Jack raised an amused eyebrow. “Hey bud, aren’t you supposed to change? There are clothes on your bed.”
“But I want her to see my cars.”
“You can show her more another time. Besides, we’ve gotta get going. I’ll see you there, okay?”
Suddenly reminded of the ceremony, Jase bolted for the stairs.
The corners of Natalie’s mouth curved up as she watched him scramble up the steps, then concern transformed her expression as her focus switched to Jack. He turned away. Already self-conscious about his puke-green eyes, he didn’t need her feeling sorry for him. He walked to the kitchen to retrieve his jacket.
“Jack, do your eyes hurt to touch?”
“Nah, it’s all pretty much for show now. Don’t worry about it.”
“Here,” she let her purse slide from her shoulder to an end table and began rummaging through the contents, “let’s try this.”
Jack wasn’t sure what she was suggesting until she opened the container in her hand. One half of the compact held flesh-colored powder and the other, a small brush. “Make-up? No. Seriously. I’m fine.”
“It’s cover-up.”
As if that made him feel better about it.
“Let me try it, Jack. You can easily wipe it off. It’s just powder.” She didn’t wait for an answer. Stepping close, Natalie dipped the brush and swiped it under his eyes. “It’s pretty light for your face color, but it might be okay for under your eyes.”
The top of her head came to Jack’s nose level. As she lightly swept her fingers across the edge of his eye sockets to blend the powder, he breathed in the fruity smell of her hair. The tingle under his skin from her warm fingertips made him swallow any further objection to the make-up. Natalie took a step back and nodded. “Not bad. Check it out.”
Jack inspected the results in the bathroom mirror. He was impressed. The greenish-purple circles under his eyes now nearly blended with his skin and, unless someone was very close, he didn’t look like he had on make-up. Traces of warmth remained on his cheeks where Natalie had touched his face, but he blamed the fluttery feeling in his chest on the upcoming ceremony and rescue. He took a few deep breaths to steady his pulse. “Get it together, Jack,” he muttered under his breath. “Haven’t even left yet.”
Back in the living room, he bobbed his head in answer to Natalie’s raised eyebrows. “Cool. Thanks.”
Natalie’s stream of questions during the short ride to the lodge revealed that Jack wasn’t the only one anxious about the evening. He realized he hadn’t yet asked Dan how he was able to bring Callie with him to the underworld. Jack had agreed to take Natalie with him assuming whatever the Mannings did could be replicated. But even at sixteen, he knew things were seldom as simple as they seemed, and the thought made his heart drum a little bit faster.
Then they pulled into the parking lot and the surprising number of cars—especially so early—added fuel to Jack’s nerves. The simple ceremony wasn’t supposed to be a full-blown sect event, yet inside, twice the amount of people he’d expected had already claimed seats in the large meeting area as more trailed through the door.
Natalie surveyed the room, wide-eyed. “We don’t have to make a speech or anything, do we?”
“Not that I know of, and I’d like to think someone would’ve given me a heads-up. I just can’t believe how many people are here. I thought it would mainly be the elder council and a few others.”
Brody approached as they made their way into the room and Jack introduced him to Natalie. The older man held her hand between his for a moment, eyes closed, then nodded as if satisfied. “There are seats reserved in the front row for you.” He gestured behind him to seating arranged in an oval. The majority of the circuit consisted of several rows with one noticeable section of about a dozen seats in a singular row. The reserved signs hung on chairs directly adjacent to the separate seating.
Sect members milled about on the outskirts of the oval, so Jack took Natalie’s hand as they wove through the people and down an aisle to the front. He flipped a reserved sign so it hung over the back of the chair and motioned for her to sit. Then he did the same for himself and sat down next to her. He gestured to the single row. “For the council, so no one sits behind them,” he explained.
Natalie nodded, then raised her eyebrows and glanced at his knee which was jigging up and down. “Nervous?”
Jack bobbed his head. “Yeah, maybe more than I was aware of. Funny, the last time I was the focus of a ceremony, I was nine, and I loved it.”
“Probably because that time you weren’t about to risk your life.” Her voice sounded odd.
Jack studied Natalie’s face, taking in the small creases in her forehead and the tense set to her lips. “Hey, are you okay?”
She nodded without looking at him. “All these people.” She scanned the room. “They all believe, don’t they?”
Jack frowned. “Believe…”
“In the underworld.” Her voice was so low, he almost didn’t hear her. She didn’t wait for an answer. “It makes what we’re doing so real all of a sudden.” She swallowed. “It’s overwhelming.”
Jack opened his mouth but she must have guessed what was coming because she spoke before he could say anything. “It doesn’t change anything. As long as you’re going, I’m going with you.”
He could hardly tell her not to worry when his own anxiety was off the charts, so instead he wrapped his hand around hers and squeezed gently. She held on tightly for a moment and then relaxed her fingers. As he released Natalie’s hand, Jack raised his head and his gaze fell on Shera, sitting directly across the oval, her eyes on him. He felt a flush of shame, as if he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but Shera smiled and gave a low-handed wave. He managed a return smile, the butterflies in his stomach doubling. Did she know her father had talked to his father?
Movement drew his attention and he couldn’t help chuckling as Jase emerged from the rows of seats near Shera and cut directly across the open area toward them. He ran up to Jack and nudged his way between his brother’s knees. Stretching up to get closer to Jack’s ear, he whispered loudly, “I want to sit by her.”
Jack met Natalie’s grin over his brother’s head. “Jase, why don’t you sit in this seat?” Natalie patted the chair next to her. “Then I’ll have someone I know on both sides.”
Jase bobbed his head up and down and darted past Natalie to perch on the edge of the chair. He waved frantically when he spied his mom and dad.
Jack followed his brother’s line of sight and his heart dropped to his stomach when he noticed his parents chatting with Elder Whitehead. He stole a glance at Shera, whose attention was on the group as well. He tried to decipher the look on her face—curiosity? Excitement? Dread?
A hand clamped down on his shoulder and Jack jumped.
“Dude.”
“Wes,” Jack said, looking over his shoulder. “Hey, you didn’t have to come.”
“Sure I did.” Wes shifted his gaze to Natalie who had twisted in her seat to see who Jack was talking to.
“Hi Wes, how’s it going?” She swung her head to the side, flipping her hair out of her eyes.
Mesmerized momentarily by Natalie’s innocent gesture, Wes blinked and managed to utter, “Uh… all right.” He sat down behind them, then reached over to tousle Jase’s hair. Jase batted Wes’s hand and turned around to sit on his knees to avoid another sneak attack. “You’ve drawn quite a crowd, Ironwood,” Wes commented.
“I know. What’s up with this?” Jack swept his arm out, indicating the rapidly filling seats. “I expected family and the elder council and maybe a few people who had nothing better to do.”
Wes shrugged. “It’s big, dude. It’s not every day someone volunteers to pay a visit to the lord of souls.”
“Jacky’s a hero,” Jase interjected.
“Not quite, buddy,” Jack told him.
Jase poked Natalie on the shoulder. “Are you going to be a hero, too?”
She turned to face him. “Maybe. I hope so.” Jase asked her something else, but Jack lost their conversation when Wes caught his eye. His friend pumped a thumb over his shoulder where Jack’s parents stood with Elder Whitehead. Wes raised his eyebrows.
Jack shook his head and held his hands palm up.
A hush fell over the hall as the elders began seating themselves. Anyone still standing quickly found seats. Jack’s parents finally made their way down the aisle and sat down next to Jase. Jack leaned forward to garner some clue about the conversation they’d just had, but when he finally made eye contact with his dad, all he received was a smile.
The ceremony began as they all did, with a blessing from the local Shifter Premier—his adviser, Brody Carter. As Jack watched him perform the familiar rituals, he tried to picture himself in the role. This was a future he’d painted mentally for years: Jack wearing the black robes of Shifter Premier, his wife, Shera, sitting where Brody’s wife was now, watching her husband with pride.
Tonight though, Jack struggled to project his face into the scene. As Brody launched into a speech about his protégé, panic started to wend its way from Jack’s brain to his chest. His heart stuttered and pounded so loud he wondered if Natalie heard it. His adviser recounted Jack’s accomplishments and inferred his future success as a shifter. The fear continued to permeate Jack’s being, gathering into a ball in the pit of his stomach.
Oh man, he was about to either die or seal his fate.
He pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
After Brody finished his address and returned to his seat, each elder rose in turn to offer advice or a blessing. The brief speeches seemed to blur into one another until Elder Whitehead stood up. Suddenly Jack’s focus was crystal clear.
“An effort of this magnitude has not been offered in many years. Only the bravest of warriors descend to the dark realm to dance with Zalnic. Elder Carter sees Jack Ironwood as capable of this task; worthy of one day becoming Shifter Premier.”
Elder Whitehead paused dramatically to ensure he was the center of attention. “I extend to Jack my utmost blessing, the blessing of betrothal. Success in this venture deserves a substantial reward, so I offer the greatest gift I have: my daughter, Shera.”
Blood rushed in Jack’s ears drowning out the rest of Elder Whitehead’s words. He felt, rather than saw, Natalie’s surprised stare. His cautious glance across the room found Shera wearing a smile plastered over mixed emotions.
The crowd erupted into applause. Jack’s dad clapped his son on the shoulder and drew him up from his chair. Then he was in front of Elder Whitehead, who now held his daughter’s hand. The elder reached for Jack’s right hand and joined it with Shera’s before releasing them both.
The scene might have happened in one of Jack’s many dreams. Except in his dreams, he smiled triumphantly and Shera beamed at him. In reality, she looked apprehensive and Jack’s utter bewilderment prevented him from smiling.
With the roar of the crowd adding to the confusion, he stumbled along with Shera as they were herded from the room. He craned his neck to catch sight of his parents. The audience had surged forward and shouts of congratulations and well-wishes filled the lodge. When the mass of bodies shifted for a brief instant, he glimpsed his mom clutching his dad’s arm while Jase yanked on her jacket. Wes stood with his mouth agape. And Natalie… was gone.
Chapter 9
Change of Heart
Jack and Shera were shuffled from the meeting hall to the back of the building where they were deposited into a studio apartment usually used by visiting sect elders. As soon as the door closed behind them, Shera breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God it’s you, Jack.”
“What?” He fought his instinct to leave the room immediately and demand an explanation. He could still hear numerous voices jabbering in the hallway.
Shera dropped her purse on the small kitchen table and turned to face him. “I’ve agonized over this my entire life, and I’m just glad it’s you.”
Jack’s confusion obliterated the potential flattery. “What’s happening?” The council didn’t intend for them to marry tonight, did they? The brief flash of panic that seared through his chest abated as he reasoned that their parents wouldn’t expect them to marry before finishing high school. “Why are we in here?”
Shera plopped down in an easy chair. “Why do you think?”
Jack’s gaze traveled around the room. Shera sat in one of two chairs arranged with a small couch around a fireplace. Immediately to his right was a kitchen area and in the far corner, a bed. His eyes grew round. “No. Your dad wouldn’t.”
“You don’t know my father very well then. He believes in the old ways.” Shera used finger quotes on the last two words.
Jack pulled his phone from his back pocket and called his dad. “What’s going on?” he barked as soon as his dad answered.
“Well,” Jack’s dad cleared his throat, “I believe you’ve been given the opportunity to stay the night with your future wife before you go on your quest.”
“You’re kidding me.” Jack paced from the door to the kitchen and back.
“Afraid not. But you don’t have to stay, Jack. It’s an old-fashioned formality.”
A small sigh of relief escaped before his next question. “Are you still here? I think I may need a ride. It looked like Natalie left.”
“We’re on our way out. You can come with us, but you might want to at least talk with Shera for a bit. I can come back when you’re ready.”
Jack swiped a hand over his face. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.” If he just walked out right now, he’d hurt her feelings. “Okay. Talk to you later.” He stuffed his phone into his pocket and turned to Shera, who’d very obviously listened to the conversation.
“So you’re just going to take off?” She kept her chin up and her voice even, but the dejection showed in her eyes.
“No. No, of course not.” He took a few steps toward the couch and jammed his hands into his jeans pockets. “I’m sure that sounded bad. I was caught off guard. This was the last thing I expected tonight. I’m supposed to be going to the underworld tomorrow.” He dropped his gaze to the floor and rubbed the toe of his shoe on the couch leg.
“You didn’t know our parents were in negotiations?”
Jack shrugged. “All I knew is that they’d talked.”
“Mmm. Well, my dad didn’t tell me either, but I suspected something like this might happen when he insisted I come with him. Especially when he said I’d miss school tomorrow.”
Jack crossed to the other chair and sat on the edge of it. “Aren’t you mad at your dad for just dumping you in here?”
“I could be.”
“But you’re not?” Jack thought about Natalie’s reaction to merely the idea of an arranged marriage. She’d be spitting mad if this had just happened to her.
Shera gathered her long, black hair and pulled it over her shoulder. She picked up a piece, twirling it around a finger. “You know, when I was thirteen I asked him if I would have any input into who I marry—I wasn’t trying to be rebellious or anything, just reasonable. Know what he said?”
“What?”
“I wasn’t wise enough. Only those with years of wisdom can decide such things.”
“Really.”
“Really.” She dipped her chin while maintaining a steady gaze. “The thing is, I love the sect. I love reading auras. If I ran away or something, I’d have to leave it all behind. I figured I might as well stick around and see how things turned out.” She lowered her eyes then and her voice became softer. “I’m okay with this. I’ve always liked you, Jack.”
Jack wanted to tell her he’d always liked her too, but his heart was beating too fast and he had a lump in his throat. If he choked on the words they would sound insincere. He moved to kneel in front of the fireplace where a fire had already been lit. He picked up the poker and prodded the smoldering logs.
Shera got up and rummaged around in the kitchen. “Do
you know the girl you’re going to rescue?”
“Not really.” Jack was glad for the change in subject. “You know, I saw her in school but didn’t even know her name until I asked Natalie about the disappearance.” He heard the click-click-click of the burner igniter and then the whoosh of a flame.
“Natalie. That’s the girl going with you, right?”
“Yep.” Jack moved to a chair, easing his shoulders back and attempting to breathe normally. His racing pulse dropped a little closer to normal.
Shera turned to face him and he couldn’t help but be struck with her beauty. Her long legs were clad in tight black jeans that ended just above a pair of black flats. Her knit shirt was Caribbean blue, loose, yet somehow clinging to her curves. “You’re friends with her?”
“I am now, I guess.” He added the last, aware she was watching him closely. “I overheard her describing the Enuuki that abducted her friend, so I approached her.” He thought back over the last few days. “I’ve really only known her for about a week.” Had it actually been less than a week?
Shera returned from the kitchen, this time choosing the end of the couch closest to Jack’s chair. She kicked off her shoes and curled her legs up on the seat. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
“No.” Had she not brought it up, he probably never would have thought to ask the same. “Do you?”
Her eyes crinkled at the corners and he realized how his question sounded. He smiled. “I mean, do you have a boyfriend?”
“I suppose either one is a valid question these days.” She laughed. “So, no on the girlfriend, I’m straight. And boyfriend? Kinda. I have been seeing someone. Nothing too heavy duty though. You won’t mention it, will you? My dad doesn’t know.”
“No worries. Is he sect?”
She shook her head. “A guy at school. He has no idea who my dad is.”
Soulshifter Page 13
