by Petra Landon
Having made up his mind, Roman went all in, turning on the charm.
“This is a beautiful city. I’d love to show it to you.”
For a moment, she contemplated him.
“I don’t have much to go on, so it’s likely to be a frustrating and futile search” she warned.
“I’ve time on my hands.”
Chapter 6
Tasia takes a leap of faith and a Wizard secret stuns the team
Tasia turned her attention to the mantel as the Alpha strode up to it. The team working on the investigation had been summoned to the Pack Room. One of the items on the agenda this evening — the report she’d worked on with Sienna. A copy had already been provided to the Alpha this morning. The first floor housed a business center with all the essentials — computers, fax machine, printer and copier. Sienna and she had spent the better part of two days typing the report that summarized the many investigations into Lady Bethesda conducted by OFW, the Office of First Wizard.
“We’re waiting on the Wizards to extricate the locket on Sienna” the Alpha opened. “The lull has allowed us to take a fresh look at the investigation. Consider this a heads-up. We travel soon, possibly on short notice.”
Caught by surprise, Tasia glanced at her companion. Hawk didn’t seem taken aback. He’d known about this, she surmised. She’d assumed that they were waiting for Lady Bethesda to make the next move, while Faoladh’s people searched for the third daughter.
“Jason’s been looking into how Lady Bethesda escaped the explosion in Chicago.” The Alpha glanced at the Guardian.
“I’ve looked at Lady Bethesda’s connections and supporters amongst the Wizards from twenty-five years ago.” Jason picked up the conversation. “After a painstaking investigation, I can cross out the possibility that any of them used their powers to help her escape the explosion. Regarding the Alpha’s suggestion of a magic armor, I’ve also investigated various artifacts that could be adapted to serve the purpose. After chasing every lead down, even the really flimsy ones, I can say with confidence that whatever she used that day did not come from the Wizards.”
“You’re sure, Jason?” It was Duncan who asked the question. “There are a lot of artifacts that could’ve served her purpose.”
“I’m positive, Duncan. Whatever she used had to be very powerful. She was at the epicenter of the explosion and the magic needed to withstand that would have to be both potent and precise. That helped narrow the field for me. Every known Wizard artifact capable of such feat has been accounted for. Every known non-Wizard artifact in Wizard custody has also been accounted for. She didn’t have access to any of them.”
All Chosen artifacts, not in private custody, were guarded in a highly secure underground crypt known as The Vault. By tradition, The Vault and its contents had always been under Wizard custody.
“Are you saying there isn’t any support for Lady Bethesda amongst the Wizards, Jason?” Luis Beltran inquired, clearly skeptical of the suggestion. After all, even Jason had entrusted Sienna’s protection to the Shifters, rather than his own Guardian comrades, despite the fallout that had come his way for that decision.
“Don’t get me wrong, in her day, Lady Bethesda had plenty of support amongst the Wizards” Jason acknowledged. “I suspect that more will come out openly for her once the news she’s alive spreads like wildfire. Many Wizards still believe that she got a raw deal all those years ago, while some Guardians believe that, unlike the current one, she’d have allowed the GCW to call the shots had she become the First Wizard. But I found nothing to suggest that any Wizard was allied with her before the explosion, or even in the know about whatever she’s been hatching all these years. The reason I know that is because there isn’t even a whiff of rumor amongst the Guardians about her being alive.”
“She kept the Guardians at arm’s length all those years ago” Duncan mused thoughtfully.
“Certainly seems to be the case” Jason assented. “News of her miraculous resurrection now, or even her escape from Chicago then, would be hard to hide in an insular world like the GCW — that, I can assure you. I’ve made enough discreet inquiries to be confident that there are no whispers of an escape from the explosion twenty-four years ago. Most Guardians believe that this current Shifter-led inquiry is a way for Lady Esmeralda to distract the Wizards from her worsening relationship with the GCW and to curry favor with Faoladh. They reckon that the First Wizard is on a desperate crusade for new allies, given that her relationship with the Guardians is so tenuous. I don’t believe any Guardians aided Lady Bethesda all those years ago. There are many who wouldn’t have turned her down had they been asked, but it looks like she didn’t ask.”
“You’re saying that whatever she used to escape the explosion did not come from the Wizards” Raoul stated precisely.
“That’s correct. The only other possibility are the Ancients. They have some powerful artifacts in private custody. I’ve reached out to a few Ancient contacts. But, to be honest, I doubt I’ll get very far.”
Historically, the Ancients and Wizards had never enjoyed good relations. Thus, Jason had minimal leverage with the First Ones.
“We need a new strategy to pursue this, one that involves reaching out to as many Ancient groups as we can” Raoul mused aloud.
He could certainly reach out to DiZeyla, the Ancient who led her brethren in San Francisco, but this inquiry needed a First One with influence over a wider diaspora. Faoladh might be able to help. Over the years, the leader of the Shifters had built up excellent relationships with various Ancient groups. The Ancients as a bloc had the least in common amongst the four Chosen factions with a seat on the CoC. Unlike other factions whose magic was similar, all that bound the Ancients together was the belief that they were descendants of the first Chosen to have walked this planet — the First Ones. Thus, the Ancients were not organized as a monolith. Instead, the disparate groups tended to police themselves, not mingling, talking or co-operating with others, though they also did not have any strong disagreements with each other. There were a few Ancients who commanded more widespread respect and influence across a plethora of groups. Raoul knew that the only way to get results was if any of them could be persuaded to make inquiries on this matter.
As for the Guardians, Raoul believed Jason’s judgement that the Wizards had not actively assisted Lady Bethesda. Though secretly surprised by how easily Jason had earned his trust, the Alpha had confidence in the Wizard’s intentions as well as his judgement.
“Tasia and Sienna have completed their report” the Alpha continued. “It summarizes the investigations run by the Office of First Wizard into Lady Bethesda over the years, since the first allegations against her surfaced. Copies of the report are available with Duncan. Grab a copy and familiarize yourself with the findings. We’ll go over it in a few days. One thing to remember — that report doesn’t leave the Lair. I’ve given LaRue my word on this.” He glanced around the room to make sure the gathered Shifters got his message.
“Good. I also have an update from Faoladh’s men tracing Lady Bethesda’s whereabouts after India. They’ve been able to track her to Venice where she met with the Master of the Lombardi Family, but after that, she seems to vanish again. A team has been dispatched to Venice to look into this. Also, Faoladh has now confirmed foul play in the death of her husband in India.”
“Perhaps she’s tying up loose ends before revealing herself to the Chosen again” Duncan suggested. She was certainly not shy anymore. Bianchi had made no secret of who he worked for.
“That’s what Faoladh suspects, too” the Alpha acknowledged. “But that theory implies her husband was a loose end. They’re attempting to dig into what he knew about her that might’ve precipitated this action on her part.”
Sienna sat ramrod straight beside Tasia, her expression frozen. Tasia felt a wave of sympathy for the other Wizard. From what they knew of Lady Bethesda, she wouldn’t let anything like an inconvenient husband get in the way of her ambitions. What
did puzzle Tasia was the timing of this. What secrets had Lady Bethesda’s husband known, she wondered. Every bit of information they dug up helped them make more sense of Lady Bethesda’s plans. Tasia agreed with the Alpha — they’d barely scraped the barrel on this puzzle. The Lady was smart, meticulous, ambitious and ruthless. The million-dollar question in Tasia’s mind was how the Wizard planned to mount a coup over the Chosen.
“Some more news that doesn’t leave this room” the Alpha announced. “The Lair hosts visitors the day after tomorrow. Faoladh and the First Wizard will avail of our hospitality for the day. For security reasons, this information is strictly need-to-know. As far as I’m concerned, it is her business how, when and which Wizards the First Wizard informs of the visit. But when it comes to the Shifters, I want the news to be kept in the Pack” he warned.
There was a quiet drawing of breath amongst the Shifters. Tasia, who’d had the night to chew on this after her surreal outing, sensed that it wasn’t the Alpha’s command to keep this news under wraps that astonished them. By now, she knew how secretive the Shifters could be. Nothing, even minor stuff of no importance to other Chosen, ever left the Pack. Rather, Tasia suspected that it was the Alpha’s invitation to the First Wizard that generated consternation in the Shifters.
Any fraternizing by a Chosen leader with a different faction was unusual. That of a Wizard with a Pack was unprecedented. Tasia knew that the First Wizard stepping foot in Raoul Merceau’s Lair would make history. For the first time, she found herself wondering what role Faoladh played in the Alpha’s subtle softening towards Wizards in general. It was clear that the Alpha held Faoladh in great respect. After last night, she could appreciate that the Alpha’s sentiments were driven by Faoladh’s willingness to forgive his rogue status and allow him the chance to capture command of a strategically important Pack.
“The First Wizard will attempt to extricate Sienna’s locket” Raoul explained pithily, responding to the collective astonishment of his Shifters.
“The First Wizard sends her appreciation to the Pack for the invitation, Alpha” Jason said formally, his eyes on Raoul.
The Alpha’s expression hardened as he met the Guardian’s brown eyes. “Now that she’s on her way to my Lair, there’s something I want to know.”
“Of course.” Jason looked puzzled.
“I skimmed through the report on the OFW investigations. It’s clear it took a while to initiate an investigation into Lady Bethesda, even after credible accusations had been laid against her. That’s possible only if the orders came from the top.”
There was pin drop silence in the room. Jason held the Alpha’s gaze but Tasia could sense that he was discomfited by the Shifter’s comments.
“So tell me, LaRue, why did your First Wizard squash the investigation into her rival for nearly four months, until she could no longer cover for the outpouring of accusations?” Raoul inquired, his voice deceptively soft.
“That’s a question you should ask the First Wizard herself” Jason responded, after a short pause. “Don’t get me wrong, Merceau. You’ve every right to ask this question. But, I’m not the right person to answer it. Ask Lady Esmeralda when she visits your Lair, and I believe she’ll give you your answer.”
“I see.” Raoul held his anger in check. This is what comes of trusting you Wizards, he thought savagely. We investigate your bad apple for you, yet you continue to play games with us. He had no doubt that Jason knew the answer, and just didn’t have the clearance to reveal it to the Pack.
“I can answer your question, Alpha” Sienna spoke up abruptly. “What you ask is not Jason’s secret to tell, but it is mine.”
Sienna shot a quick glance at Jason, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t know for sure, of course, but my guess is that you’re right, Alpha. Lady Esmeralda let the matter of her rival be, until she found it untenable to look the other way. If that’s the case, I know the reason for it.”
Sienna paused as the room hung on her words, their collective attention on her.
“Lady Bethesda is the First Wizard’s twin.”
There was a gasp from the room.
Oh my God, Lady Bethesda and the First Wizard are sisters! How strange that Lady Esmeralda was forced to investigate her twin years ago and now finds herself in the same boat twenty-five years later.
“Despite being professional rivals all their adult lives, Lady Esmeralda found it difficult to accept such accusations against her sister.” Sienna held the Alpha’s arrested gaze. “We’ve never discussed this, but I suspect that my aunt did not believe the allegations at first.”
The Alpha’s face, usually impassive, did not hide his surprise at this revelation. Even the usually inscrutable Duncan looked astonished. Tasia mused that, in a way, the entire investigation had been turned on its head by this piece of news.
“My mother and Aunt Minnie had been rivals all their lives, as sisters sometimes are” Sienna continued. “They joined the GCW together. And, during the first ever election for First Wizard, they found themselves the two front runners for the position, as candidates with the most support from their fellow Guardians. The morning after her sister was chosen to represent the Wizards on the CoC, my mother disappeared. After Da and Chicago, it was Aunt Minnie who took me in, until my decision to become a civilian and remove myself from her world. I trust Aunt Minnie to do the right thing, both for me and for the Wizards she leads. She has always respected my decision to walk a different path, even one that is the antithesis of the path she, Da, and even my mother followed. The only silver lining of a childhood tragedy precipitated by my mother was Aunt Minnie. I couldn’t have asked for a better surrogate parent than her.”
As the simply-stated powerful words died away, Tasia glanced at the other Wizard. It was clear that Sienna held her Aunt Minnie in great affection. Tasia could also appreciate how hard this must be for the First Wizard. For Lady Esmeralda, this was no twenty-five year old rivalry come to life again, it was a wrenching personal matter being played out very publicly.
“You Spell Casters continue to surprise me” Elisabetta retorted silkily. “Your First Wizard asks Faoladh to investigate her own sister, something her Wizards have failed on multiple occasions to do so. We Shifters do your dirty work for you. In return, you repay us by holding on to your little secrets. Is it any wonder that you Wizards are so detested by the other Chosen?”
Jason opened his mouth to respond to the beautiful Were-Alpha, but Sienna forestalled him.
“That’s unfair, Elisabetta, even for you” Sienna said passionately. “If that’s an accusation against Jason, then let me reiterate again that it was never his secret to reveal. You want to blame the First Wizard for this, that’s between you and her. But I won’t let you blame Jason for something that’s not his fault” she added fiercely, the blue eyes blazing as she faced Elisabetta.
The female Shifter looked surprised by her outburst. Usually, Elisabetta’s jabs against Wizards went unchallenged by Sienna, who remained unruffled by them. Tasia suspected that since Sienna didn’t consider herself a member of the Wizard upper echelons, she took no umbrage at Elisabetta’s disparaging remarks. But Jason LaRue was another matter altogether, as Elisabetta was discovering. Sienna was no timid mouse, as Tasia knew. Easy-going and hard to rile she might be, but all bets were off if you went after someone Sienna cared about.
“You misunderstand me, Wizard” Elisabetta drawled out, recovering quickly from Sienna’s fiery response. “I wasn’t blaming the Guardian. You’re part of this team, too. And not just any member. The Alpha offered you safe haven, when your own people can’t be trusted to guard you. What stopped you from telling us this before?”
“The relationship between Lady Bethesda and the First Wizard has never been relevant to the investigation this far” Sienna answered more composedly. “The moment it was, I told you about it.”
She turned her attention from the female Were-Alpha to where the Alpha stood by the fireplace, a poker-faced, silent wi
tness to the back and forth between Elisabetta and Sienna.
“It was never my intention to hide this relationship from you, Alpha” she said. “If you had asked me about it at any time, I would’ve disclosed it to you.”
The beast roared to life, impatient to break free, sensing an opportunity in her weakened state. The roar seemed to reverberate in her head as she lay on the makeshift straw bed in the rustic barn. The months of starvation and the silver in her shackles had weakened her, and the beast sensed its chance. She suspected that the witch who held her prisoner had something to do with her current frail state. In the early days, when she had been stronger, the witch’s brew of magic had had no effect on her. But as she had grown progressively weaker with the incarceration and ill-treatment, she could feel the potent effect of the magic. It skittered along her skin after every visit, seemingly encouraging her beast to spring forth.
She had resisted so far, even though her reserves of strength were steadily dwindling every day. Once she lost control of her beast, there was no going back. She’d be marked for death by her own brethren. The other Shifters would be left with no choice — the Supreme Edict would come into play. Her extraordinary will to survive, combined with a stubborn disinclination to give the witch what she wanted, had held her together this long. She could feel her body begin to painfully contract into a forceful transformation, driven by the beast’s assertive demands. A shiver wracked her as she fought to control the shift, so weakened that her Shifter metabolism could no longer even protect her from the cold. A sudden gust shoved the door open with a bang. The wild howling of the wind echoed in the barn. The witch had come, she realized dazedly, struggling to subdue the beast. Come to witness her finally succumb, she thought bitterly. Well, she wouldn’t give the witch the satisfaction.
A rustling sound had her turning to it with the last vestiges of her strength. A huge black bear stood over her, its eyes on her shackled body. She registered the flecks of snow on its dark fur, even as her Shifter senses heightened to confront the new threat. The beast roared again, the noise reverberating through the barn, as she finally succumbed. The bear swung a mighty paw at her and her world went dark.
