Lady Liahan appeared in a swirl of light, and she smiled. “Well done, Tyanna. I am holding them until the Knight Guards and transporters pick up the stragglers.”
Ty smiled. “Thank you, Aunty, excuse me.”
She picked up her skirts and ran for the collared shifters. With shaking hands, she undid the buckles, carefully easing the metal out of the flesh one by one. When it came to Emery, it was tricky, but she managed to pry the buckle loose and work the studs free of his skin.
They were all free and just waiting for Liahan to drop the holding field.
She turned back and saw Alatas appear.
He ran to her and they hugged. “Did they hurt you?”
“No, but they were going to give me as a prize in a card game. I am not a fan of that idea.”
He looked her over. “How did they keep you from shifting?”
She held up her arm and showed him the wristbands. “It keeps the beast from getting through the skin. Do you have a bolt cutter?”
He kissed her quickly. “Are you sure you don’t want to wear them to even the playing field?”
“If you start playing the field, I will remind you that I can pull my beast into my body and it can still kick your ass.”
He grinned and set about finding a bolt cutter. Liahan had sweat on her brow as she held the field, but the Knight Guard confined and removed the attendees of the party one by one with the help of the transport mages.
“Can I help, Aunty?”
Liahan looked relieved. “Please. If I can free up the shifters, it will reduce the strain.”
Liahan extended her hands, and when Ty put her hands on the pale and elegant appendages, the confined women in the gathering started to move, as did the men in the garden.
Ty quickly called out, “Al, the men in the garden are about to shift. I just set them all loose. Keep them calm.”
Alatas sprinted over to them and stepped into the enclosure. He helped the exhausted men to their feet and the women cried out and rushed over to embrace their mates.
Alatas continued his search for a bolt cutter, and by the time the fey were nearly gone, the shifters were being freed.
The transporters were getting ready to send the shifters to headquarters when Ty looked up. “Heloise!”
Heloise turned and smiled. “Ty. You look none the worse for wear.”
Ty didn’t speak. She grabbed Heloise’s hand and hauled her into the enclosure. “Make him shift.”
Heloise paused and then fat tears rolled down her cheeks. She threw herself at Emery’s shell and sobbed.
He extended his head and tasted one of the tears that had run down his patterned home. His form shivered and he slowly transformed back into human form with the marked band around his neck.
“Hels.” He buried his face in her neck and inhaled as he shuddered sharply.
Ty sat back and smiled until she heard someone whisper her name. Alatas was standing behind her with the bolt cutter. She was the last one.
As he snapped the links off her ankles, she smiled. “Thank you.”
When he took the bands off her wrists, he lifted them and kissed the welts left by the magic.
She stepped into his arms and swayed against him.
Liahan came toward them. “I believe that you have both had a stressful day. Well done, Tyanna. We will need you to be debriefed but that can be done at your home.”
She nodded, exhausted. “Great. Can I get some rest?”
A transporter came up to them, and with a few whispered words, they were sent to the place that they most wanted to be.
The greenhouse had never seemed so welcome. With swift movements, Al freed her from her dress, and he grabbed an armload of bamboo while leaving the door open.
She shifted the moment she was through the door and went end over end on the grass. She wiggled in the grass, and in a moment, her mate was next to her, hauling a bamboo pole in his jaws. He dropped it next to her, and she enjoyed being herself with her mate beside her. With an impish impulse, she scooped him up and placed him on her furry belly as she lay splayed open to the night.
He snuggled into her fur and closed his eyes. They were home and tomorrow was soon enough to deal with the events of the evening.
It was time to enjoy their time together, because if today was any indication, their future was uncertain at best.
Author’s Note
Yes, I called them Knight Guards. My sister got a call from the dentist, and as we all know, I have no imagination.
The fey are growing more hostile toward the shifters…I wonder what is next. Ah, well. When they appear, I am sure that we will find out what is going on. I have no clue but things should hit the fan around the winter holidays 2014.
Zenina Masters
[email protected]
www.zeninamasters.com
About the Author
Zenina Masters was born in Canada and lives in Canada. She has a regular job and does nothing particularly exciting with her life. She enjoys fishing, silence and the ability to pick and choose friends she can trust. Life is too short to watch your back all the time.
Her writing life is a teeny bit of escapism, she would probably chicken out if confronted by three naked men and looks forward to one day finding out.
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