by Kirra Pierce
“Our brethren from Isben. One has taken a chosen here. He is helping her escape the lord who tried to force her to stay.”
That foul liar! Ty’s mind flooded with images of his teeth ripping their bodies open. He struggled to hold back his beast. It was important to get all the information they could from these creatures.
Darius appeared still angry, but not as enraged. “We caught the scent of two women and three shifters. Who is on MY territory besides the chosen and the one who claims her?”
“Just two helpers and another woman who wanted to taste what a changer could provide. Just them and us. We do not mean to invade your territory.”
For a raver, he lied smoothly. More evidence of their relative sanity.
Darius briefly stepped closer and sniffed one of the ravers. “You lie. There is the faint, but recent odor of another woman on you.”
“No! No! We, I only stopped to, uh, please one woman in Quwe before we met back up with the, uh, lovers.”
At the thought of another touching Cassandra, Ty’s muscles trembled with an overwhelming desire to attack. His nose told him no trace of sex stained the trail so far, but he knew it was only a matter of time.
“I think they have nothing more to give us, Darius. Let’s finish and go get MY chosen back.” He dropped the rope and changed back to his beast form before closing in on the ravers.
* * * * *
Raphael observed the trio of ravers and the two women they carried. The kidnappers traveled a narrow woods path. He hid behind the cover of the large rocks on the hillside above it. Cassandra and the other woman appeared unharmed. He wanted to get her back now and return to Miranda, but the three ravers took great care to move silently, constantly scanning their surroundings for anything representing danger.
Ty and Cyn will be following. If I can at least slow them down… Raphael crept away with the stealth learned through years of experience escaping tricky situations. Once he topped the hill, he began to move with more speed. Raphael decided to use the ravers’ tricks against them. He would get ahead of the group below and prepare a few surprises.
* * * * *
Farnes had the lead, walking in his half-beast form, claws ready to defend against any attack. Cassandra heard him smack his lips and mutter how delicious the flesh of the horse seller and his wife had been. She knew stress and frequent changes in form increased the hunger and tried not to shudder thinking of how the ravers might appease it.
Farnes’s head snapped to attention. He looked around, sniffing the air. He gestured for the others to stop, and his fellows nodded back to him. He pointed to the direction the scent came from. Johan put Melisande down and went to join Farnes.
Eric kept hold of Cassandra. She felt his muscles tense, prepare to move. He scanned the surrounding trees, looking for possible attacks. She heard a loud crash and a howl of pain, then nothing.
Melisande pulled a sheathed dagger from her sleeve. Her eyes darted around nervously. She held the sheath in one hand and the dagger’s handle in the other.
“Watch her,” Eric growled to Melisande as he sat Cassandra on the ground. She gave a jerky nod and moved to crouch at Cassandra’s back. Eric shed his clothes and changed before racing into the woods after his partners.
As soon as he left, Cassandra whispered, “They have come for me. Help me get away, and I’ll let you escape. You know being the king’s sister will not protect you from Cyn.” She heard the whisper of steel, then felt the cold edge of the knife against her throat. She froze. Had she gone too far?
“Stand. I’ll not stay here waiting like a staked-out goat. We’ll at least get to some cover.” The knife eased away from Cassandra’s throat. She awkwardly tried to rise to her feet with her hands still tied behind her. Melisande put a hand to her elbow and assisted her.
The possibility of freedom was so close Cassandra could taste it!
“Damn Luna’s net!” A rustle of skirts and Melisande stood before her. “Damn you, Cassandra.” Her voice was low and angry, but she twisted her neck, looking around with another frightened glance.
She could see Melisande’s fear and uncertainty. She decided to push her a little more. She spoke in urgent voice. “Run now. Cyn’s men will have orders to get me back and kill or take any who are holding me. Whatever damage you hoped to cause with Ty by abducting me has already been done. Leave me. Get away. They won’t come after you, a woman. Run!” Please, just leave. Don’t decide to kill me. Just go.
Melisande visibly wavered. She looked at the knife in her hand and at Cassandra. The possibility of killing Cassandra obviously crossed her mind before her features firmed in decision. “Have your freedom, then. I’m away.”
Cassandra released the breath she didn’t realize she held. Weak with relief, she almost collapsed.
Melisande turned to leave when Cassandra heard the sound of animals crashing through brush. Two wolven figures raced from the woods. The second overtook the first and they tumbled in a snarling knot.
Both women backed away from the mass of flashing teeth and claws. They moved so quickly it was almost impossible to tell where one left off and the other began, but Cassandra thought that the large black wolf resembled her brother Raphael and that the other was Eric.
Where are the other two ravers? Is it Raphael? Is he alone?
Absorbed in watching the fight, Cassandra didn’t notice Melisande move until it was too late.
She grabbed Cassandra’s hair with one hand and held the knife to her throat with the other. “Stop! Stop, or I’ll kill her!” Her clear shout filled the space around them. The black wolf jumped away from the brown one and fell into a crouched position, his hackles still raised. Both wolves were bloody and panting from their battle.
“Change! I know you can understand me. Change and tell me what is happening.” Melisande slightly pressed the edge of the blade to Cassandra’s throat, drawing a line of blood. Immediately it was obvious she’d made a mistake. Eric sniffed and licked his wolven lips in interest. He stared intently at the line of red and began gathering his muscles, preparing to attack.
Raphael changed to his midform and grabbed the distracted beast by the fur at his nape and hindquarters before he could attack. He swung the creature and threw Eric against a tree with terrible force. Eric dropped to the ground, dead or unconscious. Cassandra couldn’t tell.
Her heart almost fell through her stomach when three more beasts burst into the clearing. One jumped toward Cassandra and Melisande and changed to human form in mid leap. It was Cyn! He grabbed Melisande’s arm away from Cassandra before the noblewoman could react.
“How dare you threaten her!” He twisted her wrist and forced Melisande to drop the knife, then shoved her to the side, where a now-transformed Darius caught hold of her.
Ty also shifted back to human. He and Cyn ignored Melisande to run their hands over Cassandra.
“Are you alright?”
“Have they harmed you in any way?”
“I’m well. I’m well. Thank the gods you made it to me now. They planned to take me back to the raver camp.”
“Uh, hum, and ‘Thank you, Raphael, for killing two of the ravers and stopping the third,’” Raphael mocked. Cassandra snorted a relieved laugh.
“Yes, Raphael, thank you. Were you not with Ty, Cyn, and Darius?”
“No, I was on my way back with information when I was stopped by a raver attack outside of Quwe. I tracked the one who did that and his partner when I happened upon the signs of your passing. I left the trail of the others to go after you. I laid a trap that crushed one of the ravers who had you and trapped a second long enough for me to kill him. The third was stalking me when I caught sight of him and chased him here.”
Raphael’s brow creased, and the prankster looked unusually serious. “What of the other two ravers? The ones I followed initially? They appeared headed back down the kidnappers’ trail, but if they veered back toward town, we must go now.”
Cyn put out a placating hand. “
Don’t worry about those two. They met with us. They are dead.”
“And what of this one?” Darius gave a slack-jawed Melisande a little shake. “She was clearly with them. Although, how a noblewoman could come to be involved with this sort, I don’t know.”
“Cyn…Cynbarion, you’re a changer, a brethren! How? When did this happen?” Melisande had found her tongue, but her eyes remained wide in shock.
Ty’s eyes narrowed, and a look of cruelty such as Cassandra had never thought to see on him crossed his face. “Ah, that’s right, Cyn. You have given away your secret and to an enemy. What should we do now with her? She threw in with ravers and put Cassandra in danger. Perhaps she should share the penalty all ravers face.”
Melisande’s shocked face grew even paler as all the men’s eyes turned to her speculatively. Having seen the beasts in action, she would know that a quick death would be a mercy compared to what they could do. For a moment, Cassandra let her suffer before she spoke.
“No. Do not kill her. It is true Melisande worked with them, but the reason I am unharmed is because of her. In her way, she tried to protect me, at least up until the last. She works with them because she has a second half brother. His name is Ammon, and he is the leader of these newly organized ravers. She claims he controls them and has created a mixture that helps even the ravers control their beast. I don’t know how much he loves his sister, but she may be useful to us in a number of ways.”
While she spoke, Darius looked back to where Eric lay. “He’s gone! I will go after him. You three stay with the women.” Within seconds, he changed and was off.
“Damn it to the seven hells! They were taking me to some river crossing to reach their camp. Eric will probably be on his way there to alert Ammon.”
“And we don’t know if he realized who or what Cyn was before he left.” Deadly anger infused Ty’s voice. Melisande tried to step back further only to find herself now in Raphael’s grasp.
“Don’t think you’re going anywhere,” he purred in her ear and then looked at Cyn. “If we don’t kill her, then what shall we do with her instead?”
“Gag her for now and bring her with us. You said ravers staged an attack in Quwe?”
“Yes, three youthlings out picking berries. I spent the previous night sheltered by the village healer.” Cassandra noted with interest that Raphael actually blushed upon mentioning the healer. “When I was leaving, I got the smell of a raver. She went to check with me, and I got to the young ones in time to chase away the raver before he killed the two males. They both suffered injuries in the attack, one seriously. He had raped the girl. I think he meant to bring her with him to join the women at his camp.”
"Did you receive my report? Do you know what the ravers are doing?”
“Yes, yes, I know. How are the youthlings now?”
“One of the young men is becoming a shifter. He will need brethren help. The other is badly injured, but it looks as though he might heal. The young woman…I don’t know. She seems to be doing well so far… The healer there is young, just visiting the town, but she is very skilled.” Although concerned for the young ones, Cassandra again noted how Raphael’s face and voice softened at the mention of this healer.
“Alright, this is what we will do.” Even still naked from his change, Cyn radiated the command he had exercised his whole life. “We shall return to Quwe to check on the status of the village and the injured. I also want your healer to look at Cassandra to make sure she isn’t harmed.”
Cassandra looked at him with irritation.
“We have brethren and some of my regular troops coming to meet up here already, based on your first report. I will make Quwe my base and take out this raver who dared threaten Cassandra.”
“Good.” Ty spoke in approval even as Melisande cried out.
“No!” Melisande sobbed, “It wasn’t Ammon’s idea. I saw how Ty reacted when he thought Cassandra disappeared. I had the idea of distracting Cyn by taking her. Leave him!”
“Your idea?” Cyn looked to Cassandra for confirmation.
“Yes, she confessed it to me earlier.” Hearing a warning growl from Ty, she added, “But I still don’t want her killed.”
“It doesn’t matter whether it was his plan or not. He’s still a threat to us, and we must deal with him.” Cyn’s voice sounded as cold as she had ever heard it. “Gag her and let’s be on our way. Darius will find us when he returns.”
Ty and Cyn slipped on clothes from their travel packs while Raphael took some of Darius’s.
Finally, Ty sighed placing an arm back around Cassandra and rubbed his chin over the top of her head. “I am so glad you are safe, but what are we going to do with those other women? The ones the ravers have at their camp.”
“Yes,” Raphael added, his expression turned inward in clearly remembered horror. “They are innocent, but are addicted to the beast scent. They will suffer terribly if we just try to take them back to their homes.”
Cassandra looked thoughtful. “I have an idea. Perhaps your healer could help me, Raphael.”
Chapter Fourteen
Be always ready. You never know who will come to call.
-- Advice for Every Wife
(a book much popular with
husbands and mothers-in-law)
“Who goes there?” The voice shook a little. Cassandra saw the tips of bows ready to shoot and was doubly glad they approached the town by the road instead of coming through the woods.
“It’s your duke and his company. Stand down!” Cyn’s voice rang out as they came more clearly into the light of the watch fires the townspeople had set around the perimeter.
They rode in on the recaptured horses that the ravers had abandoned earlier. Darius still had not returned, so Raphael rode with them, holding their prisoner, Melisande. Cyn rode alone, making an impressive picture of authority while Cassandra was able to relax gratefully against Ty’s warm chest on the third horse.
The still night air carried back excited whispers.
“It is the duke!”
“He’s already come to aid us!”
“Can you believe it?”
Quickly Cyn cut through the eager crowd. “Be still. I had just received a report of raver activity at the border when my lady was kidnapped. I came here with only my bond brother, Tyler, and the brethren leader, Darius, to rescue her.
“I do have more troops coming to fight this raver problem. They should arrive by tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, you have the honor of being the first of my people to greet your future duchess, who is also my bond brother’s chosen: Cassandra O’lewiala.” Cyn dismounted and reached up to help Cassandra down from her and Ty’s horse with a grand flourish.
Momentarily surprised by the announcement, Cassandra still managed a gracious smile at the congratulations coming from the group of townspeople who had been awake, taking their turns at guard duty. We never discussed my family name… How? Oh, but of course, he is Cynbarion. He would know.
Cyn continued, “Raphael has informed me of what happened here and your precautions. Continue as you were, but note: although we have already killed four ravers tonight, there was one who escaped us. Another member of our party, Darius, the leader of the brethren, is currently chasing him. Take care you do not become overanxious and shoot Darius if he returns tonight.”
Cyn turned to the man who wore the badge of head councilman. “Rowe, what is the most suitable place for us to rest?”
“My home would be honored, Your Grace.” The head councilman bowed a flourish of his own, showing that even this small town was not lacking in finesse. He looked at the gagged woman with Raphael, obviously curious, but hesitant to question the duke.
Cyn caught his glance. “She aided the ravers and is our prisoner. She’ll remain with us until we decide her fate. No one is to offer her harm or aid unless I decree it.” He looked around the group who all nodded or offered an “Of course, Your Grace.”
“Fine, then…”
“Wh
ere is the healer, and do you know if she is awake or not?” Not the most diplomatic approach, but Cyn will have me in bed if I do not take control now.
Ty slipped an arm around Cassandra’s shoulders and squeezed gently. “I will go with you to see her, before we all get some rest.”
He’s getting as bad as Cyn!
“And so will I,” added Cyn.
“Then I might as well go, too, as I know the cottage out of which she is working.” Raphael headed down the street, speaking a little more brightly than the others did and tugging their prisoner’s arm along with him.
Cassandra raised her eyebrows in interest. He really is eager to see this healer again.
Raphael led them quickly to a small, neat cottage. The windows glowed with a gentle light indicating someone inside was still awake.
“Take her.” He practically shoved Melisande into a startled Cyn’s grasp before opening the door.
“Miranda,” he called softly as he stepped inside. “Miranda, are you still awake?”
A young woman stepped through another doorway into the cottage’s main room. She had a finger placed to her lips in a shushing motion. Her long blue skirt swirled around her legs as she spun back, quietly closing the door behind her. Rich reddish-brown hair was drawn back in a messy chignon, and when she turned back to face them, Cassandra saw the shadows of weariness under the brandy brown eyes set in a delicate oval of a face.
“Shush, Eli is sleeping in there. I was on the way to bed myself. Eli’s sister is sleeping on a cot next to him. If he stirs, she’ll fetch me.” She shook her head as if attempting to clear away the tiredness.
“Raphael, I didn’t expect to see you again tonight. Am I needed?” The weariness faded from her face as she looked past Raphael’s shoulders to the new faces framed in the doorway behind him.
He crossed the room, took her hands, and stroked them while he spoke. “This lady is Cassandra, a very old friend of mine and a trader in medicinal herbs. She wants to talk with you about what the ravers have done to the women they captured. Her companions are Ty ‑‑ her chosen ‑‑ and Duke Cynbarion, who is now her betrothed. The other woman was aiding the ravers, and is our prisoner.”
