The street sign on the fence around the park read Rue du Raccourci.
I came out of the scry fast—faster than I should have while so hot on the trail of something, but speeding to flip open my notebook and write down the address exactly as I’d seen it:
77 Rue du Raccourci, Paris.
Everyone was staring at me. Orion glanced up from his phone, only politely interested. The others, though, used to how I normally scried and that not including violent leaps back into this side of reality, looked alarmed.
“You saw something…” Zar hesitated, not wanting to interrupt as he watched me write.
“That was…” I shook my head. A chill slithered down my spine. My palms tingled. “That was crazy…”
Now Orion frowned. “Are you all right, Cassia? More tea? Something stronger?”
“Thank you. I’m fine. It’s only … I saw a place in Paris. I saw the address—everything.”
“Not so protected after all,” Zar said.
“If it was really a wild mage place?” Isaac said.
“These mages sound a bit off it to me,” Andrew said, still suspicious. “What exactly did you see?”
I told them about the uncertain images and feelings, making a few notes, then the crystal-clear street and address.
“I have no idea if these people have anything to do with this,” I said, looking to Orion. “But you’re right. They really are still out there.” To Zar. “If anyone can create reavers it’s them.” I let out a breath and pressed my knuckles into my eyes. “I can’t believe this.”
“Cass?” Zar shifted, wanting to reach out to me.
“We have to go to Paris,” Isaac said quietly.
“Yes,” I said. “I’m afraid we do.”
“Just on that?” Andrew asked. “We trust you, darling, but you’re sure there are no bells to pull closer to home?”
I sat back, again shaking my head. “No idea. But I have this. Which certainly came across clear. Anyone have any better ideas to try first?”
No one answered. Instead, all looked rather miserable, including myself, I knew.
Orion glanced around at us, worried, and possibly not entirely following along. After a moment he said, “My … sympathy. If there’s anything we can do…?”
I sighed. “Maybe you could advise us? What’s the simplest way to get to Paris?”
Chapter 24
I sat for a long time on the floor, stroking Kage’s head, trying not to look at the rubber tubes or stitches. He’d spent some time in the garden again, managed to stand, walk a few steps. Now he was worn out from such a busy day and half an hour of licking bits of plain yogurt from my fingers.
The TV was on downstairs, Madison home, the others out to bring us Indian food or else out back with the sun already setting behind the fells. I’d heard her listening to the Eagles earlier. Had she introduced Isaac to them? Or the other way around? Or both liked them at once? The sort of thing that gets you talking with someone new?
I wished I’d met her under different circumstances. Wished I knew her better. Wished it was not turning out that Isaac had been lying to me since the first day we’d talked.
The sky beyond the little office window was bright pink, tinged in gold. Even Jason was gone—the longest stretch he’d spent away from Kage in many days.
Gavin had texted back saying that Mother believed there were still wild mages all over the place—adding that it meant nothing since she was also convinced that “still” was about 1700. After a few thousand years it was hard to keep up with the times.
With mixed feelings, I told him we were going to try Paris.
Gavin proceeded to send denigrating jokes about the French.
I sent him a frowning face.
Normally, I’d have gone out to the garden for the sunset. Or at least stood for the window and told Kage about it. After some texts, now I only sat, leaning against the very unforgiving post of the daybed, stroking Kage’s head and ears, watching his shut eyes.
I wanted to talk to him. He already knew we had to go to Pairs, and of course he couldn’t go. He must know about Isaac from Jason. He knew where we’d been that morning. So I wasn’t wanting to talk in order to help him, only to help myself because I needed to talk about things that I didn’t understand. It was all of the others I had to talk to. Yet couldn’t, not in company, or else simply didn’t want to. When, since I’d known them, had I ever not wanted to be with them? Quiet time I needed. But this? Amounting to a dread? Having to talk to Zar and Jed about this bigotry? Newly reminded of my first meeting with their brother when his quiet, angry words had been burned into my brain?
We would escape, live among humans, support ourselves and work for ourselves.
Escape?
From the xenophobic, anthrophobic, fascist, star-worshiping cult we’d been raised in.
I think … maybe things have changed since you were there.
Of course.
All societies had problems. It didn’t make them xenophobic, fascist cults. That was from the perspective of an outsider who’d had a very negative experience. I, on the other hand, longed to be an insider, be a part of the pack. Right up until yesterday.
No … it wasn’t that bad. I still felt just the same about them. This was no more than any relationship stumbling block—the sort of thing that can happen between all kinds of people in all kinds of disagreements. Talk it out, understand where the other party is coming from, settle the situation with exchange of views, compromise, hopefully both learning something new and respecting the other enough to welcome fresh ideas. This didn’t have to be some big game-changer. It wasn’t. Not yet.
But it could be. That, I realized with a sharp pressure in my chest, was what scared me. It was only part what had already happened. The other part, the much bigger, uglier part, was what might happen next: how much worse things could get. The hints that had been dropped.
Hints like the pack had started avoiding and stopped speaking to Isaac overnight. Hints that this was not a calm down and let’s listen to each other situation, but rather a breakup situation. They were on one side, though I still wasn’t sure how Andrew felt about the whole thing, and Isaac was on the other. I was in the middle.
I shouldn’t have been. After what Jed had done and the way he and Zar and Jason had been? I should have been firmly on Isaac’s side.
Which brought me back to the other elephant in the room that kept my mouth shout when I wanted to be talking to Kage. How it had gradually been coming to light that almost everything I knew about Isaac was a lie. Not only omission, but flat out, mate is dead, I’m a wolf and our genes are not compatible, sort of lying. The kind of lying that can make a girl think a guy has a totally different relationship background than he does. The kind of lying that can get a girl pregnant.
It wasn’t the situation. It wasn’t the history. I didn’t care if a dozen fiancées had walked out on Isaac. I didn’t care if he was half wolf and half green anteater. I didn’t care if he used to be a drug dealer in Edinburgh and sidelined as a male prostitute all through college. If only he’d been honest about it.
I cared about who he was right now, with me and his pack, the love we shared and what we’d been through together.
It turned out, however, that what we’d been through together, had been a house of cards, a ladder of lies with the rungs still breaking while I was trying to climb. What other lies were there? What else didn’t I know that was actually really, really important to the here and now—and that he’d been able to look me in the eye and lie about?
I wanted to talk to Zar and Jason about prejudice, ask Andrew what he was thinking, nail Jed to the wall for what he’d done to Isaac. But I had no idea what I wanted to say to Isaac himself. No idea what to do.
Now, worse than any of it, we had to split up our pack—not because of the rift but because of the wounded. We couldn’t sit around, couldn’t wait to heal or sort out our personal grievances. We had to go. Very soon. While I didn’t know
what to do, or what to say, or who to turn to, adrift, on my own desert island while my whole pack bobbed each in their own boat in all directions.
When a hot tear splashed onto the white fur of Kage’s cheek I bit my lip and tipped my head back. Shit. I couldn’t be like this. Hormones and pregnancy and stuff… Pull it together. Here to do a job, not stress about relationships or cultural differences.
I was pretty sure Jed was out back alone, the other three having gone with Isaac to choose their dinners. The chance I’d been waiting for. Talk to him alone. Ask what the hell he’d been thinking.
How? Shout at him? Cry? Because I was obviously in such a top-notch emotional state to make the wisest of choices, show the best of leadership, and demonstrate my expertise in regard to friendship, romance, problem solving, and general communication skills.
What about offering no opinion? Yes, I needed some cooling off time before I talked to Jed. On the other hand, when was I going to get another chance to even ask him for an explanation of what he’d done when we could be alone? I could listen, even if I couldn’t talk.
Was he even out there? I’d heard the back door after the others left. I was only guessing about Jed. I’d have liked to speak to any: talk, listen.
I had to see them all for dinner—decide what we were doing, tell Madison. There’d been little discussion over this, vague packing up, needing to get back on the road, head south.
Could we go first thing in the morning, though? Was Kage well enough to make the drive with us back to his family? He could travel on the bed in the camper with Jason or myself always staying with him. Anyone back there would need to have a phone in case we did have to stop. Kage, Jason, and Zar had vintage phones that were literally good for only making phone calls—and then on a time limit—as well as sending and receiving basic texts with no images, using the number keypad to type back. I’d hardly ever seen any of them use one. Wasn’t even certain they had them with them on this trip aside from Zar.
They would be back any minute with the food. We couldn’t sort everything out right now. Trying to would only make more problems. Cooling off period. Without it, I was certain I’d say things I would regret. Just as certain Jed would as well—probably others.
We’d sorted out problems before. We’d do it again.
Though it seemed like a monumental task on top of everything else, Paris was not actually that far away. We could drop off Kage at home to be looked after by Joanna and his family, get their bikes, be in France by tomorrow night. No … the next morning. Better spend a night with the Sables. I could at least see Melanie then.
This thought, far from a comfort, made me look down at my own right arm.
I’d tell her what? Great way to reassure and check in on her…
I started to get up, easing Kage’s heavy head away to rest on the blankets—like moving a whole curled up animal from my lap.
Kage blinked and took my hand in his mouth.
I squeezed his lower jaw, left palm against his teeth, and spoke softly. “I’m just going downstairs. Dinner in a minute. We’ll bring you more bone broth.”
He held on.
I thought again of talking to him, sure he wanted me to, sure he read my distress in my breaths and heartbeat, perhaps had felt the tears in his fur while he’d seemed to be napping. I couldn’t. Not when what was upsetting me most was so personal between myself and others.
How did Kage feel about all of this? Much as I longed to think he wouldn’t care, live and let live, I’d seen more prejudice from Kage, such as about other shifters, than from any of the others before. He would almost certainly agree with his cousins. I was glad I couldn’t ask.
I stayed, Kage holding my hand, until I heard the door and voices. Kage then let go, ears and nose twitching, rolling painfully onto his chest so he could look around for the door.
“We’ll have your broth up in a minute.”
Kage puffed through his nose and sniffed again.
The cumin and coriander aromas were even reaching me already. Indian was not their favorite but there was a lot of tandoori chicken, murgh malaiwala, and, apparently, cheesy naan bread that this place made in-house. I’d asked for palak paneer and rice, wishing I had a couple glasses of wine to wash it down. Or a Valium.
I gave myself a pep talk as I went slowly downstairs. Kage was healing. I was healing. We knew where to go next. It didn’t matter that everything we’d thought we’d figured out and put together was fake. It didn’t matter that the pack was rupturing or downright vicious. It didn’t matter that the person I trusted more than anyone in my life just now turned out to have been lying to me ever since we’d met. It mattered that Kage was going to be all right—eventually—and we had to get to Paris and find wild mages: le magicien effréné.
Jason boiled beef broth and took his chicken upstairs to eat with Kage. I didn’t think we should be eating upstairs—uninvited and numerous guests that we were—but I said nothing except to remind Jason not to let Kage get any chicken.
Jed whisked a box and a whole naan out to the garden table. It was twilight and chilly, clouds drifting in.
Madison filled a plate and went to eat on the couch. Storm jumped onto the table and had his head in a box before Andrew set him on the floor. Storm jumped back up.
I sat at the table and shut the box. The big, gray tomcat purred at me, slowly blinking his eyes, offering me a winning smile as if to tell me how much he was looking forward to his tandoori chicken. What a lovely role model. I wished I could face the event of a total home infestation of strangers and wolves with a dapper smile and a high five. Maybe if I’d gone through a whole bottle of wine—plus that Valium. Yet … no … I didn’t think even that would do it for me.
They didn’t usually talk at meals, but Isaac and Andrew were pros when they wished, and Zar was always willing to make an effort for me.
All I said was, “We have to figure out tomorrow,” and they joined me.
Andrew fixed my plate with the spinach, cheese, rice, and a little of his own chicken. Zar offered bread and I asked him to tear off a piece for me.
Isaac cleared extra bags and boxes to the counter, put on a full kettle to boil, and joined the rest of us at the table, sweeping the cat into his lap so he wasn’t standing over my plate. Isaac gave him little nibbles of chicken and naan while he ate.
Everyone did all of this as if in church. Voices soft, though mostly not speaking at all, not looking up, then sitting with their chairs turned out at different angles away from the table’s center and one another. A shoulder or head turned sideways was a defusing gesture for them. No one asking for trouble. Only asking not to be in the same room together. Nothing we could do about that right now.
“I’d like to ask Madison,” I said, also quiet, “but hopefully we can start back in the morning.”
Silence.
Everyone chewed. Zar had already gulped a few bites but slowed and regarded his plate as if in grief.
“About Kage?” Isaac asked.
“Yes, about taking him home. It’s a long day on the road, but we can make a bed. It shouldn’t be too hard on him.”
Andrew glanced at Isaac, saying nothing.
“What?” I asked.
“I talked to Atarah this afternoon,” Isaac said, giving the cat more bread—which he apparently loved. “We don’t think Kage should go home.”
Quiet again. Zar ate slowly, having to fix is attention on the chore. I didn’t care how he ate and didn’t like the idea that he was struggling for me.
I said only, “Why’s that? Does he need longer with Madison to look after him? We can ask her about that too.”
“No, we have a few people who are medically capable. He would be fine. It’s the rest of the pack we’re concerned about.”
I wasn’t following, but also went on eating slowly. Madison had been right. It was excellent. Flavorful and still hot, a welcome range of tastes and textures. I wished I could enjoy it more.
“Morale,” Andrew
clarified. “A faction of arseholes led by Philip have already taken off with the Aspens looking to hunt down the Beeches and Greys. A few others have left, deciding to go into hiding, taking their chances alone or with distant family if they can. The pack’s shrunk to a third of what it was in the spring and most are convinced this is wolves killing us. If we bring Kage back, the way he looks, and you … with your arm…”
“I see.” I swallowed. “Zar, go ahead and eat all that. Please. I don’t mind how you eat. How do we have a choice? Kage can’t come with us. We can’t check him into a hospital.”
“No,” Isaac said again. He hadn’t met my eyes once since they’d returned. “He’ll have to stay here.”
Silence.
Zar ate more. Storm made a bid to climb back onto the table and Isaac pulled him down. I stared at my plate. My chest hurt as much as my arm, an ache like something stood on me.
“We can’t do that,” I said. “We can’t just leave him up here without the rest of us. Madison can’t look after him. It’s dangerous—”
“Jason will stay,” Isaac said. “We know he shouldn’t be alone.”
“Jason can’t.” A little bubble of panic popping through the chest pressure.
They all finally looked at me—though Isaac dropped his gaze and fed the cat.
“Come again?” Andrew said.
“I…” Floundering, I shook my head. “I don’t know. That’s not a good idea. Jason needs to come with us.”
“Why?” Zar asked.
“I… He just does. I’m sure he does.”
No one was eating anymore.
It seemed whatever mule had been standing on me had just given me a kick. The mere mention of Jason staying behind sent an acrid taste to my mouth, heart thumping, tingles that could only be put into words as panicky skated down my spine. Yet I had no idea why. I had nothing but a dread that almost blotted out my first rush of worry and list of reasons it was not okay to leave Kage here in the back of beyond in an area we’d already been attacked.
Moonlight Whispers: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (The Witch and the Wolf Pack Book 8) Page 14
