Through Storm and Night (The Shape Shifter Chronicles Book 2)

by Lauren Jankowski

  Passion swallowed and closed her eyes, suddenly wanting to run as fast as she could. She didn’t know where nor did she care. Pushing herself up to a standing position, she kept her eyes on the entrance in front of her. Passion felt as though she were immune to the normally calming presence felt throughout the Pearl Castle. She took a couple of deep breaths, trying her best to remain calm. Then, she slowly turned around.

  A lone figure stood in the middle of the entrance hall. The messengers all stood a fair distance away. She recognized him immediately. Roan.

  He looked exactly as he had the night he went missing. He wore a dark jacket, unzipped to reveal a dark shirt, and black jeans with sneakers on his feet. His long hands were tucked in the pockets of the jacket. Roan’s reddish blond hair shone in the light that illuminated the castle. Long legs made up the majority of his height, giving him a lanky appearance. He still had a very pale complexion, the same one Passion saw in her daughters. The only difference Passion could see in him was his eyes. They were still green but they were no longer bright and lively. Rather they were dull and almost defeated, even as they fixed on her. Yet, as he held her gaze, Passion felt those eyes captivate her, as they always had. Long ago, those eyes used to make her feel as though she were the only woman in the world. They had sparkled with love and admiration.

  Only now she knew of his deceit, his darkness. He was a murderer, an assassin, someone who killed people simply because the price was right. The man before her had killed one of his own brothers and numerous other innocent people. He was a boogeyman among shape shifters and few even dared speak his name aloud. Because of him, her daughters had a stigma attached to them. His treachery had cost her everything, and she wanted to hate him. She wanted to hate him more than anything and it should have been easy. But it wasn’t.

  Passion did the only thing she could think to do. She sent an icy glare in his direction and stormed off, hoping she would never see him again.

  Adonia watched as her granddaughter disappeared down the hall leading to her room. When she first saw Roan, Adonia didn’t know what to do. She was even less sure of what to do when Passion became locked in a stare-down with the presumed dead shape shifter. He had turned her entire life upside down and Adonia couldn’t help but wonder how her granddaughter would react to his sudden and unexpected reappearance. She had seen the conflict on Passion’s face. The younger guardian had loved the man. He had given her two daughters, both of whom she loved more than life itself.

  Adonia hadn’t expected the relatively calm reaction of her granddaughter. She had expected her to knock Roan down using telekinesis at the very least. However, Passion just walked away, down the hall toward her room. Adonia glanced at Roan again and saw remorse in his tired green eyes. He looked up at her and then dropped his head, unable to hold her gaze. He slowly removed his left hand from the pocket it was hidden in. Adonia’s eyes widened even more when she saw what he brought out of the pocket: a thin gray flashdrive.

  “I believe you’re looking for this,” his smoky voice traveled up to her. Her gaze moved from the flashdrive back to him. Roan stood out in the sea of pastel that surrounded him. Messengers stood around, unsure what to do. Some messengers looked up at Adonia expectantly, awaiting orders. Many others simply looked terrified, especially the younger ones. Roan’s ruthless reputation was still widely known throughout the Meadows, though he hadn’t been seen in more than twenty years.

  “It’s not what—”

  “Quiet, Roan,” Adonia ordered. He closed his mouth. Adonia motioned for one of the messengers to take the flashdrive from Roan. The messenger — dressed in pale blue indicating she was from the water lands — approached him very hesitantly, with the same caution she would a feral beast.

  “Two of you take him to the dungeons, solitary confinement,” Adonia commanded. “I need to speak with Jet and Lilly.”

  At that moment, Electra strode into the entrance hall from the wing off to the left. She froze mid-step when she saw who was in the middle of the main area of the castle. She stared at him, her expression gradually becoming furious. Roan glanced toward her and stared, horrified. He looked back at Adonia and then Electra.

  “Get him out of here!” Adonia yelled, making her way toward the stairs. Her shout snapped everyone into action and two messengers escorted a compliant Roan toward the dungeons. The messenger from the water lands brought the flashdrive to Adonia, who was halfway down the stairs. Adonia nodded her thanks, dismissing the messenger to go on her way, glancing at the flashdrive she held. It was freezing cold, which struck her as a little odd. Electra still stood in the entrance of the wing she had come from.

  Electra’s fists clenched and unclenched a couple times as she closed her eyes and let out a long breath. She opened her bright green eyes and looked to Adonia.

  “Is that who I think it was?”

  Adonia nodded. “I’m afraid so. That was Roan.”

  “Impossible, he’s dead,” Electra stated strongly.

  “I thought the same,” Adonia said, glancing toward where Roan had been standing only moments ago. “Apparently we were mistaken.”

  “Where’s Mom?” Electra asked.

  “I believe she went to her room,” Adonia replied. Electra moved toward the stairs, hurrying up them.

  “Electra?”

  Adonia’s voice halted Electra at the top of the stairs. She looked back at her great grandmother. Adonia turned to face her.

  “Passion saw him when he first Appeared. She’s understandably upset.”

  Electra nodded and continued to her mother’s quarters. Adonia sighed and looked back at the flashdrive in her hand before moving in the direction of the stairs. She headed for her office, thinking about how to tell Jet and Lilly.

  *~*~*~*~*

  Electra reached the door to her mother’s quarters, pausing for a moment before hesitantly knocking. When she received no response, she tried the handle and found it open.

  “Mom?” Electra called out as she stepped into her room. The bed was made and everything was tidy. The curtains were drawn, letting the warm sunlight stream into the room. Both windows were fully open to let in the pleasant breeze. Electra looked over to where her mother sat at her desk, writing with a fountain pen. Her hand supported her head as the pen scratched hurriedly across the paper. Electra closed the door behind her before moving over to where her mother was.

  “Mom, are you okay?” she asked. Passion looked up from the paper for a moment, studying her daughter. It was the first time Electra was unable to read what her mother was feeling. Normally, Passion’s emotions were raw and naked, easy for anyone to read. Seeing her mother guarded unnerved Electra.

  “You know?” Passion asked. It was more of a statement than a question. Electra nodded, leaning against the desk.

  “I saw him, right before a couple messengers took him to the dungeons,” she said.

  “Electra, I am so sorry,” Passion began apologetically.

  “Why? You didn’t know he was still alive,” Electra replied.

  “No. No, I did not,” Passion agreed, turning her eyes back to the paper she was writing on. The pen resumed its neurotic scratching.

  “Who are you writing to?”

  “Donovan,” Passion answered, laying the pen down and folding the paper. She grabbed a stick of red wax and a candle she had lit when she had first entered her room. Holding the stick over the candle, she melted the wax over the folded paper.

  “I have to warn him, Electra. If the High Council finds out what really happened . . .” Passion stopped, not needing to say anything more. Electra looked down briefly, knowing her mother could be in a great deal of trouble if the truth became known. Passion and Donovan had been on Earth without protector escorts, which was against guardian law. The fact that they had been there to cover up Passion’s role in trying to help Roan carried an even greater penalty.

  Passion opened a desk drawer, pulling out her seal. She pressed it into the drying wax, leaving an impre
ssion of their family crest. The red color of the wax would tell Donovan it was from her. She stood up, holding the paper. Electra took the letter from her, raising a hand when Passion started to protest.

  “I’ll take it to Lucky. He’s Donovan’s apprentice and I happen to know that he’s in the library today,” Electra said, tapping a corner of the paper against her hand. “You and I both know Donovan has a habit of ignoring messengers. The High Council has been on his case about it forever. He can’t turn away his apprentice though. Lucky likes you and me. He won’t be nosy. Your letter will get to Donovan faster and you’ll know that he got it.”

  Passion leaned back in the chair, balancing the pen between her fingers as she looked at her daughter.

  “Thank you,” she said after a moment, putting the pen on the desk. She ran a hand through her soft hair.

  “We should tell Isis,” Passion mentioned, leaning against the desk.

  Electra nodded, standing up again. “I’ll go to her after I see Lucky.”

  “That’s probably best. She’s more comfortable with you,” Passion agreed, unable to hide the melancholy in her voice.

  “Only just,” Electra replied with a shrug. “Isis isn’t really comfortable with anyone other than the shape shifters. She’s lived on Earth all her life, so it’s only natural that she would be more comfortable with them.”

  “Perhaps,” Passion said, sitting up again. “Lucky is Donovan’s apprentice?”

  “Apparently so. Phoenix told me a while ago,” Electra said, smiling a little. “The High Council has finally found a way to punish him. I don’t know who to feel sorrier for: Donovan or Lucky.”

  Passion gave a watery half-smile. Electra straightened up and started walking back toward the door. She opened it and turned back.

  “You sure you’re all right?” she asked.

  Passion shrugged. “I will be once I have a chance to process everything.”

  Electra nodded and closed the door behind her as she left.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Isis sat in her bed, her back against the headboard. She was paging through her spiral on the mysterious Coop. It was late afternoon and she still had to get ready for the dinner she had promised to attend with Shae. Truthfully, she was looking forward to seeing Steve again. Isis hadn’t seen much of him since the whole debacle with Coop. She missed him enough to stomach getting to know another person. Normally getting her to leave the comfort of a heated house in the middle of winter was a near impossible task, especially if it involved meeting a new person. As it was, Isis wasn’t looking forward to venturing out in the cold weather. She glanced over to the window. Even with the curtains drawn, the harsh glare of the sun on the snow was almost headache inducing.

  A knock on her room door brought Isis out of her ruminations. She leaned over to the table by her bed, pulling open the drawer and sliding the spiral inside. She closed the drawer again and stood up, crossing the room to the door. Isis wondered who it could be. It was much too early for Shae to fetch her for the dinner at Steve’s. Jade and Alex were working out. Jet and Lilly were at a meeting, along with Remington. The mansion was mostly empty.

  Isis opened her door, unable to hide her surprise at who was there. “Electra?”

  Electra was dressed in her plainclothes; jeans and a cream-colored sweater, her hair tied back in a simple ponytail. She looked about as unsure as Isis had ever seen her look.

  “Hey, Isis,” she began, glancing down the hall. “I need to talk to you about something. Would you mind if I came in?”

  Isis shook her head, opening the door even wider to allow her sister to enter the room. She closed the door and turned to face Electra. Her twin walked over to her bed, lightly sitting on the edge.

  “Is something wrong?” Isis asked.

  “No. Well, yes in a way,” Electra paused and frowned. “Actually, I’m not really sure.”

  “Uh oh,” Isis said, crossing the room and leaning against one of the bedposts. “That doesn’t sound good. Is Aneurin holding another one of his inquisitions?”

  Electra smiled at the jest, but it didn’t reach her green eyes. “Hopefully not.”

  She ran her hands over her face, leaning over her knees. Isis tilted her head, trying to see her sister’s expression.

  “Electra, what happened?”

  Electra straightened up again, biting her lower lip and drumming her fingers. Isis could tell she was thinking over what to say, choosing her words. Isis crossed her arms over her chest, furrowing her brow. She was nervous about her sister’s hesitance and prepared herself for whatever kind of bombshell Electra would drop.

  “Earlier this morning, around dawn, someone Appeared in the Meadows. Someone who had long been thought dead,” Electra paused and looked up at her sister. “Roan — he’s back.”

  Isis’ squinted at Electra, confused by the news. It certainly hadn’t been what she was expecting — not that she really knew what to expect.

  “Roan? Our biological father?” she finally asked. “Are you sure?”

  Electra nodded and Isis sat on the bed next to her. She had been told very little of her biological father. She really only knew of his reputation as the most feared shape shifter assassin. Assassins tended to stay relatively anonymous and tried to remain as discreet as possible, but Roan had somehow been able to kill openly without being caught. Whoever backed him had enough power and sway to keep him out of prison and away from the protectors. He moved and killed without being seen, but he made sure protectors knew about his kills. Hell, Isis had heard some shape shifters wouldn’t even speak his name aloud, as if the simple act could somehow conjure him.

  “So he wasn’t dead? Where has he been?” Isis questioned, looking over at Electra. Electra shook her head and shrugged.

  “We don’t know. He’s been gone more than twenty years,” she said.

  “And he just Appeared in the Pearl Castle this morning? Did he try to kill anybody?” Isis asked. Electra leaned back.

  “No, he didn’t. He Appeared and gave Adonia the Key, or what we think is the Key,” she replied. Isis tilted her head, feeling a faint sense of disappointment. The Four had been looking for any trace of the Key since Coop’s disappearance. We’ve been searching for that damn thing for months and then it just drops in our lap. So much wasted time, she thought, somewhat annoyed. Well, maybe we won’t have to deal with so many dead-ends.

  “Where is he now?”

  “In the dungeons, in solitary,” Electra said. “Where he’ll hopefully stay for eternity.”

  Isis looked at her sister, surprised by her bitterness. Electra had been a little stand-offish when they first met, but eventually warmed up to her sister. Since then, Isis had seen her twin’s natural extroverted and friendly personality. To hear her sound so cold was a little off-putting. Then again, Jade had told her that guardians grew up with a very black and white view of good and evil. They sometimes didn’t understand the gray areas of issues. Isis imagined Electra was also quite protective of her mother. After all the grief Passion had gone through because of Roan, Isis could understand her sister’s resentment toward the man.

  “He willingly turned himself in?” Isis asked, putting her hands on her hips.

  “Yes.”

  “And gave Adonia the Key? Why?”

  Electra shrugged. “I don’t know. Who knows why assassins do anything?”

  “Maybe he has changed,” Isis suggested. “He was able to Appear in the Pearl Castle.”

  Electra let out a cynical laugh. “Men like Roan don’t change. Once a murderer, always a murderer. The only reason he can Appear is because he’s a Deverell.”

  Isis leaned back against the bedpost, folding one leg under her. “So what does this mean? What happens now?”

  “I don’t know. I wish I did. I just came down to tell you, Jet, and Lilly. What happens next is entirely up to the High Council and the protectors,” Electra said, looking over at her sister. “Speaking of which, where are Jet and Lilly?”

>   “They went out to a meeting. They should be back soon,” Isis replied. “I guess I should cancel my evening plans.”

  “Probably a wise idea,” Electra responded, lying back on the bed and closing her eyes. “The Four are likely going to be incredibly busy for quite some time.”

  Shae’s going to be annoyed, Isis thought, sad that she wouldn’t be able to see Steve. She realized the Key had fallen too easily into their laps and it would likely lead to more questions about where it had come from and what it was exactly — questions she and her three teammates would have to investigate. She looked over at Electra, who had laid the back of her hands on her brow. Her twin was the very portrait of relaxed.

  “How’s Passion handling this?” Isis asked.

  “Surprisingly well,” Electra answered, opening her eyes and looking up at the canopy high above her. The room was pleasantly warm and smelled of lavender; one of Isis’ favorite scents. She had worked hard to make her room relaxing, especially since she didn’t spend much time in it. Isis relished whatever little time she could spend in the spacious room.

  “Is she going to get in trouble?” Isis knew her biological mother had broken quite a few rules back when Roan had supposedly died. Passion had told her and Electra everything that had happened that night, along with the possible repercussions if the full story ever came out.

  “I don’t think so. If Roan talks, there might be some trouble,” Electra stated. “But I doubt the High Council will believe a word he says.”

  “What about the other guardian that Passion mentioned? The one who helped her?”

  “Donovan? No, he would never put Mom in that position,” Electra said. Isis wondered how much weirder her life could get. Biological father is an assassin and apparently came back from the dead. Add that twisted branch onto the ol’ family tree, she thought as she looked back to her sister.