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The moment it’s on, the pack leader sucks in a breath, eyes lighting up as an ethereal glow engulfs her. Her fists clench and a tinkling laugh falls from her lips. “A sense of euphoria washes through her as the necklace’s power floods through her. ‘The power, it’s extraordinary,’ she states, awe covering her features.” Peter’s expression grows darker and I swallow, something in my gut coiling anxiously. Logically I know it is not really Nessa and doesn’t actually affect her, but it’s still her face. Fear isn’t always rational.
The Págos pack leader smiles, but it’s not a pretty one. It’s one that’s tainted by her new weapon. “She thanks the boy before sending him away. ‘Let the Fotiá come,’ she says,” Peter states, shaking his head at the woman.
Peter moves back to the Fotiá’s side of the stage. “The Fotiá pack trusts their people to take care of the temple, and that they’d never dare steal from it, which means they’ve never had the need for guards. So when they go to their temple for their afternoon prayer, and they discover that the necklace has been stolen, they’re shocked. The pack leader trusts his people and knows that they would never do something like this so their suspicions turn to that of the Págos pack.” Peter steps back, now remaining off to the side of both packs, his voice echoing through the quiet room.
The scene shifts, showing the leader of the Fotiá pack taking two guards with him to meet with the Págos’ people. “The Fotiá are a peaceful people, so when they request a meeting with the Págos’ leader they offer her a deal. ‘Return the necklace to us and we can go our separate ways with no consequences,’ the Fotiá offer. But the Págos’ leader refuses, so the Fotiá leader is forced to return home empty handed and prepare for war. For they must avenge that which was stolen from their Goddess.”
The scene swirls showing flashes of both packs preparing for war. “While they ready for battle though, turmoil is fraught in the Págos pack. Their leader has begun to demand taxes at the end of each week, and extra gifts of food, clothing and other extravagant displays of worship at the end of each day. Bleeding her own pack dry.”
The scene skips to the day of the battle. Each pack stands in a group, weapons at the ready. The leaders are at the front of the group and with shouts for justice, they run at each other. “And so they fight—Págos and Fotiá at war for the first time in history.” The people clash, swords, knives and many other weapons, even some magic is used to try and gain the upperhand. “It is at the Págos leader's hand that the first man is slayed.” She severs his head with a clean swipe of her blade and he vanishes in a cloud of grey smoke.
“Eventually, the Fotiá pack falls, all dead but their leader, who stands unarmed in front of his enemies.” The Fotiá spreads his arms wide, expression resigned as the Págos leader stands before him. “She strikes him down before commanding her warriors to slaughter the remaining woman and children. That night she feasts, relishing in her win and all of the treasures from the Fotiá pack she now has, endless riches, and many items of worship.” As the cloud of smoke engulfs where Corin was just standing, he appears in his seat again, sucking in a quick breath but appearing fine otherwise.
The Fotiá’s small village fades away so only the Págos remain. Peter moves to their side slowly, features drawn. “But it isn’t enough,” Peter says, voice sad as he observes the Págos pack.
Time speeds up, showing the daily life of their pack over a few weeks in under a minute. We watch as the Págos’ people grow weaker, the people freezing in their houses as winter sets in and the first death occurs. Snow swirls through the village and covers the surrounding landscape. “Their leader demands too much. Slowly her people starve. All of the riches, clothing and necessities she’s been gifted, sit around her home unused while her people die. Yet still she wants more. She dreams of searching for more packs to rob, ways to gain more power until she’s as strong as ten dragons, not just one. She grows blind to her people’s suffering and ignores their pleading for help. Too focused on her own hunger for power to care, until they’re all gone. And it’s too late.”
“One by one, her people die. Women, children and men alike. They attempt to steal from her at first, when they realise she’s not going to help, but by then it’s too late, they’re too weak and die at her hand. Everyone vanishes into those lifeless grey clouds of smoke. Just gone.” The scene shows it all, the pain and terror on her peoples faces as they realise that they’re going to die. The families curl up together as they fade away with no other choice, while the harsh winter rages around them.
“By the time she realises that she’s alone, the Págos pack leader is confused and distraught and goes on a rampage through her village to try and find her people. When she realises that they’re all gone, she shatters.” The Págos pack leader falls to her knees in the snow, screaming until her throat is hoarse. Tears roll down her cheeks, turning to ice in moments and in a fit of rage she tears off the necklace and tosses it away from her. “All at once she realises how lost she became to the need for power. How weak she was for allowing the greed for power to control her like that. As the realisations slam into her she curls up into a ball in the snow. If she allowed her people to freeze and starve to death, then she too deserves that fate. And so the last member of the Págos pack dies.”
Nessa vanishes in a puff of smoke, only to reappear flickering in an ethereal light in the centre of the stage. Peter moves around her as the Págos’ village disappears as well, leaving only Nessa and him on the stage. “Though the tale of the two packs ends in tragedy, it teaches you a valuable lesson. Don’t let your greed for power rule you, or your greed in general. It will only end in bloodshed and tragedy.”
Peter waves his hand around Nessa and she disappears, reappearing in the seat beside me. Peter keeps speaking, finishing up his show but I lean in to make sure she’s okay.
Nessa
I sit back in my seat, my mind racing through everything that just happened and scrub a hand over my face. Looking down I find that I’m back in my leggings and comfy T-shirt, rather than my warrior outfit.That was intense,but the lesson is now ingrained in my head and it’s a good one too.
The rest of Peter’s words are a blur to me and I wave away Dylan when he leans in to make sure I’m alright. I’m fine, just thinking about my magic.
The world doesn’t come back into focus until Corin’s hand cups my throat gently and my eyes lock on his. “How are you doing? That was a little intense.”
I let out a slow breath, his touch centering me, and his eyes swirling. Goddess that is cool. “How do you do that?” I murmur with a slow blink, feeling sleepy all of the sudden.
He cocks his head, studying me with an intensity that from a stranger would make me uncomfortable, but Corin is not a stranger anymore. He doesn’t answer my question, but his hand tightens around my throat infinitesimally and goosebumps prick my skin.
“You haven’t answered my question,” he says, voice low, and I don’t bother mentioning that he hasn’t answered my question either.
“I’m fine, big guy. How about you?”
His eyes don’t leave me and he doesn’t loosen his grip. I don’t think my Mountain Man believes me—I mean,theMountain Man. “I’m alright,” he finally answers, then releases my throat, rubbing my jaw gently before he pulls away completely.
I honestly have to fight the urge to pout at the loss of contact.What the hell is wrong with me?Oscar swoops in and wraps his arm around my shoulders, guiding me to a side door of the concert building. When my brows draw down in confusion, Dylan laughs. “You wanted to meet Peter properly, remember. Though I suppose you probably got acquainted with him on stage.”
Oh, that’s right. I smile and follow them inside. Hopefully it’s quick, after the performance and the huge day, I’m exhausted.
As though he knows exactly what I’m thinking, Oscar leans in and whispers, “Don’t worry, we know you’re tired. We’re just going to pop in to say a quick hello, then take you home.”
My shoulders slump in relief and I nestle into Oscar’s side more, smothering a yawn.
Peter is all smiles when we step into the empty entrance hall and he’s changed out of his fancy robe get-up. “Dylan speaks very highly of you, my dear. It is lovely to meet you properly,” Peter says, grabbing my hand in both of his, giving it a gentle shake before releasing me. He offers a firm shake to Oscar and Corin as well.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” I say, somewhat flustered by the fact that Dylan has mentioned me to him.
The guys pepper Peter with questions about the marketplace and I just listen with a smile, too tired to add anything. After we’ve had a thorough introduction and Peter tells us a funny tale of Dylan when he was younger, his eyes laser in on me. “You look really tired, dear. I’ll let you guys go, but it was great to meet you and I look forward to seeing you again.”
I nod and thank him for the amazing show, my eyes half closed and I smother another yawn. Goddess, the day’s definitely caught up to me. The guys lead me out and through the still busy marketplace, towards the place Oscar first portalled me through.
