AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When the Great Council were remanded and sealed in rooms with a spell that no other could break, a spell by the Mark of Velvore, Cord and Castors of all three Casts had started portalling other Akrhyn to the Northern Headquarters. Halfway through the process ofshipping Akrhyn, as Cord had bluntly called it, he had stopped, and then silently he had walked outside.
In the middle of the Headquarters grounds, he had opened a hole in the air. There was no other word for it, it was a hole. Stepping into it, he had disappeared, and then he reappeared with Sloane and the Elite Sentinels from House Ivanov. Of course it would be his brother he tried his power on, and of course it would be onlyhisbrother that caused Sloane to enter a hole in the air, without fear.
Cord called it a portal. Tegan called it insanity.
However, after he had decided which powders would complete the spell, he taught the spell to the three Prime Castors.
In a fraction of time, the grounds were full of Lycans, Castors, Sentinels, the Made...a complete mixture of Akrhyn. Working together towards a common goal, as it should be.
Castors had felled and cleared the woods, cutting a path through the trees, opening the land to attack and a base to fight from.
Cord had assured Salem that Arflyn would not let the land remain like that, it would regrow.
Tegan hadn’t been sure whether Cord’s casual reference to the Ancient as if he conversed with her daily, or the fact he was wiping out acres and acres of trees without a thought, was the reason Salem had looked ready to pass out.
Tove and Marcus had moved among the Lycan. Tegan had seen the handsome Lycan Elrick with the longer, darker haired Lycan from before by his side. Elrick had smiled at her in greeting, while the other one looked her over and dismissed her. Tegan had waved to Elrick. Without him, she feared she would never have been back at these Headquarters. Her family owed a huge debt to the Lycan.
Now in her room, she kicked off her boots and lay down on her bed. Tomorrow would be the last day to prepare for war. Michael and she had discussed returning to training, but Michael had turned to his sister, and his face had twisted with embarrassment.
“I want to spend some time with Briony,” he said carefully.
“Does she need more training?” Tegan had asked him curiously. “She will not be fighting.”
“Tegan, Briony is my...friend.”
“I know, she is my friend too.” Tegan stopped watching the fortifications being built and looked at Michael.
“Tegan,” Michael said with a raised eyebrow. “She is myfemalefriend,” he said.
“I know she is a female...oh.” Tegan suddenly understood. “Oh, I, yes, of course. Sorry.” Her face was red, and she wanted to leave the awkwardness behind.
Michael laughed at her flustered state, and leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “You are still so naive in things,” he said lightly, not realising how his words could hurt. “Have a good evening,” he said as he squeezed her shoulder slightly.
Alone, Tegan had wandered to the kitchens, hoping that her father had taken Kateryna and buried her somewhere, or at least cleared her of the kitchen so Tegan could spend time with Martha. Instead, she found Zahra with Martha, baking bread. The sight was so strange Tegan had been rendered speechless. Even more so when she realised that Zahra and Martha shared a warm affection for each other.
“Tegan,” Martha had beamed at her in greeting. “There is nut loaf in the oven if you want to wait?”
“Um.” Her eyes flicked to Zahra’s uncertainly. “I—” She swallowed. “It’s okay.”
“Martha is teaching me to run a House,” Zahra explained as she wiped her hands on her apron self-consciously. Her hair looked shinier, her complexion once again healthy. Zahra looked to be back to her former self. “Kallie is training me in the throwing stars and the throwing knives, so I can defend myself, but I think…” Zahra looked at Martha under her lashes. “I think I am suited to being a House Akrhyn.”
“You are more than suited,” Martha smiled warmly at the youngest Holt. “You’ll make a fine House one day.” Martha patted Zahra reassuringly on the shoulder.
“Is this okay?” Zahra asked Tegan.
“What?” Tegan’s surprise was evident in her voice. It was too loud, too harsh sounding. “Um, yes, of course, you do not need my permission. This is your home.”
“And you are one of the Heirs to this House,” Zahra added.
Tegan shook her head slightly as if to clear it. “Zahra, this is your home, you can do whatever you want in it, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Tegan backed out slowly, but in the doorway, she hesitated and saw Zahra watching, waiting. “Um...I like extra hazelnuts in my nut bread,” she said with a shy smile and saw Zahra blush prettily.
“Martha told me,” Zahra said with a tentative smile. “I’ll remember, Tegan.”
Tegan had left them to their baking, knowing Martha would be busy with all the extra Sentinels in the Headquarters. It was oddly comforting to see Zahra happy. Tegan didn’t understand why it gave her comfort, but she was pleased the female seemed to be accepting her life more as an Akrhyn.
With her father with his dreaded wife, her makeshift mother busy in the kitchen with her charge, her brother busy with, well...Tegan was bored. Salem was in meetings with the three Elders of the territories, Sloane replacing Cornelius for the time being, along with the three Prime Castors. She assumed Cord was off making holes in the air or with the Sisters.
All alone and feeling slightly lost, Tegan had retired to her room. As she lay on her bed, she wondered what she would do for the remainder of the evening. Her eyes closed, and Tegan knew she was tired. So much had happened, there had been no time to stop and collect her thoughts, and right then, she knew she needed to take Reflection.
