Shadow Walker.”
“Yes, we should stay far f
rom the Shadow Walkers,” Serena replied.
Dante gestured to a break in the trees on the other side of the trail. “This will take us around the main trail and let out near the Ivorfalls if I read the map right.”
I shook my head. “Actually, I think we need to go this way.” I pointed behind us, not surprised when the others frowned. The brush was thicker, and it would be harder to pass through.
“The route you’re suggesting is too well-maintained,” I explained. “Someone is using it, and we don’t know if that person is an enemy. I think we should avoid that path.”
“She makes a good point,” Sin agreed. “I think we should take the less-traveled trail.”
“All right,” Dante agreed. “Do the two of you want to change into animal form.”
“No,” Geori replied without hesitation. “Let’s get moving.”
“All right,” I reluctantly agreed, not sure staying in human form was safest. “It might be a good idea if we take out the hoodies we got from Peony.”
Geori looked uneasy. “I don’t know.”
“I’m not sure I trust the spell she put on those,” Dante added.
“They’re fine,” Sin argued. “All they do is help hide your identity when you have the hood up.”
Serena nodded. “She’s right, Dante. We examined the spell and didn’t find anything unusual.”
“How much do spellcasters know about demon magic?” Geori asked as he pulled the hoody from his pack and eyed it as if it might bite him.
Sin glared at him. “I know a lot about demon spells. Are you calling me a liar?”
“He doesn’t know you well enough to know if he can trust you,” Dante reminded her.
Sin’s attention shifted to Dante. “Do you trust me?”
Dante nodded. “I do, and if you say the spell is safe, then I’ll put on the hoody.”
“Then let’s go!” Sin changed to a large black dog and trotted ahead of us.
“How long until we get there?” Serena asked as we all put on our hoodies and followed Sin.
“An hour at most,” I replied as a feeling of foreboding washed over me.
“Are you okay?” Dante asked with a hand on my shoulder.