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“Is my father okay?” Tegan asked quietly. The Sisters turned to her, and one of them shook her head slightly.
“Be patient for a while longer,” another of them spoke softly to her.
Tegan’s hand tightened on Michael’s even as she raised fearful eyes to Salem.
“It is ready,” Rorik announced. The Three walked out of the room, with the Great Council following. Salem pulled his son and daughter with him and caught Tove’s eye as he left. She acknowledged his look and followed quietly behind. Sloane watched, and then with a confidence he wasn’t sure he could pull off if questioned, he walked after them.
When they were all in the room, some sitting, some standing, they all looked to the Three Sisters. They were identical in all features: oval faces, small button noses, deep blue eyes, their blonde hair all styled similarly.
“Sisters?” Council Elder Warren asked after several minutes. “Why are we here?”
“We wait,” they answered as one. “He comes.”
Cord, Lucas, Garrick and Marcus all entered the room. The Prime Castors took seats while Cord walked over and stood beside Tegan. Cord looked at her and raised an eyebrow, asking if she was okay, and she gave a slight nod in return.
The Three watched them closely, then their attention shifted to Salem and Michael beside Tegan. “The Ravens of the Storm.” Ada bowed her head to the three of them. “The Forger, the Blade, the Stone. The Blade is not yet ready,” she said to Salem.
Salem shook his head in confusion. “Which is the Stone?” He looked at his son and his daughter, still no clearer as to which was which.
“The ravens, the storm,” Cornelius scoffed, his distaste at the three Holts evident in his tone. He barely refrained from rolling his eyes. It was well known Cornelius had no faith in the Sisters’ prophecies. “Andwhatis this storm?” Cornelius asked into the quiet.
“Iam the storm,” Cord said, stepping forward and surprising everyone as he drew all their attention to him. He glanced once at Marcus, almost with uncertainty. Marcus gave him a small nod of encouragement as he stood and made his way over to him. Lucas also stood and joined them. “I am the Storm in the Darkness, and the Ravens are my weapons.” Cord stood taller, straighter before he looked to Lucas, who like Marcus, gave him a nod of encouragement. “I, Cord Olezka Lebedev, bear the Mark of Velvore.” He ignored the startled gasps in the room and continued. “A war is coming, and I will fight our enemy. I bear the Mark, and along with the Stone, the Forger, the Blade”—Cord looked at Salem, Michael and Tegan—“I will fight.” He raised his head higher with confidence. “With the Alpha, the Mentor and”—he faltered as he looked to Tegan—“the Father, I will fight.” Cord’s gaze swept the room. “Iamthe Mark of Velvore, and the Mark of Velvore isme.” His eyes ran over all the occupants of the room, lingering on his brother, who gave him a huge smile. He looked them all in the eye, ready to be challenged. “As declared by the Three, as witnessed by the Ancients, here I stand.”
The room erupted into chaos as he finished. Cord looked to his left where Salem was staring at him speechless, as was Michael. Tegan met his look with a small smile and bobbed her head in response to his declaration. Cord turned to Lucas and Marcus and saw the steadfastness in their eyes. He still could not believe that Marcus believed him when he told him tonight. He had quickly told the Primes of the vision that Velvore had sent him. When Marcus had walked in on them, Cord had blurted it out to him. Thank Velvore for Lucas and...Garrick. He looked over to the Prime of the Crimson Cast, who was sitting relaxed as he ignored the chatter around him. Garrick met his look and grinned at Cord, pride shining in his eyes. Cord felt an unexpected rush of affection for the male before his attention was caught by his stepfather.
“I am the Father, obviously.” Cornelius stood pompously and went to make his way to Cord.
“Leonid Novikov should be here, standing with me,” Cord announced coldly as he looked at the Elder. “He is the Father.”
“He is notyourfather!” Cornelius snapped in disgust.
“And neither are you,” Cord said softly into the quiet of the room. He felt Tegan’s small hand slip into his and was grateful for the squeeze she gave it. She stood silently beside him, strength and resolution evident in her posture.
Cornelius ignored him. “Leonid cannot evenbea father,” he sneered.
“Cord Ivanov can sense them, the changed Drakhyn. He can feel them. Using the Mark of Velvore he has been successful in hunting them.” The Sister’s tone was cold and hard as they focused on Cornelius. “He has caused no harm toLycan. He has killedonlyDrakhyn in this war, and he will protectallAkrhyn.”
“You said you were a murderer.” Tove spoke softly, ignoring the stares of others. “The night I accused you of working with the Drakhyn, you said you were a murderer.”
Cord glanced once at Tegan, and she stepped closer to him. “The seven that fell the night of the ball…it was my fire that killed them,” Cord admitted quietly to the room. “I knew they would die when I unleashed the spell. I had to act to rid the hall of the Drakhyn, but it was my spell that took the lives of the Sentinels that night.”
“And it was hundreds that you saved when the Drakhynalsofell in your fire,” Tegan reminded him fiercely.
“They still fell by my power, little tiger.” Cord’s voice was almost inaudible.
No one spoke, and Tove stepped back as she realised the burden the Castor must carry. She had doubted him and now realised that she had been entirely wrong about him. Yes, he was arrogant and seemingly reckless, but he had beenchosen. She watched Tegan as she stood beside him, their fingers intertwined, resolute in their cause. They were so young. Tove looked at the Holt men, father and son, almost mirror images of each other, Tegan binding the three.
Are you okay?Marcus asked through the alpha link.
I am stunned,Tove told him honestly.You knew it was not him all along?
He has many irritating qualities, but harming Lycan for Drakhyn, that is not him.She felt Marcus’s amusement through the bond.Bearing the Mark, I was not expecting,he confessed.
You are tied to them now,Tove said, her voice heavy with worry.
It seems I am.
“I would see the Mark,” Council Elder Alexander said, interrupting their conversation. He looked at Cord with a cool assessment. “I do not doubt your words, Castor, I am merely curious to see it. It has never been seen on the flesh in my lifetime.”
