Releasing Chaos

by Lexi Ander

  Months ago, after the battle with Inanna and Marduk, the Goddess Tiamat had revealed to me that my fire was not from this plane and gave me the name of a place I could find other Branns. After several months of research, Devlin, Nacht, and Jynx had finally located it. Juan and Ace were ready to go but I was dragging my feet. As excited as I was to have answers after all this time, I had to admit that I was frightened. What would I find out about myself? About what I could do?

  "I hear you. I had planned to speak to Tristan today after his meeting with King Ignatius." Jonas's fingers wrapped around mine. He was coming out of a sleep and as he opened his eyes, I gave him a wide smile in greeting. "How do you feel?"

  When I first took Jonas into my care I'd almost came to blows with a couple of Ophidians adamant that Jonas needed to be taken to the Halls of the Anunnaki Gates. Something about a Vikrum coin of protection they were honor bound to obey. Kildare had been sitting with Jonas when he was first found and Gregori was intrigued when the Shirdal took Gregori's side against the Ophidians. If Bixx Decimus hadn't stepped in, I would probably be in big trouble with the Ophidians. Explaining that Jonas had the potential to be one of my bond brothers was not something I wanted to reveal to anyone other than Tristan, Ushna, and Brian. Juan and Ace had sensed the possibility and had backed me up without question when I demanded Jonas be given over to us. As for Kildare… I didn't know why he stuck with us. I suspected he watched over Jonas but as of yet hadn't determined his reasoning.

  Those first days after the battle, Jonas had been little more than skin and bones. As a witch, Ace guided us, teaching us how to assist in Jonas's natural healing. Ace's presence also helped when Jonas woke from the healing coma his body had initiated in an effort to keep him alive. I wasn't sure if Jonas sensed our bond or if it was merely Ace's presence that put him at ease, allowing him to be open with us when he was horrifyingly mute and submissive around others. All of us were protective of Jonas. I didn't know if I could leave him behind, even knowing he wasn't quite well enough for extended travel.

  "Where are we going?" Jonas asked. The exhaustion and stress induced bruising under his eyes was gone, and a new light shone in his gaze. He moved to sit up, keeping his hold on my hand.

  "We have to travel to another plane to seek out other Branns like Gregori," Ace answered for me, knowing how I struggled.

  "I need to pack then." Jonas scooted off the bed and bustled around the room gathering things. "When are we going? I would like to say goodbye to the kings before we do. They've been so good to me." Jonas's voice hitched and pain flashed across his expression. "Even after what I did."

  We'd had circular conversations with Jonas, reassuring him that he wasn't responsible for what Daniel forced him to do. Perhaps one day he would believe us. But for the moment… I glanced at Juan and Ace. How could I break it to Jonas that he would be staying?

  "Please don't leave me here!" Jonas stood in the middle of the room, arms overloaded with garments, staring at me beseechingly. "I know you think I'm weak."

  "No," I denied.

  "Not weak," Ace said, rising from his seat to relieve Jonas of his burden. "But you've only been out of the coma for a month, and you're still healing."

  "We don't know how hard this journey is going to be and we don't want to hurt you more than you already have been." Juan crossed to Jonas, the wolf in him always ready to reach out and soothe when he sensed another hurting.

  Jonas hugged him back but never took his eyes off me. "I want to come. The thought of being left behind… Please don't. I promise I won't slow you down. I feel better now than I have in years. Just don't leave me."

  I glanced away, a rough noise escaping me before I could push it back down. "Jonas," I pleaded. The cords connecting me to my bond brothers was strong. Juan had been bound to me for a year now and Ace had joined us shortly after Inanna's defeat. Though Juan and I weren't sexually involved with Ace, there was still a particular intimacy we shared in being open books to each other. Ace had become as close to me as a brother of the blood, and in such a short time both Juan and I had come to love him fiercely. Although I hadn't magically tied Jonas to us yet, we already felt strongly for him. Of course we'd explained that we'd like him to consider becoming a part of our circle but had encouraged him to put off making a decision.

  Jonas moved to stand in front of me, a confidence radiating from him that I hadn't seen before. "As your future bond brother, I think it is very important that I go with you."

  Closing my eyes, I breathed deeply.

  "You might as well say yes, because I can't tell him no," Juan said. In my mind, I felt the warmth of Juan's encouragement. Juan had no reservations bringing Jonas with us, sure in his ability to keep all of us safe. I looked to where he stood with Ace. "Who are we to tell him he isn't well enough to travel. If he thinks he'll be all right…" Juan shrugged his shoulders. I didn't have to glance at Ace to read him. He agreed with Juan, his silent assurance sending a soothing wave through me.

  "Okay," I relented, hoping I'd made the right decision. Jonas cheered, squeezing me about the neck before hopping off to hug Juan and Ace again. I hadn't wanted to leave him behind to begin with. Why had I even argued with him?

  I looked to where Kildare still rested, curious to what he would do now. Usually, he said very little, only answering when I reached for him through the Earth. His imperious stare hid his thoughts but he nodded at me. "I will come," he sent to me as if he thought I should already know.

  "We can pack later." I rose from the chair and grabbed the three books that sat on the bedside table. "We're supposed to meet Tristan in Bahbelle shortly."

  We left Jonas's hut and walked up the hill to where the Shadow Movers had been stationed. Kildare took to the sky, his tawny hawk-lion body glinting golden in the noonday sun before he disappeared. Shirdals didn't travel through the void but Stan had explained their flight was almost as quick. I had no doubt he would meet us in Bahbelle.

  Sanctuary was a bustle of activity and a pang of longing washed through me. Who knew when I'd walk these peaceful grounds again? The shadowmen dropped us off at a way station a block from the Hall of Shamash. I grinned at Jonas's exclamations of admiration. This was the first time he'd seen a Lycan city. He loved architecture and different cultures represented. As we walked to the Hall, Kildare alighted near us and flanked Jonas.

  As happy as my circle was, the books I carried weighed me down. They had arrived in the mail that morning. When I'd opened the package, I was stumped why someone would send me journals until I opened one of the covers and read the note left there for me.

  Dear Gregori,

  I'm sending these to you for safe keeping. If something should happen to me and I fail my task, I need Tristan to do what I cannot…

  By the time I finished reading the short note, I'd been crying. The other two journals were written by Tristan's father, Ramsey. That I would give these to him right before we left made me feel guilty. But Juan was correct: I'd put off our trip long enough.

  Once we reached the Hall of Shamash, we waited in the grand foyer for Tristan, Brian, and Ushna to finish their meeting with the king of the True Bloods. The last of the incarcerated True Bloods had been transferred from the Detention Center into King Ignatius's custody, and they were finalizing the treaty details. Ace had enjoyed being able to see his father every evening this week; his brothers had returned to Chicago and he already missed them terribly. I felt bad…

  Sensing my thoughts because, hey, Bond brothers, Ace glanced at me and mouthed, "Stop."

  The large doors carved with the caduceus opened. Tristan and Ignatius exited, talking animatedly. When Ignatius spotted Ace, he grinned widely and raised his hand in greeting. I crossed to Tristan but before I could say hello, Corey swept into the foyer, thunderclouds in his expression. As if everyone could sense the tension surrounding Corey, they hushed and looked on as he stopped next to Tristan. "We found something you need to see."

  After telling Juan and Jonas to
stay with Ace, I hurried to catch up to Tristan, Brian, and Ushna. When I joined them, I was met with warm smiles even though they were clearly worried. "What are you carrying?" Tristan asked.

  I'd planned to wait and see what trouble Corey found before telling Tristan about the delivery, but it seemed fate had other ideas. We stopped outside the building where the shadowmen had dropped us at earlier. "I received mail today from Nathan." Everyone turned to look at me but I ignored them. "He asked me to give these to you but I'm not sure it's the right time."

  "I don't care," Tristan replied, holding his hand out.

  Gently giving the three journals to him, my heart squeezed as he petted the leather bindings.

  He cleared his throat. "Thank you. You didn't have to come all this way. I would have been home tonight."

  "I know." I swallowed thickly. This was harder than I'd thought it would be. "I had planned to tell you that Ace, Juan, Jonas, and I are leaving for a while, but now I think we should probably stay a little longer."

  Tristan gave me a sad smile. "I suspected you would need to leave soon. And no, don't change your plans because of me. You need to complete your circle, and that isn't going to happen if you stay here. If you had bond brothers around here, I suspect your circle will already be completed. I saw how quickly you acquired Ace and Jonas after meeting them. There isn't anyone else here to help you." He swept me up in a fierce hug that made my ribs crack and I loved every second. I inhaled, taking in my alpha's scent. After he released me he clutched the books to his chest. "Come on, Corey is getting impatient. He wouldn't say what he's found and he smells of anxiety."

  The Shadow Movers took us back to the ranch where ATVs were waiting. We were taken to the edge of the property where a protective obelisk gleamed in the daylight. On the other side, a deep wash hid a car and a body that Corey identified as Felix, one of the missing warriors thought to have been spying for Daniel. There wasn't much left of him. It had been weeks, time enough for the wild life to whittle Felix down to scraps and bones. But the body wasn't what had Corey worried. The truck of the car was popped and he pointed something out to Tristan.

  Holding my breath because the area still reeked of death, I moved closed to Corey and Tristan. Ushna and Brian were searching the interior, calling out that they could still scent Daniel, Nathan, and Jonas on the interior.

  A protectiveness rose within me and I considered returning to Jonas. Those who'd questioned him had asked about Daniel's safehouses and associates. After coming out of the coma, Jonas's memories about his time with Daniel was spotty. He didn't remember how they arrived at the ranch, only taking Daniel, Nathan, and the children to Sanctuary. But Tristan made a pained noise, and when I looked into the trunk I saw a long wooden case that contained a few feathered darts and not much else. The interior of the lid had odds and ends pinned, taped, or glued to it: squares of cloth, ribbons, buttons… just miscellaneous things. When Tristan reached into the bottom corner, he plucked out a watch and a necklace with a shaky hand. After getting a better look at what he held, I yelled for Ushna and Brian right before Tristan released a mournful wail.

  We comforted Tristan the best that we could. All these years we'd believed that Rose and Ramsey had died in a car accident. To discover they had been killed by Daniel was chilling.

  Not long afterwards we returned to the ranch. When I went to follow Tristan into the house, he turned to me with red-rimmed eyes. "No. I don't need you to stay with me. You've done more than enough, and it's time you started looking out for you and your bond brothers. You'll come back to me when you can?"

  "Of course," I croaked. "You didn't even have to ask."

  Saying goodbye was hard. I might've held on just a bit longer, squeezed more tightly than I normally would. Brian and Ushna whispered words of thanks. Tristan promised to send Stan, Jory, and the kids to Sanctuary before dusk. And when I walked down the trail to the Anunnaki Gates, my steps might have been lighter. Quicker. The worry over the future of the Lycans was past. The Seat of Zeev was once again claimed by our king. The time had come to step up and find my path, build my own life. For the first time in a long while, I had hope because the future looked amazing.

  Chapter Forty

  Tristan Janick

  I stood outside the boundary of Bahbelle. Jynx Roth, one of the heads of the Magi College, stepped out of the shadows, along with several dozen Magi. Tonight we would move the city, along with the citizens, to a new safe location. I retained the memories of how to do this alone, but I needed my strength for tomorrow.

  To perform great magic, the Magi formed circles. The smallest were three, not to be confused with bond brothers, who bonded to each other for life. Magic circles came together solely to accomplish something grand, such as moving a city of over five hundred thousand. The largest circle was twenty-one people. Jynx brought enough experienced Magi to create three such circles, forming a triangle encompassing the city within the magical border.

  In between everything else that required my attention, I had finally located a place to relocate Tribe Enkidu, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Moving the city needed to be completed before the last confrontation. I wasn't under the illusion the next steps in the plan wouldn't unfold without encountering a few bumps in the road.

  "Are you ready, Your Highness?" Jynx asked.

  I refrained from wrinkling my nose at his use of my title. In public, my inner circle addressed Ushna, Brian, and me formally, while in private they were our friends first. I wasn't sure I would ever get used to hearing them use the honorific when addressing me.

  "You may begin."

  Jynx grinned, his excitement barely tamped down. This moment was historic for us. The last time Bahbelle had been moved was when King George III took the English Throne. The Lycans had been given this land in a grant for our assistance to the Crown.

  Nacht stood behind Jynx with a two-way radio, relaying the command to the other two circles. Putting my hand on the crystal obelisk I stood beside, I reached through the Earth for the other Magi, connecting them so they sensed the weave of magic. The ground vibrated with song and I joined the melody, wrapping the city and the inhabitants in a layer of protection before we carved the structure away from the current location.

  The line of obelisks as far as the eye could see lit up like stars in the night sky. The glow spread from one column to another, connecting the illumination until we could only see a wall of light. The crystal under my hand moved, the surface becoming slick but not quite liquid. As the Magi voices rose to a crescendo, I could wrap my fingers around the cool stone. By the end, the light was sucked into the gemstone I held, winking out.

  The night was that much darker once the brilliance was gone. I stood still as my Lycan senses adjusted. Everyone gathered around to see what I held. Corey put a protective hand on my elbow, ready to pull me away at the slightest hint of danger. Over the last months, he'd become more distrustful as Daniel's spies were rooted out and deserters hunted down. I also had a hunch Nathan's sacrifice affected him too. Did he hear how Nathan spoke of him? How Nathan had been positive that Corey was a good brother? I would've asked, but when I attempted to speak Nathan's name I choked. So I didn't baulk when Corey did his best to wrap me in cotton.

  "Are you sure everyone is okay in there?" one of the Magi asked.

  "They are perfectly fine. They are frozen in a moment of time," I reassured. "Now, let us get them settled in the new location."

  I didn't return to the ranch until much later that evening. I fell into bed by myself and woke later when I was joined by Brian and Ushna. Their combined heat lulled me back to sleep.

  Neesie woke us before dawn, laying out the ridiculously expensive suits she'd had the foresight to purchase for us. I would be remiss meeting the leader of the country for the first time in my boots and work jeans, even though I would be infinitely more comfortable.

  Although… I stared at Brian and Ushna as they dressed in their bespoke suits. Damn. Quite a few ideas p
opped into my head about what could be done with silk ties. Suddenly the day was looking up.

  A knock came at the door before Neesie stuck her head in. She looked fierce in her own power suit, her long brown hair bound onto the top of her head. "The news van is being escorted through the front gates."

  "How do I look?" I held my hands out. "I think green is my color."

  She smiled fondly at me, crossing to adjust my tie. "You look handsome. It's strange to see you with your eyepatch again."

  "I'm trying to make friends, not send them running for the hills." Reaching up, I adjusted the strap, unaccustomed to the pressure.

  "I hate that you feel you have to hide who you are." She set a velvet jewelry case on the dresser. "I brought some of Daddy's things." She popped the lid, revealing the circlet I'd only worn once before. We'd decided the Crown of Divinity wouldn't be appropriate for this first meeting. Next to it sat a couple of rings and cufflinks.

  I held still as my sister polished me up. Ushna set the circlet on my forehead, the weight on my brow just as I remembered. Another knock and Corey entered carrying two other boxes. Grinning through Brian and Ushna's groans, I placed the circlets on their heads.

  "The three of you quit thinking dirty thoughts." Neesie waved a hand in front of her nose.

  Ducking my head, I blushed. I couldn't help it. How could I not imagine Brian wearing only his circlet, his hands tied above his head with my green necktie? I smirked at Brian, enjoying the fetching image. Neesie smacked me on the back of the head, and I grinned wider.

  Corey led the way to the front where we stood on the porch, watching as several news vans drove down the long driveway.

  "Are you sure this is the action you want to take?" Corey asked, looking handsome in his Arms Master uniform. All the warriors were exceptionally polished, professional yet not intimidating. The human's first impression of us needed to be positive in addition to strong.