“That makes no sense.”
Beck flung himself into the nearest chair, and I took a seat two down from him.
“Apparently, the island women see Marinah as their champion,” he said.“They caused an endless string of problems for her, making demands and expecting her to fix everything.Then she went Nova during the battle and they saw it happen.Now they’re terrified she’ll eat their children.Cosway, along with Missy and Maylin, think that if she acts more human, the women will trust her again.”Beck’s face twisted like he’d eaten something sour, his disgust clear.
“It still makes no sense.”I covered my face with my hand for a brief second, trying to picture Marinah meditating.The stupid image that popped into my head didn’t even make me smile.Marinah wasn’t exactly the meditating type, but then again, I’d never known a Shadow Warrior who would sink to any kind of new-age crap.
“Maybe you need to go to Del Rey and check on her,” Beck suggested tightly, which made Beast grumble deep inside me.
I turned my head slightly and gave Beck a full dose of alpha.“Maybe I shouldn’t.”Whatever was going on in Marinah’s head, she needed space to figure it out.
“The Federation will attack soon.We have no idea what Knet told them,” Beck pressed.
“Why do you think he would talk?”I shot back, my irritation building.Beck’s fixation on Knet was grating on my nerves.A Shadow Warrior could have his limbs removed, and he still wouldn’t give our secrets to humans.
“I don’t think he was kidnapped.I think he went willingly.”
“What?”I barked, shoving my chair back as I stood.
Beck’s eyes practically glowed with anger; his jaw tight as he spoke.“Knet hates you.He wanted to be one of your personal guards, and when he wasn’t chosen, he blamed Marinah for his own ineptitude.The men have been grumbling about Knet for months.We’ve suspected a traitor, and Knet fits the bill.”
The urge to rip Beck’s head off surged through me.He’d kept this to himself while we’d been searching for answers.We’d known there was a traitor, but we’d assumed it was someone human.“Did you share your theory with Marinah?”I demanded.
Beck had the sense to look away before answering.“I mentioned we should forget about Knet and someone almost ripped my throat out.”
He was lucky I didn’t finish the job.
Chapter Ten
Del Rey (Love Island)
Marinah
I missed King.Four days apart was too long, and I craved him like air to breathe.My head was clearer now.The meditation hadn’t just helped; it gave me what I’d been missing.Cosway, with her calm understanding, had helped too.She had a different way of looking at the world, and now some of that had rubbed off on me.Or maybe this was the female Shadow essence that Endura had.It didn’t matter; I felt almost like a completely new person.
I knew what we had to do.The Shadow Warriors weren’t ready to attack the Federation on the mainland.The humans at the outposts weren’t ready either.We only had one option, and King wouldn’t like it, but what else was new?No, I told myself, that was unfair.He loved me and worried just as I loved and worried about him.He would understand even if I had to bust my boot against his head a few times.The thought made me smile.
“I pack bags,” Cosway said from the doorway.I hadn’t mentioned we were leaving, but she sensed what was inside me before I even understood it myself.Cosway was special in a way I didn’t quite understand.She seemed at peace with our volatile world and thrived in it.
I held up a hand to stop her before she left the room.“I want to meditate before we go.”She gave me a knowing smile, and I returned it before she walked away.
I picked up her cat, giving it the affection I wished I could give Callie.King was another story entirely.I needed his arms around me.He was a part of me, and I wasn’t whole without him.I was still glad I took this time away, no matter how hard it had been.I needed to find my feet and come to terms with several things.
Setting the cat down, I hiked to my favorite spot overlooking the ocean.I didn’t bring Bertha with me because I didn’t need her now.I had full control of Ms.Beast again.And I had it over my capacity to meditate.The ability had been there all along and now it would stay a part of me.
The breeze swept over my skin and I inhaled the salt air and distinctive taste of the ocean.Closing my eyes, I tipped my head back.The scene that came to mind was the misty corridors of the Federation compound where I’d worked.Slowly, I walked the long the narrow hallways.I had no idea why I came here or what I was looking for.I’d learned while meditating that my mind took me where I needed to go.A door creaked and closed behind me as I passed through it.I continued searching the endless halls that had been my world for so long.Each room was empty.My boots made no sound on the cement floors.
A faint buzzing in the distance made me turn my head.Familiar voices reached my ears.At first, they didn’t make sense.I stood still until the enemy became crystal clear in my mind.One after the other, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.It had been in front of me all along.Kedorine 5 surged inside me.Ms.Beast growled; her presence a solid reminder that I wasn’t alone.
I moved toward the voices and saw the faces of my enemies.Blood filled my vision.It dripped from my claws and fangs as anticipation surged.
It was pure bliss.
Chapter Eleven
The Island (Cuba)
King
