“Oh, yes. We’ve met your mother,” Joyce said, nodding. “She wanted to thank us for taking care of you and to explain a few things. She’s really amazing. Just like you.”
“Really?”
Richard nodded. “Like mother, like daughter.”
“Now, honey. There’s one thing we have to talk about before we leave,” Joyce said. “You have to know that what happened to us wasn’t your fault.”
“Absolutely not,” Richard added, putting his arm around her. “We were meant to find you and raise you the best we could, and we did that.”
“What happened after that has nothing to do with you and everything to do with what you’re destined to end,” her mother said.
“The war,” Syney said quietly.
“And you will, honey,” Richard told her with a reassuring squeeze.
“I hope so.” She looked between the two of them and couldn’t help but smile. “It’s so good to see you both. How much time do we have?”
“I don’t know,” Joyce said, “but we’ll be here for every damn second we can be.”
“Mom! Language!” Syney laughed.
“I think it’s the death. She’s been getting more and more foul mouthed,” Richard said with a chuckle.
“Oh, stop it, you two!” Joyce said.
They talked for hours, reminiscing and discussing what it was like for all of them now. Syney never thought she’d ever feel the way she did that night. She had her parents again. And not only that, but she knew she never really had lost them. They were always looking down on her, watching to make sure she was all right. Joyce described their lives now as comfortable. They could look down on Syney when they needed to, almost like looking into a mirror at the living, but most of the time they continued on with their lives, except instead of going to a job they worked with others that had passed to look after those still alive. “Kind of like guardian angels,” Joyce had said excitedly. That thought alone made Syney more comfortable.
They left early in the morning after a tearful good-bye. Syney stood in her empty room for a while, thinking about what had just happened. She didn’t even hear Noelle come in; she was so deep in thought. Once Syney noticed her, she quickly asked if Noelle had seen Adam in the dining hall. Noelle nodded, and Syney rushed out of the room. How would she ever thank him for what he had done for her? He had given her something she’d never thought she would have again. She stopped when she saw him at a table, laughing with a group of men. Then she headed over to him almost at a run.
Adam jumped up when he saw her and smiled. She returned the smile before stopping inches from him and kissing him. After a stunned moment, he pulled her close to him and deepened the kiss. Syney relaxed into it, finally feeling something she’d been missing all these months: happiness.
“How can you tell if a Shifter around?” Cass asked, as she pulled a few berries off a bush. They were red, which meant they were good. It was the black berries you had to worry about.
Cass and Ivy were only half a mile from camp. Cass was surprised that none of the guards had thought to pick the berries in the area. There were tons of bushes, and all the fruit was in season. She put as many berries as she could into the canvas bag she’d brought with her.
Ivy was surveying the land only feet from Cass. “The scent. All Shifters smell the same.”
“What do they smell like?”
“Um, kind of like right after it rains. But you won’t be able to smell them, not with your Magic User nose.”
“Are there any other signs? I mean, for people who can’t smell them?”
Ivy gave her a curious look. “You always have a wolf with you. Why would you need to know that?”
Cass shrugged. “Just curious.” To be honest, it was more than curiosity. Cass hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the snake that had literally tripped over her the week before. There was just something about him she found interesting—mainly the fact that he hadn’t killed her when he had the perfect opportunity to do so.
“There isn’t any other way, really. You could have two bears in front of you, one Shifter and one real, and you’d never be able to tell the difference.”
Cass frowned. That meant there was no way for her to find her mystery man—not that she wanted to really. Or maybe she did. She shook her head and stood up as she pulled the bag over her shoulder. “Done. I think I have enough to let everyone have a share.”
The Lycin nodded and looked back over the land.
“Everything OK?”
Ivy frowned. “I keep smelling something, but I’m not sure what it is.”
“An animal?” Cass perked up. She wasn’t a big meat eater, but even she was craving something fresh.
Ivy shrugged. “Maybe. I’ll let the commander know so he can send out a party.” She looked back to Cass. “Ready?”
“That’s silly! If you can catch it now, you should. What if it moves on by the time they come back?”
“I can’t, Princess. Not when I have to watch you.”
Cass sighed and looked around. She walked over to a small cave in the rock face a little ways away. “I can stay in here. I’ll be quiet.”
Ivy shook her head. “No way.”
“Come on! Do you know what kind of heroes we’d be if we brought back meat? They might even stop talking about me behind my back.”
Ivy thought it over, her face scrunching up a bit. Finally she nodded. “I’ll be right back, so don’t move. Or I will kill you. Got it?” She said that last part with a playful smile.
Cass nodded and ducked into the cave. It wasn’t very big, with only enough room for her and one other person. She looked over as a knife dropped in front of her.
“Just in case,” Ivy said before heading off.
Cass sat against the rock and sighed. It felt nice to be truly alone for once. Things had defrosted only slightly at camp since her last outing. But it was a little better. Hunter actually said hello to her now. Well, he gave her nods, which was better than his avoiding eye contact. Even though things were getting better, she still missed the Village. More specifically, she missed Helen. The last time she had seen her sister, Helen had berated her for not minding her own business. Cass agreed with her on most of her points but still stood by her decision to tell her mother about Hunter and Syney. They were planning on leaving, and that couldn’t happen.
Cass was so lost in her thoughts of home that she didn’t notice him until she felt the slimy scales slide over her arm. She screamed and shook the snake off her and crawled farther into the cave. Unfortunately that put the snake between her and the entrance as well as the knife she’d left on the ground. She tried to catch her breath as fear rose into her throat, blocking any other screams she might have gotten out. The snake raised its head a foot off the ground and stared at her, its small pink tongue flicking in and out of its mouth—a mouth that could kill her in an instant. After a moment of staring at each other, the snake seemed to grown in size, the black scales smoothing out into light-colored skin. Arms sprouted out of the snake’s body, followed by legs. The last thing to change was its head, as black hair sprouted and his face formed. The only things that didn’t change were the glowing red eyes.
Cass started to hyperventilate as she stared at the Shifter in front of her. He was much larger than her, not in muscles but in height and length of his arms and legs. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she thought her heart might beat right out of her chest. She was so scared that the fact that he was naked didn’t even cross her mind. Her fingers tingled a little, and the image of fire came to her mind. She could try to conjure it, although she generally lit something specific. He could be her target, but she didn’t know if she was ready to inflict harm on someone, even if her own life was at risk. She wasn’t sure she ever would be ready for that.
He cocked his head to the side and stared at her some more.
Finally she found her voice. “Are you going to kill me?” she asked softly.
A wicked smile crossed
his lips. “I could ask the same thing. What are all of you doing here?”
“These are our lands.”
“They used to be ours and should still be.”
Cass shook her head. “The borders never changed. What are you talking about?”
He scoffed. “They don’t tell you anything. How can you all live with so many lies and secrets?” he spat out. “Are you here to curse our lands some more? There isn’t anything left to kill except us.”
Cass took a deep breath. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But you’d better leave or I’ll…kill you.”
He outright laughed at her. “You’ll kill me? Do you know who I am? I’m Prince Weston, second son of Lionel the Fifth, the greatest Shifter king in existence!”
“And?”
He stared at her oddly for a moment before a smile slid onto his lips. “And I could kill you with one bite. Whether I’m a snake or not,” he said quietly.
“There’s a wolf not far from here. She’ll rip you to shreds.”
“I’m not afraid of wolves.”
“You were the other day.”
“I was surprised. Won’t happen again.”
“And yet you haven’t killed me yet. I don’t think you’re going to.” She stuck her nose up in the air.
He eyed her again. “What house are you?”
“None. I’m a handmaiden.”
He shook his head. “Try again.”
She kept her mouth shut.
“I’m guessing Crystallianna. I wonder how much they’d trade for you.”
She stared at him. He was a confusing creature; he could kill her, but now he wanted to bargain for her life? What kind of Shifter was he?
There was a rustling nearby that they both heard. Cass made a silent prayer that it was Ivy. The Shifter narrowed his eyes at the opening then looked back at Cass. “I’ll see you soon.” He smiled before changing back into a snake and slithering away.
Cass took a deep breath and grabbed the knife before he could come back again. She leaned against the rock and closed her eyes. He was not only a Shifter but also a royal Shifter. And one who didn’t seem to want to kill her, which bothered her more than anything else. She opened her eyes. Weston. She liked the name, even though she wasn’t sure she liked its owner. She wasn’t sure she really wanted to see him again, as he had promised. He scared her, mainly for what he naturally was, but she still felt an odd connection with him. He wasn’t like the Shifters she’d been raised to fear. He could have killed her twice now but hadn’t. She wondered if the third time would be the charm.
Ivy returned a few minutes later with a large four-legged animal with horns wrapped around her neck. She smiled triumphantly at Cass and promised her a large portion for dinner. Cass nodded, and they returned to camp. When they arrived, Hunter congratulated them on the find, although he eyed them suspiciously. He obviously didn’t buy the fact that Cass helped take it down, but he didn’t reprimand them. Cass lingered by him for a moment, debating telling him about the Shifter. She should, she knew, especially since he had promised to return, and who was to say what he would do to them all? But she kept quiet. Weston had implied some things that Cass wanted to know more about. And the only way to do that was to let him come back and try to get what she could from him. She went to bed that night with thoughts of the black snake in her head. It was dangerous, she knew, but she didn’t seem to care.
Syney looked distracted. Mellisandrianna didn’t know which was worse: Syney being distracted or verbally attacking her every five minutes. She stared at the table as the younger woman stared off at nothing with a silly grin on her face. Mellisandrianna narrowed her eyes. She had heard Syney was seeing the young man who had come into the palace with Brian. She thought the distraction would be a good thing, but now, as they sat in the council meeting, she wasn’t so sure. She had adjusted her plan, which meant she needed to encourage Syney as she made her way toward the throne. She couldn’t, however, have Syney making vast changes now, and then having her take them all back once she took the throne. That wouldn’t look good.
“Justice, how are the plans to move the dining hall coming along?” Mellisandrianna asked, noticing Syney’s attention shift back to the meeting.
“Everything should be finished by tomorrow,” Justice said.
“Very good. Is there anything else?” She paused but got no reply. “Good. I hope you all have a wonderful day, and thank you all so much for being a part of this meaningful council.”
Everyone at the table stared back at her, unmoving.
“Meeting adjourned,” she added with a smile.
Finally they all slowly moved out of their chairs and slipped out of the room.
“Oh, Syney, would you mind staying for a moment?”
Syney looked at her hesitantly but nodded. “Of course.”
Mellisandrianna glided over to her as everyone else left. “Would you care to take a walk?”
“I’m very busy.”
She gave a short laugh. “And it’ll never slow down, I promise.”
Syney looked at her critically before she nodded. “A short walk would be lovely.”
Mellisandrianna smiled and led the way out of the room. She steered the walk to a long open walkway that overlooked the Village. “I’m very happy with the fact that you have become so involved with the council. There seems to be a lot you want to change around here.”
“No offense to the current system, but it kinda sucks if you’re not a royal. I just want to make things a little easier for everyone,” Syney said.
“A noble goal,” she said with a smile. “And one I believe my daughter, Helen, agrees with.”
“She’s a very compassionate person.”
“That she is. Very much like her father.”
“And Adanna is very much like yourself.”
Mellisandrianna chuckled. “Yes, she is.” She stopped and placed her hands on the large stone railing. “What other changes do you have in mind, beyond eating arrangements?”
Syney shrugged and moved to stand next to her. “How about an end to the war? Maybe a peace committee sent out to the other races? Make the Realm what it used to be.”
“Ah, the overambitiousness of youth. I do miss that.”
“You don’t think it can happen?”
The queen shook her head.
“Then we see things very differently.”
“Very. That being said, I would like to help you.”
“If you think it’s futile, then why?”
“I feel as though you and I got off on the wrong foot. I do like the fact that you’re here, and I do believe you’re going to be the bearer of change. I’d like to help you with that…and guide you to the best paths.”
Syney stared at her for a moment before smiling. “You don’t want me trying for your throne until you die.”
“Who says I’m going to die?”
Syney took a deep breath and leaned forward. “That throne is rightfully mine. You have absolutely nothing to hold over my head anymore. You got your wish; Hunter is gone, and your palace is no longer tainted with disgrace. So please don’t misunderstand me when I say that when I want the throne, you won’t be able to stop me.” She smiled and stepped back. “Thank you for the walk. Have a wonderful day, Your Majesty.” Syney even curtsied at the last part before she turned on her heels and took off.
Mellisandrianna stared after her, her smile transforming into a scowl. That little bitch wasn’t going to make this easy for her, which meant she had to step her plan up. In order to make the changeover, she had to get her alone and willing to be there. This would take some planning, which, luckily, was something she was very good at. She turned back to the Village and smiled out over her land. Soon she would have the whole Realm back, not just this measly Village.
This was the hardest decision she’d ever had to make. She had lived with the secret of her upbringing since she was old enough to tell a lie. But if there were ever a person she could tell w
ho might actually understand, it would be Gabe. And man, did she want to tell him. She actually agreed with him: The only way to start a real relationship with someone was to start with honesty. But when the secret you’re keeping could get you killed, you had to weigh your options very seriously. And for the past two weeks, she had. On the one hand, if she told him, they finally could stop tiptoeing around how they felt about each other, or at least how she felt about him. He had yet to truly open up to her. That last kiss had told her some things, but Gabe was a master manipulator. On the other hand, there was so much going on with Syney and the palace that maybe she didn’t need the distraction called Gabriel McMann. But what an attractive distraction he was.
Noelle took a deep breath as she stared at Gabe’s door. She had made her decision as she watched Syney and Adam leave on a date only minutes earlier. Syney looked so happy as he took her hand and led her down the hall, stealing a quick kiss before disappearing around the corner. Noelle had never had that in her life. Sure, she had dated, but she’d never had anything she would call love. And right there, when she saw Syney and Adam, was when she’d realized it. She loved Gabe. He made people do things he needed them to do and would ruin someone’s life if he had to, but by God, she loved him. She had felt empty during the couple of months when he had disappeared. And now she was going to trust him with her life and the lives of her family as well.
She knocked rather loudly and shook out some of her nervousness from her hands.
Gabe pulled the door open and looked at her oddly. “What’s wrong? You’re flushed. Is it Syney?”
Noelle shook her head and pushed past him. If she was going to do this, she had to do it before she lost her nerve. “I…um…I want to be completely honest with you, but I need some answers first.”
Gabe pushed the door closed and stared at her for a moment before smiling. “All right.”
“Do you love me? No, um, do you care about me? As something more than just friends or someone who could help you?”
He was silent for a while as he looked away.
Deviation: Altera Realm Trilogy Book 2 Page 7
