“Cassia?” He touched my jaw, meeting my eyes when I moved, but before I stood up. “Can you forgive Jed?”
“Jed?” It was so out of context it took me a second. At first I thought of his teeth on Kage’s throat. “Oh… I need to talk with Jed.” I stood.
Isaac caught my hand and I faced him.
“And…? At the risk of inexcusable self-absorption…?” He watched my eyes, hesitating.
“What?” I asked. “Forgive you? Is that the sort of thing you thought about down there? That I’d died while upset about a lie? There’s nothing to forgive, Isaac. I told you already. I understand. I’ve had to lie my whole life about being a witch. I hate it. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to give up magic. You know that.” I bent again to kiss him. “I’m grateful you and at least some of the others are at peace. What about you? How do you feel about Jed? Even a little betrayed?”
“Betrayal would suggest I believed Jed offered me allegiance in the first place. I’ve never known Jed to be loyal to anyone but his parents and you.”
“You don’t think it means anything to him that you saved his life from the pack?”
“That was a long, long time ago, arä. Another Moon, another hunt. And I stopped them because of what they were doing. Not because of who he was. Jed doesn’t owe me anything, nor I him. It is my hope that, with Zar’s influence, and yours, Jed will be able to look past this and leave me be. Not, however, if you can’t forgive him—which is only a reminder to him of his original grievance.”
I looked into his eyes, knowing we needed to get to breakfast but so distracted I could hardly smell sausages. “It’s not right that none of you are surprised by what Jed did. Especially you.”
Isaac glanced down to my hand in his, then back up, frowning slightly.
“Remember my overly high standards for you? No one else is bothered about Jed because ‘that’s just Jed.’ But he’s our packmate—our friend. He’s helped us and protected us. He knows the pack doesn’t see him like that. I, on the other hand, expect the best from him. For a long stretch there, that’s exactly what I was seeing. Zar sees him as miserable and dangerous. Kage sees him as a backstabber. Jason sees him as a threat—a murderer even now. Andrew sees him as a joke. You see him as unreliable: an angry, fearful stranger, likely to lash out at his supposed friends. Right?
“Of course I forgive him. I’m not angry. I just want to know his side. That’s the truest way to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Someone recently gave me a lesson about walking in another person’s shoes before you judge them—which is real empathy. No one is black and white. That’s what getting to know someone is all about. Sometimes we’re lucky enough even to get a glimpse into another soul, find true understanding and connection. But never if we don’t try in the first place. You came into this pack late—second only to me. Let’s take a new look. I, for one, can’t wait to keep getting to know you.”
Isaac kissed my hand. “The pleasure is all mine.”
Chapter 46
Over breakfast of eggs, sausages, fried bread, and an array of fruit we talked a little about what had happened to us.
The others had tried changing to fur to scout for a way out of the passages in the blackness—having to follow their noses back. But there had been such a bad scare, getting turned around after multiple scent trails crossed—Isaac calling for Andrew and Zar while they were gone for hours—that they’d given it up, staying instead within a stone’s throw of the trapdoor.
“No one called, no one wrote,” Andrew said. “We missed you, darling.”
“It sounds terrifying,” I said. “At least we knew what was happening. Even if what was happening was wild mages.”
All three drank two glasses of water before they started eating, then apple juice and tea throughout the meal. There was a whole jar of strawberry jam with breakfast—the main dishes in metal trays as if to cater an event, not mere human portions—and Zar spread spoonfuls on fried bread, eating slice after slice.
It crossed my mind that Gabriel had asked for the strawberry, as well as strawberries with our fruit mix, special for his little brother. I certainly noticed him watching Zar.
I ate too. Slowly, marveling at the miracle of it. I’d never much liked breakfast. But I’d never before had one I’d been so thankful for.
Gabriel hardly spoke during the meal and we were winding down, talking about getting back on the road to return to the others, when Zar said, “Gabe? You wanted to tell us something? Something else happened?”
“Right…” Gabriel cleared his throat. He’d stopped eating minutes ago and I’d assumed he would be in a rush for work. Instead, he only sat unnaturally still. He pushed his chair back yet went on sitting.
Jason took a scoop of the jam and pushed it back to Zar. Isaac looked up, having just cleared his plate for the third time. Zar watched his oldest brother with his brows drawn in, biting his lip. Andrew peeled a banana.
“It’s something big, isn’t it?” I said quietly. “Something so big, even though you meant to come find out about us in Paris right away, it took extra days?”
“It’s Mum,” Zar said even softer than me—a whisper.
“The pack…?” Andrew hesitated, watching Gabriel also.
“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said, not looking at any of us. “There was nothing you could do so no need to say anything until you had a chance to recover some.” He glanced up. “They attacked the Sable’s property. It must have been two nights after you were locked up. Jed rang me. I’d never known him to use a phone. He said he couldn’t reach any of you, gave me the address to look up. I tried your numbers, told him I’d start making preparations to go over… Still, we hoped we’d hear from you. I couldn’t just walk out on the hotel, but I could go pretty fast. I got everything in place, found the dealer for the gun, couldn’t make up my mind about that—then Jed called back.”
Gabriel looked slowly around at us, all now attentive, but Zar rigid in his seat as if someone was about to fling a shark in his face.
“You were away, and some young Sables and Aspens had set out the day before after stopping home,” Gabriel continued in the pin-drop room. “They’re looking for the other Cooperative members, going at night, against orders. The rest, the whole property, was attacked the moment they were at their most defenseless.
“There were fires and what Jed said were reavers…? Some sort of beast the attackers let loose in there. They’d just fenced themselves in, apparently. So petrol bombs and reavers came over the fence in the dead of night. There was a band of humans. Several, it sounded like, but none were caught or killed.
“Half the property is destroyed, the fence and many homes burnt to the ground. They ran after doing all the damage they could as fast as they could. The workshop is gone, all their efforts with the security cameras. The fire brigade got there soon enough to save a few homes, stop the blaze in others so repairs might be possible, but it’s … pretty bad.” He took a breath. “Diana is dead.”
“How do you know?” Zar’s voice shook, still staring, still braced.
“He went,” I said. “That’s what kept you?”
Gabriel looked at his empty plate. “When Jed called that morning, after Atarah phoned him, thinking it was Zar, I drove out. They were in a daze: like the surviving rabbits with their warren destroyed. We got organized and I made a few calls … and brought them here.”
“They’re in the hotel?” Andrew asked.
“No, here to the city. They’re spread out in a few places with … other people who … understand.”
“The wolves of London,” Isaac said softly.
“Yes.” Gabriel did not meet his eyes. “They were willing to help. They’re housing what’s left of the Sables, keeping them hidden. We hope.”
“I need to ward the places,” I said, my hands shaking. “Gabriel, did you speak to—?”
“What about Mum?” Zar was saying at the same time, quieter than me, but catching Gabriel’s attention.
Gabriel finally looked him in the eye.
Zar stared back, then got up and walked to the door, grabbing the extra key card with the paper sleeve giving the room number, and left.
The heavy door crashed behind him.
“She never even got out of the house,” Gabriel murmured, dropping his gaze again. “She must have been asleep when the petrol bomb came through the window.”
“Gabe…” Andrew said while we all stared at him.
He looked up to Jason and Andrew. “Your parents are all right. I spoke to them. And your sister, Cassia. She’s with them. In fact, Tabitha and Hannah are working with Atarah right now on a plan to get the children out of the country.”
He went on, telling about others, speaking quickly now, trying to get it over with. Some in a hospital in Brighton with bad burns, including Zacharias. Others torn apart by reavers or dead in their homes, including Kage’s father and a few pups—which Gabriel called children.
I could hardly keep listening, couldn’t keep letting it be real.
Chapter 47
We didn’t visit the hospital that afternoon for Jason. We visited far corners of London, many districts and neighborhoods, areas I’d never been.
How many of us should go? And should we venture out at all? Was it worth drawing the attention of my going just to ward? It felt like using a match to fireproof something.
The first part of the day was shock and taking everything in, then debating what to do. I was finally jarred into remembering matters I’d forgotten in the midst of our … stay in Paris.
Before I even called Melanie, I called Stefan.
I don’t know what time it was in Portland but, for once, Stefan picked up. He chewed me out like nobody’s business.
It made me feel so good I went to lie across the guest bed and listen and tell the whole abridged story. At last. Someone giving me the truth. I had done something really, really stupid. Because of it, we’d all almost died.
Stefan was not shy at all about telling me I was reckless, thoughtless, arrogant, and completely unprepared to handle all of this.
I basked. It was the first time in a long time anyone had told me so much truth that I could see from an insider’s perspective and completely agree on every point.
And yes, he’d called Melanie to tell her I was likely dead. Although not Preeda yet, thankfully.
I told him even more. Not a long version, but the sixty second account: wolves, murders, scries, search, devastation.
Stefan’s contacts in Paris had not known where wild mages were anyway—raising more questions about the limited number of people who could have had an image of that address to share with scrying casters in the first place. So that hadn’t mattered. But Stefan had been tearing around at home and started launching in about reavers and how they’d been involved in these sorts of murders before.
“Which means you were right!” He was still shouting, and I had the phone lying on the bedspread by my ear without bothering about having it on speaker. This proclamation finally threw me for a loop.
“What?” I asked.
“You were right, you crazy kid! Wild mages are the only known wielders of the ancient magics that summon reavers. It has to be a wild mage! A group? Not necessarily. What’s more, history is repeating itself!”
I sat up, grabbing the phone. “What did you say?”
“Are you watching TV or something? I said it is a wild mage! At least one. Likely more. And this has happened before! The deaths of the magical triad happening in connection with reaver attacks. Shifters, vampires, and faie have been murdered before in Europe at concentrated times. The last thoroughly recorded incident that I found an account of that survives today happened in the mid-1800s. But there have been others. Similar sorts of happenings around the world wars, you know? It’s only that no one got on the case and we don’t have amassed data about it that I’m aware of. Maybe a record over there? Might not even be in English?”
My mouth was dry. “Who did it last time? Or that big 1800s case?”
“No idea. That was the problem, wasn’t it? So many crimes are never solved. In the magical community? I’d dare say the vast majority—if one can’t quickly get results with magic.”
“But reavers were involved? So wild mages were involved?”
“We know that much, yes. The scale was enormous. Thousands of shifters were killed in Europe and there’s no way to know how many vampires or faie were taken as well. It was a highly organized and deliberate attempt to eradicate the whole triad. Again. Because it had happened before in history. You know what else that means? You’re right again!”
“I am?”
“This is a group of people operating together, working with wild mages. It is not a frat house of wild mages on its own. They are antisocial, hidden, and there are hardly any in the world. I would be shocked if there are even so much as one hundred wild mages across the entire globe. Probably less than fifty. No, this is a group of regular humans, a society or organization, who is employing wild mages, maybe has some casters in their main ranks, maybe are fringe magic, I don’t know what, but it all fits. There have always been organizations—witch hunters, vampire hunters, wolf hunters—among the mundane population. You know that.”
“So who is this?”
“Gods, girl! Want me to do everything for you? You have to figure that out! And you have to keep going and do it soon before they kill you! You and those wolves you’re working with are going to be their top target now. Just wait until they figure out you escaped.”
“Escaped… Because they knew we were there?”
“Or sent you there. If they knew you knew about reavers they could surmise you’d go looking for wild mages. So you do that and what happens? Handy-dandy Paris address sent to you in a scry.”
“But I warded my scries.” I tried again to swallow. “They shouldn’t have been able to feed me an image. If the whole place was rigged, that would be one thing…”
“I don’t know how they did it, girl, but mark my words—”
“We were sent there,” I finished. “Whoever is doing this, they wanted us out of the way. Probably hoped the mages would finish us off. Stefan, we’ve been working with other people. Right from the start. We’ve talked to other wolves, druids, casters—I’m even on texting terms with a vampire. I’ve been trying to ward and protect us, but—”
“But leaving the front door unlocked? You’ve got to stop! These people are big, organized, they’ve done this before. Druids and vampires you’re chatting with could be your genuine BFFs and it still wouldn’t matter. They could be targeted. They could be receiving bad information to feed to you. So it makes no difference if the people you’re dealing with to their faces have hearts of gold. You’ve got to stop talking, lock your doors, and don’t trust anyone. Don’t tell anyone anything about what you are doing. Don’t even tell me. Just go. Ward and block and do not talk to strangers.”
“Shit…”
“Those wolves you’re working with? The closest ones? You’re sure they’re solid?”
“Yes.” Mouth like parchment. “I’m sure.”
“Okay, so it stops at them. The whole pack was just torched the moment you were all away and their young bucks were off without cell phones, right? So there’s someone on the inside.”
“No…”
“Cassia, listen to yourself! You’re a goddamned bleeding heart! We need Lara Croft!”
“We don’t know that, Stefan. It’s probably scries. They could have been watching the territory even in person with some sort of surveillance. They knew where it was.”
“Okay, you’re right. I’m getting paranoid. Could be no mole—all good, nice, close wolf family. Or…?”
“Or…? Or … it’s possible there could be someone… There are members of another pack intermixed now and … I don’t know. It’s hardly as if I know everyone. It’s…”
“Possible.”
“Yes. Anything is possible.”
“Lo
ck your doors, Cassia. Don’t just wave your magic wand and say now the bad guys can’t see me anymore. Lock the damn doors. I’m still reading, but we shouldn’t talk a lot. Minimal contact, don’t start texting me. Stop texting and calling anyone. If they’re a friend, you could be putting them in danger. If they’re a foe, you don’t want to talk anyway.”
“But I do. I have to find them.”
“Find the faie.”
“What?”
“Have you ever seen faie? Ever called them? They’re being slaughtered and their bodies turned into reavers. Find the faie, find the wild mage, put an energy block on him and hold a gun to his head, and find out who the fuck is behind this. And pray to all the gods there’s only one or two of him and not a household.”
“Holy crap…”
“How many friends?”
“Six. It’s me and six wolves.”
“Only one caster in your group? You? Gods… And those people are usually scared of magic.”
“They’ve come a long way.”
“You keep fighting, understand? I thought you could get away, but you can’t back out of this now. Escaping Paris? You’re probably Public Enemy Number One by now. Fight, protect yourselves, be careful. Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency. Don’t call anyone else ever if you can help it. Don’t get on social media. Keep your phone turned off just in case of technology helping to track you also. Maybe I’ll have something more in a couple days and I’ll call. Gods, it’s the middle of the night here. I have to go to bed.”
Stefan blew out a big breath on the phone and paused. “You really opened a door on a wild mage stronghold and got away from that lot? Just you and a bunch of wolves?”
“Yes, I did—and we did.”
“Well… You’re a damn good witch, Cassia. Damn good. Not many casters get the chance in this day and age. I only knew ‘of’ your grandmother, but I’m certain she’d be proud. You’ve had some missteps but you got this far. You’ll find them. Just keep going, kid.”
“We will. Thank you, Stefan. For everything. I hope we can talk again … soon.”
Moonlight Whispers: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (The Witch and the Wolf Pack Book 8) Page 32
