Chapter 2-1
2091 Words
Chapter Two
“The mourning period has ended. Day one has come and nearly gone, and all is quiet. Why is it that sometimes the silence is scarier than an enemy's battle cry?” ~Lilly
“Are you ready?”
Lilly turned at the sound of Perizada’s voice. The high fae was in full battle gear and appeared ready to kick someone’s—anyone’s—ass, possibly even Lilly’s would do.
“Are you expecting a fight inside Fane’s study?” Lilly asked.
“One can only hope.” Peri crossed her arms in front of her. “Considering the wolves that are circling out in the woods like pansies won’t step up and fight, I should get to beat the crap out of someone.”
Lilly straightened her shoulders and shook out her hands. “You and Jen really need to stop hanging out.” The queen’s skin buzzed, and her blood felt hot in her veins. It was a weird sensation, but one she’d begun to notice lately when she let her emotions get the better of her.
“Are you on crack?” Peri’s eyes took Lilly in like a hawk tracking its prey.
“First”—Lilly held up a finger—“how do you know what crack is? And second,”—another finger joined the first—“why would you ask that?”
“Think about it. I’ve been alive for a very long time. I am curious as to why the humans do such stupid things. Occasionally, I have to try some of these stupid things myself to see what all the fuss is about.”
Lilly raised a brow at the high fae. “So you did something stupid because their stupidity made you curious?”
Peri rolled her eyes. “When you put it like that, it sounds stupid. But you try living for a millennia, or three, and see what you try out of sheer boredom.”
Lilly thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. Who was she to judge? Her brief life had been filled with unbelievable joy and crushing pain. Crack sounded pretty good.
“Don’t even think about it,” Peri snapped, pointing her sharp nailed finger at her. “You are not trying crack.”
“You realize that’s like telling a teenager that s*x is not as good as the TV shows and books make it out to be, right?”
Peri frowned.
“Okay…” Lilly tried again. “It’s like telling Thia not to eat candy because it’s not good for her.”
“So what am I supposed to say? Here, go ahead and have this s*x, candy, and crack because I know you will anyway?”
Lilly’s eyes widened. “Umm, no. Definitely not. Let me give you some motherly advice. Never, ever have children.”
“You say that like I want to procreate,” Peri said dryly with a wave of her hand. She walked over to the door and pulled it open. Gerick stood on the other side with his hand raised to knock. “Besides, I’m pretty sure Jen’s little hellion is already way more than the world can handle. Worse than anything I might bring to the table.”
“Is this a bad time?” Gerick looked as if he wanted them to tell him “yes” so he could get away from the conversation he’d just walked in on.
“It’s the perfect time, General.” Peri’s voice held a smile. “How do you feel about procreating? Do you think you and your new lass are going to make little wardjinn babies?” Peri glanced over her shoulder and grinned, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “See what I did there?”
Lilly sighed. “Yes, Peri. It was a brilliant word blend. How ever did you think of it?”
Peri shrugged. “These things just come to me.”
“Really, I can come back—” Gerick began, but Peri cut him off.
“When? After the world has gone to hell? After the Order has taken over? Or after Fane has fought every i***t who dares to step foot on his territory? Perhaps you’d like to come back when everyone you love is dead and you no longer have to worry about them.”
“Gerick, come in.” Lilly pushed Peri out of the way and motioned for the general of her army to enter her quarters. He still looked unsure, but he walked in and glanced around the room as if looking for any danger. It was something Cypher would have done.
Peri closed the door and then turned and leaned back against it. She slipped her hands into her pockets and pinned Gerick with piercing eyes. Lilly suddenly felt the urge to shake the high fae and then slap her for good measure. There was something so off about her. She was always cold and calculating, but now Lilly sensed menace beneath her exterior.
“How is Myanin?” Lilly asked him. A flash of emotion crossed his blank face for a fraction of a second.
“She’s doing what she needs to do in order to keep up the farce.”
“I hope her duties do not require her to do anything so untoward that she no longer thinks she is worthy of being your mate,” Peri quipped. For a moment Lilly glimpsed concern in Peri’s eyes. It was brief, but it was there. Lilly knew the fae didn’t like to admit it, but she worried about all of them. Not just those in the Romanian pack, but those who she considered allies and ones she’d claimed as her own. Myanin had endeared herself to the high fae and would have the protection of Peri just as the rest of them did, whether they wanted it or not. On the heels of those thoughts came an unbidden one that made Lilly wonder if Peri still felt as strongly for those under her protection, or were they simply a duty to her? She couldn’t pinpoint when it happened, but somewhere along the way Peri’s attitude toward her position in things had changed, and it didn’t seem to be for the better.
Gerick gave her a sharp look. “She could never do anything that would make her unworthy of being my mate.”
“Be careful what you say, General,” Peri warned. “Not everyone agrees with that sentiment. Wolves, in particular, can hold a grudge.”
“Peri,” Lilly bit out through gritted teeth. “I think that’s enough.”
Peri held up her hands in surrender.
Gerick looked back at Lilly. “Based upon her text messages, she’s been helping Tenia capture more human prisoners to turn into vampires.”
“Texts?” Peri pushed away from the wall. “You two have been texting while she’s in the viper’s nest?”
At the same time Lilly said, “More vampires?”
“How else would you have me communicate with her?” Gerick’s voice deepened as he faced off with the fae. “We don’t have the luxury of a mental connection.”
Peri’s eye’s flashed white as she advanced on the general. “I would have you not put her in danger. Do you think it’s a good idea for her to be caught consorting with the enemy?”
“Aren’t they the least bit concerned about humans becoming aware of missing prisoners?” Lilly asked, though neither supernatural being was paying her any attention.
“We’re being careful,” he argued. “And if they happen to find out about it, Myanin can just tell them it’s how she’s pretending to give Lilly information. She deletes all of our texts after reading them, of course.”
“And you think that would keep Alston from being able to get them?” Peri took another step toward Gerick, her body beginning to glow.
Lilly had to shut this down or the damn high fae was going to go nuclear. She might bring down the whole mountain. The woman was so volatile lately. When Peri said she was itching for a fight, she wasn’t joking. At all.
“Peri, you know that Lucian would never allow himself to be apart from you without any sort of communication, no matter how dangerous. Mates have to have a connection.”
“They aren’t wolves,” Peri pointed out. It was a cruel thing to say, and the high fae realized it immediately. She turned to Lilly and her face softened just a bit. “I’m sorry, that was ... I shouldn’t have.”
Lilly held up her hand. “You’re right, they aren’t wolves, but that doesn’t make their bond any less powerful. I should know.”
Peri dropped her head and took a deep breath. “You’re right. Gerick, I apologize. I just, I don’t want—”
“You don’t want to lose anyone else,” Gerick finished for her. “I understand, more than you know.”
"None of us wants to lose anyone else,” Lilly agreed. “Emotions are running high, and things just got a whole lot more real today.”
Peri shifted and Lilly noticed that the high fae was taking slow, deep breaths. Upon closer inspection of the woman’s face, Lilly saw the dark circles under her eyes and tight lines around her mouth.
Peri must have felt Lilly’s eyes on her because she appeared to force herself to relax, shaking her hands a little by her side. “Fane and Jacque are ready if you are,” she said.
Lilly nodded and then looked at Gerick. “I need to meet with them before Fane reconvenes all the supernatural races.” And discuss this mass human prison disappearance, she mentally added.
“In the sprite realm?” Gerick asked.
“It’s the only place still strong enough to keep the Order out.” Lilly thought about all they needed to consider when it came to who needed protection, not to mention who needed to be warned about the Order. She had no clue how far the organization’s reach had grown. She glanced at Peri again and wondered if the high fae, or even their council, knew. Then something else occurred to her.
“Has anything happened with Thadrick?” she asked.
Lips pursed, Peri shook her head. “Fane is requesting to speak with him before the larger meeting as well.”
Lilly found it hard to see Fane as the leader of not only his pack but of all the supernatural races. Sometimes, she still saw him as the teenage exchange student her daughter had quickly become infatuated with a few short years ago. Lilly learned very fast that her daughter’s relationship with Fane was so much more than infatuation. In fact, it was Lilly’s worst fear come true at the time. She’d wanted a normal life for her daughter. Did she still feel that way? Lilly wasn’t sure. After all Jacque had endured, would she take Fane away from her daughter, knowing what she knew now? The queen mentally shook her head. No, she wouldn’t. Living meant you endured pain. To try to live one’s life without experiencing pain wasn’t actually living at all.
“Let’s go then.” Peri stepped closer to Lilly.
“I’ll take care of things here,” Gerick offered.
“Thank you.” Lilly hoped her voice held the sincerity she truly felt toward her general. Over the past few months, she’d come to understand why Cypher had trusted Gerick so much. He was loyal, hard-working, and vigilant.
He bowed his head to her as Peri wrapped a hand around Lilly’s arm.
Instead of flashing them to Vasile’s old office as Lilly expected, Peri landed them outside. It was night, but glowing orbs lit the sky and provided more than enough light for the wolves and other gathered supernaturals. Some were sparring, others were practicing battle formations, and still others were kneeling in small groups discussing tactics.
“Day one after the mourning period and he’s already got them moving their butts.” Peri's voice was full of approval.
“I’m not going to lie,” Lilly said. “I had my doubts about Fane. I thought Decebel would be the better choice.”
“That’s why we’re the peons and the Great Luna is the goddess.” Peri pointed toward a large semicircle of people. In the middle stood two massive wolves. One she recognized as Fane’s wolf form. She remembered him being large, but now he was massive.
The wolf facing him was more grey than black, also large, but not as big as Fane. They were moving in a slow circle. The hackles on their backs and necks were raised, and their muzzles were pulled back revealing long, sharp fangs.
“I thought the challenges hadn’t started.” Lilly began to follow Peri, who’d started off toward the wolves.
“They haven’t,” Peri said. “This is Fane showing his own pack and the rest of the supernaturals why he was appointed alpha.”
They were only ten feet away when the grey wolf lunged for Fane. At the same time, three other wolves came bursting from the crowd, from different locations. Fane pushed with powerful legs and jumped over the attacking wolf, landing on top of one of the three wolves who’d joined the fight. His open jaws wrapped around the back of the wolf’s neck, and as soon as Fane’s four paws hit the ground he pulled his head back and around. The motion jerked the other wolf with him, and its body hit the ground with a sickening crunch while a yelp of pain emerged from the beast.
- Writer
