AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I will. Salem will be with me.” Cord kissed the back of her hand, reluctant to leave. “I will have one of the Ravens of the Storm beside me, how can I fail?”
“Maybe best not to mention you kissed me,again, to Salem,” Tegan said as she bit her lip. She saw Cord’s incredulous look and scuffed her boot against the carpet self-consciously. “He asked!”
“An already awkward morning made more uncomfortable,” Cord groaned as he gave her an infuriated look. “Although I wasn’t planning on telling him I had you pressed against the training room wall,” he said with a conspirator’s whisper.
Tegan laughed as she shoved him away from her. “Go, I need to go placate my brother.” With a shake of her head, she went into her room, her smile wide. Michael was sitting on her bed, reading a book on warfare. Between his stoic protectiveness and the warm feeling in her chest from the bond, Tegan couldn’t help herself, she started laughing.
They were in unprecedented times and the outlook was bleak, but there were moments of happiness and laughter still to be had, because even in the deepest darkness, the tiniest sliver of light still burned bright.
* * *
Commander Bryce stood at his desk in the Elite Sentinels’ quarters of the Headquarters and read the message again. He looked at the Castor who had delivered the message, and asked for the third time. “Are you sure?”
“I am,” the Castor told him quietly. “The Great Council, what there is anyway, has decreed it be investigated.”
“From here?” Commander Bryce demanded.
“Yes.” The Castor was beginning to wilt under the heavy scrutiny of the Commander’s stare.
“Fine,” Bryce snapped. “Tell them we will send patrols out immediately.” He waited until the Castor had mixed his powders and cast the portal spell. When he was alone, he looked at the message again.
Commander,
There are reports of attacks on Akrhyn and their Houses. These reports must be verified immediately, we cannot afford to be complacent at this time. More than ever, Akrhyn need to be shown to be strong in the face of adversity.
Council Elder Warren
Great Council
Commander Bryce strode out of his office and went to gather his Elite as his mind worked furiously on the message.
“Dad!”
He stopped to look at his daughter Kallie, who ran over the grounds to meet him. When she reached him, she was breathing heavy, but a smile lit her face. “Is there news on the trial of Cornelius?”
“No, this was something else,” he told her as he squeezed her shoulder and began to walk ahead.
“Dad?”
“Not now, Kallie, later,” he said with a brisk smile as he hurried away. He knew there was more than political or scandalous reasons why Kallie was so eager to know about Cornelius’s trial. She was eager for information on Sloane. She thought she hid her attraction from everyone in regards to the male, but she was mistaken. Bryce had seen it and had been even more relieved to watch Sloane be completely unaware of it.
“Elite Sentinel Jasper,” Bryce called out as he spotted the Akrhyn. “Can you join me?” he asked as he saw Jasper jog lightly across the grounds.
“Commander?” Jasper asked as he drew up alongside him. “What’s happened now?”
Bryce smiled grimly as he realised that was everyone’s question these days. All Akrhyn within the Headquarters were waiting for the next blow. Leonid and the Dark Prime Castor had left the day before last to solve the puzzle of the mountain and the Made within. Marcus was chasing rogue Lycans and Drakhyn through the Yukon, while Salem and Cord, along with the Great Council, were trying a traitor in the form of Cornelius Ivanov.
“Read,” he said as he handed the message to Jasper.
Jasper paled at the words and looked at his Commander. “This is bold,” he said with fury mounting within him.
“It is,” Bryce agreed grimly. “I need patrols sent. There is a list of Houses that have been targeted.” He handed the list to Jasper and cursed himself for a fool when he saw Jasper scan it quickly for his own House. “You are fine,” he said belatedly.
“My apologies,” Jasper murmured, acknowledging his own transparency.
“I should have told you that first,” Bryce admitted. He looked at Jasper speculatively. “She cannot go.”
“She cannot be protected here if we are all out there,” Jasper reasoned. “Plus, I don’t know how we can stop her.”
