book #1 : war of beasts

#15 a snake among us

Abby decided to focus on her family and training. she needed to work on growing her gifts so that she could learn to use them in battle. David was business as usual and back to work. Abby spent her mornings with Abraham then after lunch she would train with the warriors and late afternoon she would train using her gifts. she was able to control the weather and create weather

Abby was in the middle of training when she saw someone watching her. they were hiding behind a tree and took off as soon as she looked at them. she made her way to where the person was standing. She was baffled when she realized there was no scent. The woods were making her nervous. The energy it was giving was making her feel off. She made her way back to the palace, running into a warrior accidentally. he bowed his head to her. " Your majesty, please accept my apologies. "

" Please it was an accident. no need to worry. " She picked herself up with help and started to walk away but stopped and turned wondering about the stranger watching her in the woods. " could you tell me something?"

" Anything your majesty."

" what doesn't have a scent? I swear there was someone watching me train this morning in the woods and when I went to check on the area there was no scent left. nothing at all."

" Your majesty, you should have a guard at all times out there. I need to report this right away." the warrior rushed her towards the royal living area and ushered her in. " stay here my queen. I will post guards here to keep you and the heir safe."

" wait! what wouldn't have a scent?"

" Lycans are the only thing I can think of. they can make their scent disappear and can be very dangerous. please stay here." just then David came bursting in through the door. He had a look of sheer panic on his face.

" Abby! are you ok? is Abraham ok?"

" yes David I am fine we both are."

" tell me what happened. " the guard excused himself and left the room. David watched him leave mind linking more warriors to patrol the area and castle.

" nothing happened. I was training out in the woods and I saw someone watching me. I'm not sure who it was. I went over to see and they were gone but there was no scent. nothing. I got a weird feeling so I came back to the palace right away and when I ran into the warrior I asked about it. he panicked and went all macho on me and pushed me in here."

" it had to of been a Lycan. only Lycans can mask their scent. they are masters at hiding but we haven't had a problem with Lycans in years. why would they be on our territory now? I want you and Abe under guard at all times. no more training alone in the woods. it's not safe until we know what's going on."

" I am capable of taking care of Abe and myself, but I will agree to not be alone to keep you from worrying about either of us." Abby was frustrated with his response but she knew arguing would only make him worry. she waved her hand mocking the situation a bit but agreed to have a guard at all times. " David I will do this for you but, I can't quit my training. I have a feeling there is someone within our ranks willing to start a war and sacrifice a lot of lives for this."

he couldn't help the nagging feeling. " I think it is someone in the royal council maybe. I'm not sure exactly. I have been trying to keep an eye on everyone to catch someone but so far nothing. "

" whoever it is will need to make a move quicker now that the guards are doubled. do you think our war of beasts includes the Lycans?"

" it is definitely starting to look that way. I just don't get it though. we have been peaceful with Lycans for years not a problem. so why now? and who is working with Lycans?" David kissed her forehead and held Abraham for a bit longer before having to leave back to his duties. Abby was left with Abraham and decided to bathe him. she was distracted as he played, thoughts running through her head. If the war was against Lycans would it even be a fair fight? she realized she knew very little about Lycans and their kind. they sounded dangerous but she felt there was more to it than that.

" well Abe let's get you out of this tub and will get you some dinner." she wrapped him up in a towel and went to the bedroom to change him into clothes. she glanced out the large window facing the forest. in the distance she could see a figure standing near the trees and watching her. she mind linked David as she watched the person vanish into the forest. could the Lycan be hiding on the land? how else would anyone get through all the patrols? someone had to be feeding them information. she watched as she saw warriors rushing to the area the person had just been standing. David came running in the door coming up behind her.

" whoever it was is gone and I am assuming you and the warriors smelled no scent." he shook his head at her and she picked up the baby and walked out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. questions roaming her mind. " it doesn't make sense David."

" what doesn't dear?" He grabbed the baby securing him in the high chair. and sitting down getting ready to help feed him dinner.

" How does a Lycan get past all the extra security and vanish like no one was even there and if there is a Lycan is there somewhere on our territory that the person is hiding? and who would help a Lycan? we need to find out more about Lycans. we have to assume war of the beasts is going to be wolves against Lycans and knowing more will help us." she brought over some mashed food for the baby and set it down as she gathered plates of food for them. the rest of the evening was quiet as they both rummaged through their thoughts. Thoughts that lingered thick and left the air around them stale with unanswered questions.

the next morning, they both woke up with the baby. Both took turns getting ready and waiting for the nanny. Abby planned on researching Lycans and finding out as much as she could about them. she wanted to be prepared for whatever war might be coming. she had been in the library for hours researching on Lycan anatomy and the differences between Lycans and wolves. she had concluded that Lycans are wolves but with a few differences. they were bigger than wolves and looked more beast like than their wolf counter part. Lycans were swift and strong and could travel greater distances at greater speeds. both wolves and Lycans were covered in fur. both had human and beast forms. Lycans however could mask their scent from their enemies.

out of the corner of her eye she spotted a book. there was a wolf and a Lycan on it and she walked towards the shelf to retrieve it. it was dusty. no one had disturbed it in years. she brushed it off and read the cover. war of the beasts. Abby grabbed the book and went back to her table. could it be possible that this book was on the pending war? she began reading the book.

there was a time all beasts fought. there were great wars that many perished. these wars were senseless and the need for more power grew greater. soon all Lycan and wolves were fighting for dominance and many dying at each other's hands. out of the ashes a great wolf came and touched a hand on each lifeless body. this wolf spoke the enchanted language of the moon Goddess and life was breathed back into their bodies. the beasts stopped fighting vowing to have peace amongst both wolves and Lycans. some feared this peace would not last. a high elder was announced as every detail was written in the scrolls to be kept in case another war broke out. these scrolls contained the account of who started the war and the treaty between the beasts. the scrolls were entrusted to the high elder to keep safe and sacred. these scrolls would tell the events of everything that happened. the Lycans and wolves vowed to live in peace with each other so that none may die in vain for greed again. "

Abby knew that the scrolls they read had nothing about this. even the books she read about the war gave no indication of Lycans being involved and not really that informative. were the elders and high elder purposely trying to deceive them? Abby grabbed the book and left the library trying to keep its existence a secret. she knew that someone was trying to hide the truth. someone within their midst was a snake. she had to warn David about the scrolls and the books existence. did the elders want him dead?

David?

yes my queen?

I found something. we need it to stay quiet. meet me at home as soon as you can.

I will finish up the meeting with the elders and high elder and be......

tell them nothing. you can't trust them.

There was an urgency in her warning that David fully understood. Abby closed the mind link and made her way to their living quarters. she knew she couldn't trust them and wanted David to be careful of his words with them. they were hiding so much, and she knew they gave the false scrolls to throw them off. she hid the book under her mattress and waited for David to come. there was a knock on the door, and she went to see who it could be. when she opened it there in front of her stood high elder Ryan. her guards outside bowed their heads. " please come in high elder. David should be home at any moment did you want to wait for him?"

he stepped slowly inside his eyes searching around the room. she wondered what he was looking for or if he knew about the book. " your majesty, my purpose is with you. please forgive me for not giving you time to prepare for my arrival." Abby closed the door behind them and she gestured towards the kitchen. he made his way to the table and sat down. His face was stoic, showing no emtion or giving any secrets away. Abby was nervous as the silence was thick with tension between them.

" may I get you some tea or anything else to drink?" Abby tried to hide her beating heart that was trying to race out of her chest. she took a deep breath grabbing two cups from the cupboard and filled them with hot water adding a tea bag to each cup. " sugar or milk?" He nodded his head as she brought the cups to the table. she then brought little dishes of lemon sugar and milk. she sat watching him as he slowly took a few scoops of sugar.

" it appears you know something more child that you aren't telling. please tell me what you have found."

" Nothing really. I'm not sure what you are trying to get at? there wasn't anything much in the scrolls and the books. was there something in particular I should have been looking for? it was all pretty generic." she raised her eyebrows curiously at the high elder. she knew he was digging. he knew something but was fishing for something. she raised the tea to her lips and swallowed a mouth full. she heard the door open and never took her eyes off of the high elder. she was going to continue to play his game and win.

he smirked at her. The first time showing any emotion for the briefest of moments before his usually stoic face went blank again. " fine." he took a deep breath holding it for a brief moment then released the breath he held. Abby looked curiously at him wondering what he meant. " I wanted to send you the actual scrolls, but, the other elders were angry at the way you spoke to them and refused to give you any information. "

" I already figured as much. especially knowing nothing mentioned the previous war of beasts. " his eyes grew bigger as he realized she knew the truth. David had come beside her and sat down. the conversation had become intense. the air was thick with the tension.

" it isn't just the Lycans. there is a snake among us helping this war along. I can't prove it but I know. information is getting leaked. you need to protect yourselves. I know there is a Lycan in our territory possibly more than 1." high elder Ryan looked frightened at what she said. his face was filled with sadness and shock. The moment was growing more intense as they spoke.

David looked surprised and angry at the same time. he slammed his fist to the table the anger oozing from his body. " you and the elders tried to hide information that was necessary for a pending war because a female dared talk to you in a certain way? that in itself is a crime and you of all people know this Ryan!" high elder Ryan dropped his head in shame. Abby reached out to David putting her hand on his and rubbing it up and down soothing and calming him. " your actions are treason in itself. we need to prepare for a possible war with the Lycans. let the other elders know they are on alert. these actions could have cost a lot of lives. let's hope it isn't too late." David stood up and walked out of the room towards the bedroom.

Abby smiled at him. " I won't lie I am very disappointed in all of your actions. however, the fact that you are telling us the truth however late this is, I respect that. against the other elders wishes, you chose to do the right thing. so tell me who you believe is working with the Lycans."

" someone very close to you."