“I have an Earth affinity,” the young witch said. “Things that have been made of the Earth speak to me.”
“Who are you?” Blaire narrowed her eyes.
“I am called Rhea,” she replied.
I knew that name… I’d heard Ryker speak it to Maddox when the enchantress sent me on the vision quest. Blaire opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, thought better of it, and clamped her jaw shut. Rhea smiled. It wasn’t a cruel smile, but there was something very knowing about it. Like perhaps she was in on a secret the rest of us weren’t privy to. I’d have to keep my eye on her, I thought.
“So what’s it going to take to destroy the amulet?” Ryker ventured, “Returning it to the fires of Mount Doom?”
A bubble of laughter escaped my throat. Wren raised his trademark eyebrow at me. “What?” I said, “A Mordor reference is kind of fitting.”
“More to the point,” Blaire said, turning her attention back to the council members, “The Trinity’s business with the amulet is a private matter. The Aurora Coven is already involved, so you’re just going to have to trust that we’ll get the job done.”
Ryker snorted. “I’m not letting that thing–” he pointed to the amulet around my neck “–out of my sight.”
The amulet was growing warm and heavy as if it were swelling with ancient power. “I’m sorry, but you don’t have a choice.”
“I’m not leaving the fate of my kind in the hands of a witch no matter what your intentions are. I don’t care if you are the White Witch incarnate or God himself.” Ryker pounded his fist against the table, but it was Wren’s low warning growl that caused the hair on the back of my neck to prickle. He’d turned to Ryker, the cold heat of an unspoken threat filling his moon-colored eyes.
My gaze cut to Thomas as his fingers curled against the table’s surface. He looked at me with eyes that had seen too much, and they were weary with the burden of great knowledge, and desperately eager for something I couldn’t name.
It was Rhea who broke the silence, laying a hand on Ryker’s shoulder as she addressed the council. “Perhaps,” she began, “Ryker should accompany the Trinity on their journey to see the amulet destroyed.”
A protest was taking shape on my lips, but I looked to the others before speaking. The eagerness in Thomas’s eyes sparked anew as the council members took Rhea’s suggestion into quiet consideration. I saw their mental gears turning. Maddox, however, was looking at me–watching me with a mixture of fear and apprehension.
“The Trinity does not trust Thornwood,” Rhea continued, “I believe this would be a wise move, Ryker. In times of darkness, the forces of Light should work together. Prove to the White One that she did not grant the wolves freedom for nothing. As it stands, she also has the power to take that freedom away.” When Rhea spoke that way, she looked and sounded years older than her appearance let on. It was apparent that her role in the council was important–whatever it may be.
“Rhea makes a considerable point,” Thomas said. “It’s clear that both parties have no love for one another. Perhaps this is an opportunity to bridge a gap between the Supernatural races and begin building trust.”
Blaire snickered. “We’re not the ones who need to earn it.”
Power continued to swell inside me and I felt brave–more than I had in a long time. I wasn’t sure if it was my own power growing, or power the Mother goddess was breathing into me from somewhere in the firmament above. It felt strong–pure. “The Trinity will agree to Ryker accompanying us on one condition.”
“Name your price,” Rhea said.
“The Thornwood pack must agree to grant Wren permanent amnesty. I know he’s here today in part to answer to Ryker’s request to join the pack, but, Wren belongs to the Trinity–not Thornwood.” The room fell silent. Hailey glared up at me, a sneer curling her lip. “You speak of bridging a gap and building trust… let this be the first step,” I added bravely.
It was Thomas who spoke first. “It’s against our law for a lone wolf to venture in a claimed territory without having allegiance to an Alpha Master as I’m sure you’re aware… However, perhaps it would be conceivable for the pack to make an exception and recognize the Trinity as a separate entity. You would of course, make yourselves known to our community and declare that Ryker is Thornwood’s rightful Alpha.”
I glanced over at Wren and Blaire–they nodded in agreement. “Deal,” I said.
“I’ll consider your oath binding,” Rhea said.
“Then it’s done,” Thomas said. “Ryker shall accompany and assist the Trinity on their mission to destroy the amulet. From this moment forward, Thornwood and the Trinity are allied by the forces of Light.”
I wanted to address my views of Thornwood encroaching on Silver Mountain territory but I knew in my gut that was a discussion best saved for another time. A weight had lifted from my shoulders–Wren was a free agent, belonging only to himself–and to me, always to me. For now, this one victory would have to be enough.
“Maddox, you’ll fulfill the role of Alpha Master in my absence, serving alongside the council’s authority,” Ryker told him.
Maddox nodded. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow, just before sunset,” I said. Since my grimoire was spelled by star magic, I had a feeling the majority of our travels would take place under the cloak of nightfall. Blaire and I thought it best to leave early since we still didn’t know the exact location of where we were going. We wanted plenty of time to get there and meet the enchantress before the solar eclipse. “You’ll want to pack for the weekend, and bring outdoor provisions,” I told him.
“Now, for our last matter of business,” Thomas spoke. “We’d like to address the heinous crimes committed by Nyla Coburn. Miss Coburn has been abjured from the Thornwood pack and has confessed to the murder of Niall Whelan after claiming former allegiance to the Dark Witch. Pack law states that a crime committed against a recognized member, or one in alliance with the pack, has the right to sentence the accused or take vengeance into his own hands.”
I sat motionless and rigid in my chair, stealing a glance at Wren from the corner of my eye. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the burnished surface of the table. “You’re leaving Nyla’s punishment to me?”
“You have the right to take revenge for the crimes she committed against your father,” Thomas said. “That is and has always been pack law.” When Wren didn’t give an immediate answer, Thomas spoke, enunciating every word slowly, “The traditional punishment for a crime such as this is death.”
“Death would be a kindness. She should suffer for what she’s done,” Wren said. I watched the tendons and muscles in his arms begin to bulge. Patches of course black hair sprouted across his forearms. I reached over, squeezing the back of his hand with my palm. When he looked at me I felt his pain. The force behind it was so overwhelming I had to force myself to keep gazing into his midsummer night eyes–willing him to hold on just a bit longer.
Even in his darkness, Wren was stronger than me. Nyla deserved to die for what she’d done, but Wren was choosing to not become the monster.
“Life behind bars–this is your sentence?” Thomas spoke.
Wren gave one firm nod of his head.
“So mote it be,” Rhea said.
I couldn’t be sure, but in the dim light of the room, I thought I saw her sapphire eyes sparkling.
Chapter Seventeen
Astrologically Challenged
The wind rustled through the branches, sending a spray of dark gold and red leaves swirling across the backdrop of the midnight-blue sky. They flitted downward, catching a thermal wave of our campfire and rose in a sort of dance with the embers before settling to the grou
nd. I leaned forward, brushing a few stragglers off the grimoire’s cover. Somewhere above the thick layer of clouds, the silver stars were shining; I just hoped it wouldn’t be long before the clouds parted and the symbols on the cover would rearrange and grant us access to the star spelled pages.
Beside me, Annabelle plucked a blade of grass and twirled it between her thumb and forefinger. Her cheeks puffed as she sighed and let the blade float down to join the others in the small pile she’d created. She looked at her watch and rolled her neck from side to side.
“Would you please stop fidgeting?” I reached over and laid a hand on her ankle, apprehending her joints from shaking.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I have an hour before I’m supposed to be home. My parents still think I’m studying with Shawn at the library. No offense Q, but I’m starting to second guess your book’s willingness to comply with the night sky.”
“Trust me, if I could manipulate the weather I would.” I shot the clouds above us a scowl for good measure.
Across the fire, Bryna snickered and crossed her arms. I felt my jaw slide out of place as I fixed her with a glower instead of a snarky reply. After returning from Thornwood, the three of us had filled Bryna in on what happened during the council meeting. She’d waited until we were finished recapping the events before placing her hands on her hips, rearing up for what I guessed was a verbal lashing. I’d been right.
“Have you gone mad? Inviting another werewolf to join you on a quest to destroy an amulet that can’t be destroyed?” She narrowed her glacial eyes in my direction. “What were you thinking?”
“You weren’t there Bryna, Quinn didn’t have another option,” Blaire told her.
“She’s risked everything,” Bryna spat, pointing an accusing finger in my face. “Involving another race of Supernatural in a task that was given to the Trinity alone is unthinkable and unheard of. You can’t trust them.”
“Werewolves and vampires work for the Coven,” I pointed out, thanks to Blaire informing me of their elite Supernatural spy team. “It’s not unheard of.”
“That’s not the same thing!” Her alabaster cheeks heated to reveal strawberry-red splotches. Any brighter and fire alarms might start ringing. “The enchantress might not help us now.”
“Why? Because I tried to form an alliance with a werewolf pack to stop the Dark Witch from returning to power?” I shot her a disbelieving look. “News flash Bryna–we all want the same thing.”
“Well we’ll just see about that, won’t we?” She snatched my grimoire off the counter and marched right out the back door and across the lawn to the small fire pit in Wren’s backyard. My vision turned red around the edges as I chased after her, ripping the grimoire out of her grabby little hands.
“Don’t you ever touch this without my permission,” I snarled. My face was inches from hers, and I was seconds away from snapping her pretty little neck. I might have, had I not been clutching the grimoire to my chest. Blood rushed to the surface of my skin, warming my face and rang in my eardrums. The amulet warmed at my throat, swelling and thrumming with power.
Wren, who’d been in the shower, appeared behind me and the weight of his palms registered against my arms. I felt the beat of his heart thudding against my spine and I forced myself to focus on the realness of that, letting it conquer the boiling rage that had taken over. I turned away from Bryna. Blaire was a half-step behind Wren, her forehead wrinkled in worry.
“I’m fine,” I told them.
“We’ll wait to see if your theory holds true,” Bryna said. She called on Fire and sent a ball of flame leaping into the fire pit. There were only a couple of logs and dead leaves, but they caught in an instant. In that moment, I forgot all about my irritation and gazed into the flames.
“How did you do that without getting mental whiplash?”
“What?” She frowned.
“Personal gain,” I said, pointing at the fire pit.
“I’m not abusing the element,” she said, drawing her eyebrows together even deeper. “Fire is of nature, and it’s being used to keep us warm. Honestly.” She shook her head and brushed by. “I’m going inside to fetch a blanket while we wait.”
I rolled my eyes, letting my gaze settle on Blaire. Her hands were tucked in her back pockets; I watched her draw a breath and sigh. She didn’t have to tell me what she was thinking. I saw the sadness and worry clouding her dark eyes, but it was Bryna’s end remark (honestly) that made me feel about two inches tall. It was the tone in which she’d said it–like how could I possibly be the chosen descendant of Luiseach, the exalted White Witch, if I didn’t even know how to properly invoke the elements? It didn’t take a genius to deduce the plain fact that she had little to no faith in my ability to get the job done.
Now, I gave the sky a hopeful look, praying that my instincts had been right with the decisions I’d made during the council meeting. Taking Ryker along would be an inconvenience, but we needed Thornwood on our side. The pack was a necessary tool in defeating the Darkness, and I was going to do whatever it took to make sure that Wren remained free from their law.
A dark shadow cut through the tree line. The sliver arc of the moon above shone just bright enough through the clouds to halo Wren in her glow. I wondered if the Great Moon gave a piece of her lunar light to all the night creatures, covering them with an essence of immortality. Wren made his way to the fire, strategically placing a couple of the logs in the pit before dumping the extra pieces in a heap beside it. He unknowingly stepped on Anna’s grass house, crushing it beneath his boot before lowering himself to the blanket beside me and reclined on his forearms. Annabelle shot him a look before brushing the grass clippings into the base of the fire and crossed her arms.
With his face lifted to the night sky, Wren pointed at a bright object shimmering between the thinning clouds. “That’s Venus, right?”
“That’s a planet?” Annabelle furrowed her brows. “I didn’t know you could see planets from Earth.”
“Well, you can’t see all of them, but Venus is the closest planet to Earth,” I said. “Thanks to its thick clouds reflecting most of the sun’s light back into space, it’s also the brightest planet in our solar system.”
“I should’ve paid more attention in science,” Annabelle said.
“You can learn a lot about magic from the night sky,” Blaire added. “A witch’s power is born of nature, but the planets have a great deal to do with the elements we have an affinity for. You, for example,” Blaire turned to face me, “have an affinity for Fire, which means you were either born an Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius.”
I nodded. “I’m a November baby.”
“So you’re a Sagittarius,” she said, “which doesn’t surprise me. Your ruling planet is Jupiter.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise you?” I narrowed my eyes.
“In short, a person born in Sagittarius values freedom; they’re often very honest individuals and impatient–almost to a fault. They’re passionate and curious, and they will do anything to achieve the goals they’ve set.”
“That doesn’t sound anything like you,” Wren teased. I craned my neck back to shoot him a look which he only met with a smile.
“What about you, Wolf Boy?” Annabelle asked. “What’s your sign?”
“I’ll wager he’s a Scorpio,” Blaire guessed.
“How could you tell?” He lifted his trademark eyebrow.
“Scorpio’s are natural born leaders, brave, resourceful, determined. They’re passionate and also extremely stubborn,” Blaire said. “They are also said to be the most mysterious of all the astrological signs, and loyal to a select few.”
Annabelle burst out in laughter.
“The
moon is also a participating ruler,” Blaire added.
“Definitely doesn’t sound anything like you,” I teased him back.
“I know I’m not magical,” Annabelle air-quoted the word, “but I’ve always felt like I clicked with my sign. I’m a Pisces.”
“I had a feeling you were,” Blaire said. “That’s why I had you stand in for Water when we cast the spell in the forest. Pisces are selfless, and always willing to help others. They’re wise and artistic.”
“Yep, that’s me.” She beamed. “What about you, Blaire?”
“She’s a Taurus,” Bryna said, piping up for the first time since our little altercation. “Closely allied with the Earth, Taurus born are the most balanced of all the signs. They’re patient, sensible, dependable, and trustworthy.” Bryna picked a clump of grass from the ground and tossed it into the fire. “Probably why the Trinity chose her, after all.”
No one spoke. We just listened to the sound of the fire snapping and popping the wood in the pit. I slipped my gaze in Blaire’s direction. Her raptor-like eyes were fixed on her sister. After what felt like a lifetime, Blaire finally spoke, “Capricorn’s are also allied with the Earth, and those born unto the sign are known to be well disciplined and independent. While a Capricorn has the ability to be a great leader, often times their weaknesses get in the way. They’re always expecting the worst and have a knack for being patronizing and unforgiving. That, Bryna, is why the Trinity didn’t choose you.” Blaire bolted upright and stomped off toward the cabin in a huff.
“Whoa,” Annabelle mumbled.
I looked over at Bryna. Her arms were crossed over her chest, eyes downcast toward the embers burning at the bottom of the fire pit. Her lion’s mane of curls trailed down her back, half tucked behind her ears to reveal the sharp set of her jaw. She had conviction–I’d give her that. I wondered though, if that hard outer shell of hers was more for show.
The Calling of the Trinity (Trinity Cycle Book 2) Page 20
