The Shifting Storm (Book 4)

by Jeff Hale

  “Ah, yes. I see what you mean. Ah, young Aerick, I see you have gotten yourself into and out of yet another predicament. Good, maybe my training is beginning to take hold after all. You still need to rid yourself of those nasty prejudices though. Anyway, I have another that will be coming to visit, an old friend of yours. She has been trained in the finer arts of Aether-wielding, but she is sorely lacking in combat training. The two of you should be able to teach each other what you know.” The man, Merlin presumably, gave Aerick a wide smile, then strode over to Henry, put his hand over the tattoo on Henry’s neck, and slid his hand as though wiping it off. It was gone as he finished the movement. “Her hold is no more.” Merlin glanced around the room, his eyes spotting Lucien. “Old friend! How are you?”

  “I am well. I see that you are doing much better now that the Barrier is gone,” Lucien observed.

  “I am indeed. I am indeed. I see that you have taken our young knight here under your… ahem, wing as it were.” Merlin chuckled.

  “I have. He has proven to be a good friend, and a stalwart companion.” Lucien smiled at Aerick. Aerick gave him a nod in return, then suddenly didn’t look all that steady on his feet.

  “You can release the poor bear, Aerick,” Merlin said.

  Aerick nodded again and dismissed his blades, freeing Henry. He took a step back, then a shudder went through him and he almost fell.

  “You two, get him to his room so he can get some much needed rest,” Merlin ordered, indicating Alex and Kat. As they moved towards Aerick, Merlin turned to look at him. “You keep doing what you are doing, but beware your emotions. Don’t let anything get you too worked up. Doing so will invite… greater darkness within yourself. I fear if that darkness gets out of hand that other evils may find you an open vessel. I know you have felt your own darkness rising within from time to time, do not let that control you.”

  “What is it? Why have I…?”Aerick asked, but Merlin cut him off with a wave of his hand.

  “Now is not the time. Let’s just say that I have placed something within your soul for safekeeping. I did so knowing that I can believe in your strength of resolve to hold it in check. That is all you need to know,” he said.

  “Malachai. Why didn’t you tell me there were more?” Aerick demanded.

  “I inferred it. Did I not tell you that there would be those that would challenge you and be your equal soon, and that is why I wanted you to concentrate on your combat arts rather than the Aetheric arts?” Merlin said.

  “I guess so. I just thought you meant challenges like demons. Not other Sentinels. Why would he work for Baba Yaga? If he is who he says he is, where’s his mother?” Aerick asked.

  “Questions that you will find answers to on your own, young one. You have much to learn, and before you ask, yes, Excalibur is the key to a lot of the riddles that you ponder over. But it is not yet time for you to find it. You are not ready. Your friend will arrive and you will train with her to round out your abilities, then you will reclaim the Sentinel Council, then, and only then, will you be ready to find the Sword of Fae Kings,” he said, patting Aerick on the shoulder.

  “Wait. What friend?” Aerick wanted to know.

  “A friend of yours from the past: Lancelot,” Merlin said, then vanished.

  “Wait. Lancelot? But you said… she…” Aerick didn’t finish the sentence, looking lost.

  Alex and Kat took hold of him, then I watched as they supported him on each side and helped him to leave the room. Everyone else filed out of the room, leaving just me, Queen Cynthia, and Henry. Henry turned savage eyes to me but didn’t say anything.

  “I’ll leave this one to you, then, Darien. I hope you are doing the right thing,” Cynthia said to me, and then with another pull to the air, she, too, vanished.

  I hoped so too. I looked back at Henry. “I give you three days to present yourself to your father and the North American Council. If I’m not notified of your presence there by the prescribed time, your life will be forfeit. If you cannot be rehabilitated, your life will be forfeit.” I turned my back on him and left the room.

  As I made my way back upstairs, I heard a commotion off to the side and saw Kat restraining Celeste—Serena—as she tried to make her way up another set of stairs. Kat whispered something to the girl, and with a final glower in Kat’s direction, Serena stalked back down the stairs and dropped onto a nearby bench.

  “Fine! I’ll wait then,” I heard her say angrily.

  Kat patted her on the shoulder then came toward me. I could see that she was upset as well. “I’m going over to the hospital and then back home,” she said as she stopped in front of me. She tilted her head to the side, regarding me sadly for a moment, then stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “For what?” I asked.

  “For not killing Aerick.” Her eyes were wet with unshed tears. I saw her glance over to where Serena sat fidgeting, then she bit her lip as her gaze came back to me. “I am so, so sorry, Darien, for everything.” And then she was walking away from me, arms wrapped around her middle, shoulders slumped in defeat.

  I knew exactly how she felt.

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  KATELYN

  I was beginning to think Talon didn’t have a home elsewhere anymore. The smoky wolf had almost become a permanent fixture in my apartment over the last few days since the end of the trial, to the point where I came out of the bathroom one morning after my shower to find Angel curled up against his belly.

  He didn’t bother me with incessant talking, he didn’t follow me everywhere, he was just there, as though he were babysitting, or waiting for something bad to happen. It was unnerving, but comforting at the same time since there was a big part of me that didn’t want to be alone.

  I was a wreck after all.

  I wanted to stop loving Aerick, I did, but I couldn’t, no matter how much I tried. I had tried calling his cell phone, but never got an answer. I knew where he was though, he was with Celeste—Serena.

  I cried, a lot. I slept, a lot. I thought about calling Darien, a lot. But I didn’t.

  I hadn’t realized, until I had come face to face with Aerick being in a love with a real, live person and had felt so helpless seeing how much he wanted her, how much I had been hurting Darien. I understood now why Darien was always there for me, but I couldn’t face him anymore without feeling a deep sense of shame.

  So when Kris called me and asked if she could move back in because she needed time apart from Matt, I was almost joyful, even if I did feel bad for her because she was having problems in her own relationship. I was surprised by her miraculous recovery in less than a week’s time from the car accident. She told me she didn’t know how it worked either, only that Matt had some way with healing that was above and beyond what normal doctors could do. She said she knew it had something to do with his being a vampire, but she had never really questioned him about it, feeling he would share it with her when he was ready. She had the idea that Matt hid a lot of things, not just from her, but from everyone.

  Her first night back in the apartment, she decided that both of us sitting around moping just wasn’t going to cut it. She suggested that we go out dancing, maybe find a couple of rebound worthy guys, and try to have some fun. I wasn’t so sure, but I let her drag me along anyway.

  We ended up at the Flame. Part of me was worried about who I might see there, but another part almost felt like the Flame was another extension of home to me. Lucien always made me feel welcome, even if his advice was usually cryptic.

  It wasn’t hard to find a couple of guys that were easy on the eyes and the ego when we got there, and we were dancing with them when I heard my name called from across the room by a familiar voice. I glanced over towards the owner of the voice, and what little bit of a good time I was having suddenly fled when I saw that it was Serena. Sitting right next to her in the booth was Aerick, with Dave on the other side of him. Serena was waving at us to come over. I glanced at Kris, w
ho just shrugged at me, then we made polite excuses to our dance partners and went to join the three.

  Aerick looked gorgeous as ever to me, wearing black slacks and a short-sleeved black button up that had blue flames around the bottom hem. I felt my breath catch in my throat and for a moment I wanted to just turn and run in the opposite direction. But Serena was still my friend and Aerick and I hadn’t been together for a long time.

  Serena’s attire made me feel overdressed. The petite girl had a vest on over a black bikini top, and her pleated leather mini barely covered her thighs where she sat. I’d been too depressed to pick out anything other than a pair of tight black jeans and a turquoise halter top. Dave, well, Dave was dressed like Dave, in jeans and a shirt that proclaimed ‘I’m actually not funny. I’m just really mean and people think I’m joking.’

  “Uh, hey, guys,” I said, my greeting lacking the warmth that it should have. Dave was staring, but not at me. His eyes were fixated on Kris like she was the hottest thing in the building, and all she’d chosen to wear were well-worn blue jeans and a Metallica t-shirt that was a couple washes away from disintegrating.

  Aerick leaned in to whisper something to Dave, then Dave straightened in his seat and gave me a friendly smile.

  “Hey, Kat,” Serena said to me, sliding over in the horseshoe shaped booth seat so there was room for me and Kris to sit.

  “Hey, Cele… er, Serena.” I stumbled over her name, still not used to it. I looked back at Dave and Aerick. “Aerick, Dave.”

  “Heya.” Aerick gave me an uncomfortable smile and Dave just threw out a small wave. I got the idea that it hadn’t been their idea to invite us over. Thanks, Serena.

  It dawned on me that Aerick had only seen Kris the one time, and Dave never had. “Oh. Sorry, I guess you haven’t officially met Kris. Kris this is Aerick and Dave. Serena you… well, sort of know. Aerick, Dave, this is Kris.”

  “Uh… hi?” Dave said. He was looking at Kris as though he had forgotten to breathe, or couldn’t.

  “You okay? Or have you had too much already?” Kris teased Dave.

  “Oh. No. I’m fine,” he claimed quickly. “I think I just swallowed wrong is all.”

  “So, uh what’s with the name change?” Kris asked, looking at Serena.

  “Serena’s mah real name, I was, I don’t know what I was before. I was living a lie is all I really know. I… died, I guess? And I jus’… came back. I don’t know how or why, but I did, and I was told by everyone that I had this other life. Why would they…?” She trailed off, staring into space for a few seconds, then shook her head. “Doesn’t matter now. I’m Serena and I’m here now.”

  I was pretty sure Serena had just completely confused Kris, so I leaned in and whispered, “Serena was Aerick’s girlfriend, the one that I told you about, that died? She’s back from the dead somehow, but she thought she was named Celeste. It’s complicated, I’ll explain it more later.”

  Kris just nodded and smiled at Serena. “Well nice to meet you, Serena.”

  “So how are ya out of the hospital so quickly? Last I saw, ya were still in traction!” Serena gave Kris a once over.

  “Well, I had… supernatural help,” Kris said, doing her best to be vague.

  “Oh,” Serena answered, unsure whether to press further.

  “Hospital?” Aerick asked, his tone curious.

  “I was in a perfectly mundane car accident,” Kris told him, looking him straight in the eye. “Nothing supernatural. Just a normal, every day accident.”

  “Okay. I got it. Why the emphasis?” Aerick wanted to know.

  “Because, I have it on good authority,” she gave me a quick look, “that you’re on some crusade against Aetherics that hurt us mere mortals.”

  “She’s not wrong, but I’m sure I would be getting in line if someone hurt you. I think you’re well protected.” Aerick gestured in my direction, then gave me a questioning look. “Are you and Darien going to work things out? Or have you already?”

  I wasn’t expecting that and it threw me a little. I couldn’t tell if he was asking for his own sake, or for mine. “I don’t know,” I answered, unsure myself.

  “Why not?” he pressed.

  Why not? Maybe because I was tired of being treated like a child. If there was one thing Aerick had never done, it was try to make my decisions for me. “He’s being… an ass. A high and mighty know-it-all ass,” I responded, snorting. I glanced beside me to Kris. She was giggling at something Dave had said. Looked like she might have already found her rebound.

  “Oh… I’m sorry.” Aerick actually did seem sorry. “Talk to him maybe?” he suggested.

  “Pffft! Right! Have you... nevermind. I just… I don’t know, when he gets it in his head that it has to be one way and one way only, you can’t change his mind. He’s an Alpha so he thinks if we’re together that he’s in charge a hundred percent. I keep secrets and he gets upset, but he can keep secrets and it’s okay.” Like with the magic, and my mom.

  “Ahem, I’m uh… going to go get another drink. Anyone want anything?” Dave asked as he stood up.

  Aerick was the only one who didn’t send Dave with an order. If I had to sit here and endure watching Aerick and Serena together, then I needed something, even if it didn’t really do anything. I almost wished I had my little bracelet with me.

  “I’ll go with you,” Aerick said, and I felt a sigh of relief escape me for the brief reprieve.

  Serena hadn’t missed the sigh. “Ya okay, Kat?” she asked after the two men left the table.

  I chewed my lip and scrutinized the other girl. She wasn’t being catty, she was genuinely concerned. “No, not really,” I said truthfully.

  Serena looked over to where Aerick and Dave were waiting at the bar. “Ya still love him, don’t ya?”

  Does she want the truth? She did, I could see it in her green eyes. “Yeah, I do.” I held up a hand. “Don’t worry, I know he’s yours, believe me, I know. It’s just hard.”

  She pursed her lips, nodding, then took a deep breath. “I gotta know, I do. Did ya and Rick, did ya… sleep together?”

  I heard Kris’s little intake of breath from next to me. “You really want to know?” I asked Serena candidly.

  She closed her eyes briefly, then nodded. “Although yer question kinda answers mine, I guess.”

  “Yeah, it does. And yes, Rick and I did. I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say to her. “If it makes you feel any better, he never stopped loving you, not a single day. He talked to me a lot about you.”

  Her pale brows lifted. “He did? An’ ya didn’t get jealous?”

  I shook my head. “No, I didn’t. How could I? You were… dead.” But she wasn’t anymore, and somewhere, deep inside me, I could feel the jealousy that I hadn’t had before. I didn’t like feeling it. Serena was my friend.

  “Yeah, I guess I was, wasn’t I.” She looked at her hands, then back up and at Kris. “Speakin’ of jealousy, won’t Matt get jealous that yer flirting’ with other guys?” Her eyes strayed to Dave briefly.

  Sudden sadness chased through Kris’s grey eyes. “Probably, but I don’t care. We broke up today.”

  Serena’s mouth dropped open. “But ya seemed so happy! What happened?”

  Kris shrugged a little. “He wanted me to be something I didn’t want to be and it got between us.”

  “Something ya…?” Serena broke off as Kris made little fangs next to her mouth with her fingers. “Oh! I see. I guess that could be a problem. Are ya okay?”

  “No, not really,” Kris said, echoing my words from earlier. Her upbeat mood from earlier had vanished and now she just looked tired and sad. She turned to me, trying to change the subject. “So, how are you holding up after his trial?” She jerked her head towards Aerick.

  “Better than I thought. That whole thing was a stressful nightmare.” I glanced at Serena, who just nodded in agreement. “I’m just glad we found a way for Aerick to walk out of it alive.”

  “So am I,” Sere
na commented. “I mean, he did it all fer me.” She frowned.

  I sighed. She was right; he had. “I think Aerick would move Heaven and Earth for you, if it came to it.” I was about to say something else, but Aerick and Dave came back to the table with the drinks and slid back into the booth. Kris gave Aerick a considering look.

  “What?” Aerick asked her.

  “I heard Kat’s side of the trial. How was it from your end?” she wanted to know. She was trying to steer the conversation away from romantic topics again.

  “Boring. Tedious. Kind of… intimidating,” he answered her.

  “But ya knew ya were right, didn’t ya?” Serena asked him.

  “I did. Henry and his pack were working for Baba Yaga, and Queen Cynthia corroborated my story and proved that I had every right to do what I did.” He shrugged.

  Every right? I gave him an incredulous look, still unsure how he could be so cavalier about killing people. “You’re still blasé about the whole thing, aren’t you? Didn’t you learn anything?”

  “Yeah, next time be more like Malachai and don’t get caught. Look, Kat, I’m fighting the beginnings of a war here, and Henry’s pack was nothing more than a squad of reconnaissance troops. Whether you want to believe me or not, it doesn’t matter. Dammit, Kat, don’t you get it? It had nothing to do with that fact that they were shifters! They were forward soldiers working for fucking demons!” Aerick lectured me harshly, as though he thought I didn’t understand. He ducked to the side as Serena’s hand came up to try to slap the back of his head and she gave him a reproachful look. She didn’t care for his use of curse words. “You don’t see it now, and maybe you never will, but anyone working for Baba Yaga or the demons is an enemy and has to be put down! It doesn’t matter who it is!”

  “So anyone working for demons has to automatically be killed?” I asked him bluntly. There were other ways, there always were. Even Darien had proved that by sparing Henry. Lethal violence wasn’t the only answer. It couldn’t be, at least not for me. I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep a hold on the thrall if it was.