by Petra Landon
But as Tasia stared up at the charred and mutilated structure, an eyesore in the immaculate resort, dread filled her heart. Lady Bethesda had never terrified Tasia, only her ambitions, because at the end of the day and despite her crimes, she was but a powerful and power-hungry Wizard who’d lost her way. No matter how much magic she had in her, a Wizard could never overcome or overrule the First Ones or even a band of resolute Wyrs. That very limitation to her abilities and powers had given Tasia a measure of relief. But now, she perceived that someone infinitely more powerful and terrifying had joined the game; to leave behind an audacious reminder of the havoc he could wreak, before disappearing into thin air. A Magick capable of such terrible destruction could not be stopped by a divided people and Tasia knew, even better than other Chosen, about the fractures and discord that divided her brethren.
The English Shifter moved closer to examine the ruins and their Ancient host joined Duncan to answer his questions. Roman took in the silent duo, their eyes on the twisted and buckled edifice before them. It did not need a genius to guess their thoughts.
Shooting a quick glance at his host, engrossed in a discussion with Duncan, Roman moved to join the ladies.
“It looks bad” he remarked, pitching his voice low. “But it was likely for show. Our hosts believe that this was merely a diversion.”
Nandini’s eyes went to him but she said nothing. It was Tasia who asked him. “Any guesses at who did this?”
“I’m working on it” Roman assured her. “Once they open up to me, it should not be hard to identify him. By his actions, he’s left behind enough hints for us to single him out.”
Tasia hoped fervently that Roman would succeed in his quest to get answers from their Setik hosts. Once they uncovered the identity of the Mage though, it was another story. That is when the real work would begin; to persuade him, counteract him or oppose him, depending on what they discovered. Yet, her apprehension would not be alleviated. Combating an Archmage would prove to be a far more onerous challenge than halting the advances of a Guardian. She, for one, was enormously relieved that the Alpha had agreed to not waste the magic bequeathed to him from his mother.
Nandini gestured at their host, examining the debris with Duncan. “Have you told him why we desire the information, Roman?” she asked.
Durovic’s brows drew together. “I’ve told him what he needs to know.”
“Right” she quipped. “Why share with him the grave threat the Chosen face, when you can always get what you want another way!”
Roman’s expression darkened. But before he could counter her, their host rejoined them. Tasia made for Duncan and Nandini followed her. After a last glance at them, Roman accompanied their host back to the lodge.
“Anything?” Tasia asked the English Were-Alpha.
“Their assessment of the damage inside indicates that something very powerful crushed the building, causing it to fold into itself. Our host indicated that normally, destruction like this would be the result of an earthquake. But since the effect was so isolated and no seismic activity of any kind was reported on the day, they’ve ruled it out.”
Tasia’s eyes drifted to the burnt-out shell. “What about the charring?”
“As the building caved in, the mangled electrical wiring inside caused a blaze that blackened the façade” he explained.
“So, if it is magic that caused this, the Chosen is someone to be wary of” Nandini murmured.
“It is magic that caused this” Duncan stated unequivocally. “Even the Ancients of the resort are in agreement with that, Nandini. Only the Archmage responsible for this destruction seems to be in contention.”
Nandini frowned. “They have suspects?”
“If they do, they didn’t share it with me. Roman has his work cut out for him. The policy of protecting their guests’ privacy is paramount to the resort. If word got out that they outed a Mage, their business would suffer the consequences. It would be different if the explosion had caused any injuries. But he merely struck an uninhabited building. Thus, the resort is only interested in identifying the Mage to ask him to pay for damages. That is all.”
Nandini’s gaze moved to the ruin again, doubly convinced that Roman’s subtle scratching of Setik backs was unlikely to get them the answers they needed.
Duncan looked at Tasia, his expression carefully neutral. She gave him a discreet nod. Much like the arena, the air here reeked of spent magic. But unlike the pit, with its mixture of different kinds of magic, the hue here was distinct. She strolled around the damaged building, using her sixth sense to catalogue the results. But the magic was concentrated by the structure, lessening in intensity dramatically away from it. Tasia glanced speculatively at the forest beyond, wondering if there was any way to pick up the trail. If the Magick had used his powers elsewhere in the rainforest bordering the resort, she’d be able to pick up on it. The hue of the Chosen’s aura was distinctive and she would recognize it anywhere.
“Should we take a look at the forest, Duncan?” she inquired, knowing that he would take the hint.
“I’ll join you” he offered promptly. “Nandini?” Duncan invited their companion.
She shook her head. “I’m going to check on Sienna.”
As Nandini strode away, Duncan stopped Tasia from walking onto the grounds that surrounded the lodge.
“I take it you found what you were looking for?” he asked her.
She nodded. “I want to see if there are remnants in the forest.”
He arched his brow. “You want to track him by the magic he worked?”
“The magic is unique and strong” she attested. “It’s very distinctive, Duncan.”
“I see” he murmured, glancing back at the buckled building. “Does a trail lead into the forest?”
She shook her head. “No, but there could be something to pick up in there.”
“Then, may I suggest a turn around the lodge, before we check the forest.”
As always, Duncan offered sound advice. Tasia concurred with the strategy. By all accounts, despite the shattered condition of the structure, the Mage had merely set out to create a diversion here. If so, there was likely to be traces elsewhere — whatever this explosion had been used to divert attention from.
They set off on the well-worn path that skirted the perimeter of the square-shaped lodge, with the stadium rising to its west. Duncan, steady and patient as always, allowed her to set the pace. They walked slowly, with Tasia meandering towards the grounds when she sensed something suggestive of the magic hue she tracked carefully. Every now and then, she came upon remnants of other magic. She guessed they were left over from the resort invoking protections, to guard its guests when The Games or other Chosen conferences were in session. As she was about to give up hope, she sensed what she’d been searching for. At the northwest corner of the lodge, a distinctive hue hung in the air. Signaling to Duncan, she tracked it to its strongest concentration.
“Here?” the English Shifter asked laconically. From a cursory glance, the section of the lodge looked very much like the rooms they’d been accommodated in.
Tasia affirmed his query mutely. By mutual consent, verbal communication was kept to a minimum between them. The Shifters were scattered but the lodge was staffed, not only with the owners who lived on site, but also by employees and vendors. Vehicles rolled into the courtyard periodically, to bring supplies and necessities. The runway in the jungle was not idle, though Tasia couldn’t tell whether the hive of activity at the resort was usual or a result of their presence.
“I’ll have Roman find out who the rooms here were assigned to during The Games” Duncan said to her. He cast a glance at the grounds beyond. In the distance, the lush green of the rainforest beckoned.
“Walk with me, Tasia” he suggested, hoping they might get lucky again.
Paths crisscrossed the ground here, trodden by guests and staff from the resort. They walked for twenty minutes, to enter the rainforest. The trees were mightier and
the ground glistened with mossy shrub. But they could not catch the scent of the Magick they searched for. It was winter and the days were short. As the first signs of the approaching sunset appeared in the sky, Duncan turned them back towards the resort.
Sienna, Nandini and Jason met them on the third floor of the lodge where they’d been assigned rooms. The first thing Tasia noted was how carefree Sienna seemed, a sharp contrast from Corfu, where the revelations from Faoladh and the Seer’s interpretation had noticeably weighed her down. It gladdened Tasia’s heart. She hoped this trip would help Sienna fight the inner demons that continued to plague the Wizard.
Roman joined them, to announce that the hosts had offered trips into the rainforest for anyone wishing to enjoy the rich bounty offered by Belize.
“And, they’ve agreed to release information about which sections of the lodge were assigned to the Clan, but without any specific names” he added.
Duncan looked pleased. “How did you manage that, Roman?”
“I merely hinted that we suspect the explosion is related to the disappearance of the girl traveling with the Vampires.”
“Were they surprised by it, Roman?” Jason asked curiously.
“I don’t believe so. I suspect they’d already drawn that conclusion. Monseigneur’s Blutsaugers did not exactly attempt to hide that they were scouring the forest for a missing member.”
Tasia stood by the window, her eyes on the distant forest. Muted lighting illuminated the path that encircled the resort, separating it from the grounds beyond. Even after just a day here, she found it beautiful and tranquil, a haven enclosed by the lush rainforest. The owners had done a fantastic job with the eco-lodge they’d aimed for. Sound and light pollution was kept to a minimum, allowing for a serene setting, relaxed atmosphere and of being one with the untamed environs. The air was crisp with the hint of rain, under the benevolent gaze of clear skies with twinkling stars and a gleaming moon. Just shy of a full moon tonight, the vivid beauty of earth and sky provided a gorgeous backdrop to showcase the lodge.
Sienna and Jason had slipped away after dinner, like a pair of mischievous children agog at an adventure. Roman had clearly been spoiling for an argument with Nandini, who seemed equally determined to avoid it. Duncan had excused himself soon after — Tasia suspected that the forest beckoned the Shifter, like his Packmates. Tasia had left the two Ancients to the brewing confrontation and retired to her room. Excited by the prospect of a rainforest excursion, she looked forward to an early night. But once in the room, the window and the vista beyond had beckoned her.
As her eyes took in the darkened grounds, her magic senses stirred. Something was on the move in the forest beyond. It emerged into view soon — a man striding towards the lodge. She knew who it was, his magic a unique combination of Wyr with unusual hues. He seemed to sense her too with his Shifter abilities, for as he neared the resort, he changed direction to make for her, coming to a stop beneath her window. In the muted light from the many tiny and cleverly camouflaged lamps that lit the roughly hewn path outside, he beckoned her to join him.
Anticipating a stroll through the rainforest, Tasia made haste to don a jacket. The winter months were rainy and cold in Belize. He ushered her away from the lodge. The plump moon lit their path and Tasia had little trouble following him. He didn’t provide an explanation, merely striding deeper into the forest. And she didn’t ask him for one, assuming that distance from the resort would allow for private conversation. They walked for a half hour through a lush jungle not yet dense enough for the canopy to hide the glowing moon in the sky. The Alpha seemed to know his way in the forest, making turns to change direction a few times, until Tasia no longer knew where they were with respect to the resort.
By a sturdy tree, with densely-packed overhanging branches that provided protection from the elements, he stopped. Tasia watched as he reached for a neatly folded blanket under the tree. He opened it, to glance at her. Tasia made for the blanket, wondering at the unusual invitation. This was a strange wooing from him.
He lowered himself by the blanket with his usual fluid grace. “You have it wrong, witchling” he remarked. “I’m not wooing you. Haven’t started yet. You’ll know when I do.”
Tasia’s eyes shot to him. His face was shadowed and all she could discern was the glint of gold.
“You’re not looking for a Shifter” he said. “You declared that to the Lair at large. I’m as Shifter as they come but if I act the Wyr with you, you’ll run in the other direction.”
Considerably startled by his words, Tasia wondered where he was going with this.
“Not going to chase you, witchling” he declared, reclining on the hard ground to stretch his legs. “I’m going to make you chase me.”
An astounded Tasia gaped at him. But he said no more, carefully tilting his face so the patch of moonlight could catch him. She waited, wondering if she was to be disconcerted some more. The man had a knack for confounding her. But the more she ruminated, the more she had an inkling of his campaign. Her concerns were being subtly negated one by one, even as he disarmed her. The person under the Shifter Alpha was emerging, like a butterfly from its chrysalis — the man, she was drawn to, separating from the Wyr who made her wary. Was she willing to walk away from him, merely to safeguard the interests of those that had sacrificed her mother without a fight, Tasia asked herself for the umpteenth time? Countless hours of reflection had shown her that it was the only thing stopping her from giving in to her heart’s desire. It might also blow apart the façade of her heritage but Tasia no longer worried about that scenario. If the Alpha guarded a Wizard under Pack protection assiduously, merely because he had given her his word, he would never allow anything to touch her after she was more than an obligation. As for him, if the unthinkable came to pass, he would never exploit any powers he gained. Not the man who refused to use his Spell Caster magic because he had cause to reject his Wizard heritage. More crucially, she trusted him to not betray her so. And, for her final concern, whatever path his Wyr code of conduct guided him down, he would never abandon her or betray his principles. If history had shown her anything, the world could be an unfair place. She should not sacrifice her dreams because a prophecy hinted that he might end up fighting on the wrong side.
As the silence engulfed her, Tasia shoved away her troubled musings, to relax and enjoy the forest. They were in a smallish grove, the ground matted with thick grass that glistened in the moonlight. Everything around her appeared drenched from a fresh shower. At least, the ground under the tree was dry, she mused, making herself comfortable on the blanket. But under the fabric, she could feel the solid lumps jutting out from the earth. At the realization, her eyes wandered to the man on the hard ground.
“The blanket is big enough to share” she offered.
“Don’t need it, witchling” he murmured, keeping his face angled to catch the stray slivers of moonlight the awning branches above them allowed through.
He closed his eyes, savoring the silver rays that caressed his face. “Duncan says you found traces of magic near the explosion.”
Tasia wondered when he’d encountered the English Were-Alpha. “I did.”
“A Deadly?” he asked.
“Yes” she confirmed, still troubled by the dread the Archmage induced in her.
“Any guesses to what kind of magic he possesses.”
“I’ve never come across any auras like his” she admitted.
“But?” he prompted her, as she fell silent.
“He might have some Blood Elemental in him” Tasia said.
He opened his eyes, to stare up at her. “Blood Mage?”
“A few drops” she postulated, before qualifying her answer. “Maybe. His aura is like yours, hard for me to interpret. Too many different hues interspersed together in a complicated web.”
“He could be mixed, like me” he suggested.
“It’s possible, though there’s nothing to suggest any magic not from the First Ones.”
“Any luck in the forest?” she asked him.
“No” he responded. “But I hope to have better luck tomorrow by tracking from where you found the second set of magic. That was good work! Duncan will ascertain tomorrow if those quarters were assigned to the Lombardi party.”
Tasia wondered whether he was disappointed at finding no trace of the Archmage in the forest. As Duncan had observed, luck would play a huge part in any discovery. The rainforest stretched for acres in all directions.
“If he did aid her to escape the leeches, they’d avoid going south” the Alpha stated.
Tasia was surprised. “But that is the closest route to civilization” she remonstrated, recalling the information from the resort brochure in her room.
“And thus, the likeliest direction for the leeches to hunt them” he pointed out.
Tasia digested the information. “Where do you think they went?”
Raoul answered without hesitation. “If I were him, I’d head for the densest section of the rainforest quickly, because that is the best shot at evading the leeches. I don’t know what he is but he’s got some unusual powers — he snatched the girl out from under Monseigneur’s nose, despite the entourage guarding her.”