Sage must have noticed Karein’s reluctance to talk about it, as he fell silent once more. Karein detected a few guards up ahead, and decided the quiet simply would not do. The sound of Graham’s heartbeat seemed obscenely loud, so he had to cover it.
“I wanted to thank you for your concern,” he finally said. “I assure you I’m perfectly all right.”
After a brief moment of pause, Sage took the opening and answered, “As always, I have complete faith in you, General. But if there’s anything I can do to help, you only need ask.”
Karein chuckled. “Only one person can help me now, and that’s my anchor. So unless you’re that person…”
Sage’s breath caught, and he gave Karein a wide-eyed look. “You just have to say the word, General,” he blurted out.
Karein released a heavy sigh. This was definitely not the right moment to have his second-in-command declare his feelings for him. He’d have felt embarrassed, except he knew that Sage had only offered out of loyalty, not out of true desire for him. Perhaps under different circumstances, there might have been a measure of attraction between them, but Sage feared him too much for that to be possible.
Regardless, Karein respected his lieutenant as a person and as a soldier. “Thank you, Sage,” he replied, “but I still have hope that the Overlords will guide me to the one person who can open himself to what I offer.”
He didn’t know why he said those words, or where they came from. He didn’t even know why he had said him. After all, he didn’t know for a fact that his supposed and unknown mate was male. But he’d said it regardless, even if a part of him didn’t believe in them. A true mate as an anchor was more than he could expect from life.
In three months, his two hundredth birthday was coming up. If he didn’t have a mate before the eve of that date, he would be imprisoned for all eternity in the bowels of the mountain, or perhaps even killed. By rights, the thought should have frightened him, but Karein was resigned to his fate. Likely, he deserved whatever happened to him, and more.
But that didn’t matter right now. Graham and Caelyn did. During his conversation with Sage, they’d crossed the castle at speed and finally reached the side entrance. When they bypassed the last guards inside the building, they stepped into the cold of the night. “So what now?” Sage inquired once they were convinced no one was within earshot.
“Now, you have to cover my tracks while I carry them to the foot of the mountain,” Karein replied. There were still plenty of soldiers patrolling the area. Karein’s presence would undoubtedly be spotted, but Sage might be able to distract them long enough for Karein to finish his task.
Thankfully, Sage didn’t ask any questions. “I understand,” he replied, placing Caelyn on the cold ground.
Karein abandoned Graham’s still form next to Caelyn’s and straightened his back. Closing his eyes, he allowed the change to flow over him. The dragon roared out of him, powerful and wild, more so than most people even imagined. Soon, in the place of Karein the man stood a great, black beast.
Now ready, Karein took Graham and Caelyn into his clawed paws. With a final look toward Sage, he launched himself into the air.
For a little while, he flew straight up, as if he were intending to dump the two bodies from an elevated position. Then, when he was safely away from the mountain, he flew down, until he reached the forest.
He found the meeting spot with ease. Philip Strange was already there, and while he seemed alone, every tree around them held one of his mercenaries. Karein didn’t acknowledge them in any way, although he could have easily disposed of at least a couple of them.
Instead, he landed next to the panther-shifter and deposited the unconscious couple at Philip’s feet. The mercenary was wearing a mask, but even so, Karein could read the tension in him. “What did you do to them?” he asked.
Karein shifted into his human form to look a little less threatening. “I used my powers on them and drained their energy,” he replied. As he did so, Karein knelt next to Caelyn and Graham, willing the energy he had taken from them back into their bodies. It wasn’t a perfect transference procedure, as some of it had already been absorbed within Karein and could no longer be returned. He would have done it earlier, but the process took time, more than Karein had afforded when at the palace. But even with the delay, it would help in their recovery.
“They should be all right soon,” he said when he finally got up. “Once they awaken, make sure they get lots of rest and fluids, perhaps IV lines. Particularly for Caelyn as he is with child.”
Philip’s breath caught. “And you still…” He shook his head, as if disgusted. “Never mind. I can’t expect anything else from the Dog-Catcher.”
The comment bothered Karein more than it should have. He had done everything that had been in his power under the circumstances. He’d been careful so as not to harm Caelyn’s unborn child. But had it been enough?
Frustrated with himself, Karein pushed those thoughts away. It didn’t matter. Once Caelyn and Graham were gone, he could return to his duty. In the end, he still had a job to do. Caelyn and Graham might love each other very much, but they were just two people. The ninth caste remained a dangerous element that needed to be contained.
“No, you can’t,” he replied coldly. “Be very careful who you cross, Mr. Strange. I found out who you are. I can easily track you down, even if you are seventh caste. And without me, your friends wouldn’t be alive.”
It was true. Karein hadn’t revealed the extent of his knowledge of Philip’s operations. He had chosen to only send a message to the man through the underground grapevine. Fortunately, Philip seemed quite fond of Graham as he had readily agreed to pick the werewolf and his mate up.
“I’m sure if it had been that easy, you’d have killed me a long time ago,” Philip replied.
Karein just smiled coldly. “If I killed everyone who hates me, half of the world’s paranormal population wouldn’t see the next sunrise.” Philip might not realize it, but Karein knew everything about him now. He was no idiot, and he realized exactly why Philip Strange had been able to come to Germany on such short notice. He had actually considered handing the mercenary in to his father, but had changed his mind. Philip was undoubtedly the person who could incriminate the Norrenddare family most. His capture could have easily sparked the war Karein had been trying to avoid.
But he didn’t tell Philip any of that. “Take care of your friends, Mr. Strange. Next time I see them, I won’t be so merciful.”
Without further ado, Karein melted into his dragon form and launched himself into the air. It was time to put Caelyn and Graham behind him and deal with his more pressing concerns. Hopefully, what he’d done today wouldn’t come back and blow up in his face.
* * * *
As the black dragon disappeared into the distance, some of Philip’s tension finally vanished. He dropped to his knees next to his unconscious friends. “Cal,” he shouted, “come on. “We need to get them out of here.”
As Cal joined him in the clearing, Philip slapped Graham’s face, trying to wake his friend up, but to no avail. Caelyn was just as unresponsive. Philip was no healer, but he had to do something to help them. “To the jet, quickly,” he ordered. Rest, fluids, and an IV line. That was what the draechen had said. He could provide that.
He took Graham in his arms, while Cal lifted Caelyn. They rushed to the jet that had carried them here from Berlin. He was fairly certain he’d revealed far too much about his location by jumping to Graham’s assistance like this, but there had been no other option. He couldn’t have abandoned Caelyn and Graham. They just had to relocate from Germany and find a different outpost.
The small jet was hidden within the vegetation. As everyone hastened inside, its doors closed, and the engines already started to rumble. At this point, humans would have been smart to buckle their seat belts, but feline shifters had excellent balance. Instead, Philip ran to the back room of the plane.
Inside, he found two beds prepared
for the injured couple. His mother was in the room and gestured him to hurry. “Place them here. Quickly now, boy.”
Philip complied and positioned Graham on one of the beds. Cal did the same with Caelyn, and Philip watched as his mother started to look over Graham and Caelyn. He couldn’t help but be a little nervous. Of course, he trusted his mother would take care of his friends. Diane Strange might not have been the warmest, kindest mother in existence, but she’d always been there for him when it mattered. Still, he didn’t know the exact extent of the damage, so he felt naturally concerned.
“Are they going to be all right?” he asked.
“For the moment, they are very weak,” she answered. “I can’t tell you anything certain until I examine them more closely. Go on. I’ll watch over them.”
Her voice was both gentle and stern, and Philip found reassurance in it. “Come on, Cal,” he told his friend. “We have some arrangements to make.”
As they left the room, they headed into the cockpit. The plane was just taking off, the pilots guiding it back to Berlin. “Set a course for Brasilia,” he said without preamble. “Europe’s not safe for us right now.”
Germany had been perfect precisely because the draechen would have never thought to look for Philip so close to home. But now, they had no choice but to relocate. Brazil was as good a place as any.
“We’ll have to stop to refuel,” the pilot warned.
“Unfortunate, but necessary. Get us out of here. This place is making my fur itch.”
“I could scratch it for you,” Cal purred in his ear.
The idea held some appeal, but sadly, it wasn’t feasible, not with Caelyn and Graham unconscious in the other room. “Maybe later. We’ll see.”
Cal narrowed his eyes at Philip, but didn’t comment. Instead, he slipped back into the main area of the plane. Philip wanted to hit his head against the plane door. As bad as the draechen were regarding the ninth caste, felines didn’t like werewolves much either. The first time, Philip’s people had obeyed him mostly because of the generous pay involved, courtesy of the fae. But Philip’s willingness to jump to Graham’s aid didn’t sit well with many of them, especially Cal, who was aware of Philip’s history with Graham.
As he watched Cal go, Philip wondered what in the world he was going to do now. Even if his friends made a complete recovery, it was only a matter of time until Graham and Caelyn became outcasts for the felines, too. Philip couldn’t protect them. Where would they go then?
* * * *
A few days later
Graham ran through the darkness, dazed and exhausted. His paws felt like they were weighed down by lead. He sniffed the air, trying to find a trace of his mate, but the scent simply wasn’t there.
Whining, Graham followed the instinctive mate bond that connected him to Caelyn. As always, it shone bright and true, but it didn’t seem to give him any clue as to how to find his mate.
Graham didn’t know how long he ran, how long he kept searching. From time to time, he thought he could see the darkness melting into shadows, and on occasion, he heard voices somewhere nearby. But none of them belonged to Caelyn, and he kept walking, kept trying, to no avail.
At one point, though, the darkness began to clear. Graham didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to return to the light, but he had no choice.
Suddenly, the wolf was gone, and Graham opened his eyes, now back in the real world. “Caelyn? Angel, where are you?”
Unfortunately, Caelyn didn’t answer, but a familiar voice did offer a reply. “Welcome back, Graham,” Philip said. “We were very worried about you.”
As Graham’s vision cleared, his gaze fell onto Philip. For once, his friend had taken his mask off. His tired smile held a great deal of relief, but also a dose of regret. Instantly, alarm rushed over Graham. “Where’s Caelyn?” he asked. “Philip, what happened to my mate?”
“Graham, you have to calm down,” the panther said softly. “You’re in good hands.”
Graham shot out of the bed, all weakness chased out of him as if by magic. “Philip! Where is he?”
“He’s in the next room.” Philip got up, lifting his hands as if trying to calm down a wild beast. “I’m sorry. He’s still unconscious, and so far, nothing we’ve tried to do has been able to rouse him.”
“So far?” Graham repeated. “Wait a second. How much time passed? Is our child all right? How did we get here in the first place? I want to see Caelyn now.”
He was rambling, incoherent with concern, his wolf howling in panic. He wanted to grab Philip and physically shake him, to force the information out of him. Fortunately, it wasn’t necessary. Philip took his hand and led him out of room and into the hallway.
Graham still had no clue where they were, although judging by the significant increase in temperature, they’d left Draechenburg behind. The humidity in the area made sweat bead over Graham’s forehead, or maybe it was just his anxiousness at not having any real knowledge of Caelyn.
But that was easily fixed. As they rushed toward the adjoining room, Philip began to explain. “Prince Shtamakarein somehow figured out I helped you two in your original escape. He contacted me through another friend of mine, which suffice to say, didn’t make anyone happy. Anyway, I came to pick you up and brought you here, to Brazil. You seemed to be doing fine, and almost woke up once or twice, but you lost consciousness again and again for no real medical reason. You’ve been out of it for days. Caelyn hasn’t recovered at all, although he does look much better than when you first arrived. He’s in here.”
Philip opened the door to the room in question and let Graham in. Graham’s heart nearly stopped at the sight that met his eyes. Caelyn lay in bed, looking so very beautiful, like a true angel. It almost seemed that he was sleeping, but he was far too pale. The machines monitoring his heartbeat and breath beeped steadily, but he didn’t stir at all as Graham walked to his side and knelt next to his bed.
“It’s nice to see you up and about, Mr. Powers,” a distantly familiar voice said. Graham briefly turned, only to see a handsome, dark-haired man approach. Graham recognized him as Raul Gomez, the fae who’d assisted them in New York.
He couldn’t really come up with any polite platitude to say, so it was fortunate that Philip intervened. “When I realized this was beyond my knowledge, I brought in Raul. I thought that since he’s fae, he might be able to help your mate.”
At that, Graham snapped out of his trance. “I don’t understand any of this. I’m told I’ve been unconscious for days now. That makes no sense. And what’s wrong with my mate? Is our child all right?”
“You’re quite right that your recovery should have been faster, but you practically refused to come back because your mate was still in that situation. Your wolf felt that you might be able to find your mate in the cloud of your unconsciousness, which was, of course, deceiving. Thankfully, your body and survival instinct pulled you out of it.”
Graham supposed that he understood that, but Raul hadn’t answered the most important part of the inquiry. “And Caelyn?”
“Your mate is fine. In fact, he’s perfectly all right. Medically, there’s nothing wrong with him, and your child’s development is normal.” Raul paused and gave him a look full of regret. “I don’t know why he isn’t waking up. Perhaps you can tell us. Did he do anything strenuous that might have caused this? A particularly complicated spell, perhaps?”
The pieces of the puzzle began to come together. “Toward the end of our captivity, Caelyn cast an illusion to make us seem dead,” Graham replied numbly. “He said it would be easy, that he could do it even if the Dog-Catcher drained him of energy.”
Raul frowned. “So he cast the spell, and it lasted even after he lost consciousness.”
“That was the plan, although I’m not entirely sure.” Graham wished he had asked Caelyn more about what needed to be done, but it was too late now. Remembering something else, he added, “Before, I also had to fight some draechen, and he helped me through it, feeding
me power. He had this… disruptor thing on that was blocking his power.”
“Well, that explains it.” Raul released a heavy sigh. “I suspect that your mate must have put too much of an effort into everything he did, and forcing his way past the disruptor couldn’t have been easy. You see, Mr. Powers, illusions are tricky things. For them to outlast the will and consciousness of the caster, the enchantment has to have a lot of power backing it up. The spell itself might not have been complicated, but what it entailed took a lot out of your mate. Since he must have already been weak from the disruptor’s effect… Well, it was simply too much.”
The words made Graham feel a little sick. “But Caelyn…he said it wouldn’t hurt him.”
And so had Shtamakarein, damn him. This was entirely and completely the draechen’s fault. But Graham couldn’t say that. Likely, he had already said too much by mentioning Shtamakarein in front of Raul. They had agreed to keep their arrangement a secret, insofar as it was possible at least. Everyone had to believe Caelyn and Graham were dead if they had any hope of building a life together. Not to mention that the draechen prince’s involvement in the ruse could easily get him killed, too.
“Likely he didn’t realize what could happen,” Raul explained. “It’s no one’s fault. It was an accident.”
Graham forced himself to calm down and not start screaming at the unfairness of it. “All right. An accident. The real question is, can you do anything about it?”
“Not me, but I might know someone who can.”
* * * *
Fae palace of Rose Noire, somewhere near Calais, France
Sari paced through the hallway, his steps echoing against the marble flooring of the temple. He needed to speak with his mother at once, but sometimes, there were real disadvantages to being the child of the Great Priestess. Yes, he was always well received in the Temple of Jenarra, but his mother wasn’t always available to him.
Hyacinth, Scarlet - Werewolf's Way [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 1] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 22
