Chapter 98 Deidre Just… just be normal. Act. Normal. Nothing about tonight was going to be normal. Nothing about this was ever normal. I was spending time with someone who was supposed to be dead, in the dead of night, all the while pretending that I wasn’t, in fact, doing so. It’s not like I didn’t see the shadows and planes of Jason’s face everytime Sirius sat still long enough for me to steal a glance. Or that his mannerisms echoed so exactly like Perrin’s that I had to still my racing thoughts every time they happened. I had avoided my husband for the better part of several days now, stealing fitful bits of sleep and unfulfilling naps. Cynthia was communicating for us, apart from the texts here or there that I pretended not to get. He had to know. Jason had to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that what had happened to my children had happened to his son. But how could he explain it? Well, that was simple. He couldn’t. Jason, as my gut confirmed, had waited these long mont
Deidre “I was hoping you could tell me,” he said quietly, the unspoken threat and question coming out in a low, soft cadence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said too quickly. He let out an alarming chuckle, so fake that my body stilled again, alert and waiting. I had no reason to think I was in any danger. This was my step-son for Goddess’ sake. But the looming golden eyes that he fixed on me had me unsteady, despite being seated. His next words were slow and careful as he watched me react. “Mistra may be at a loss as to why I came out this way, but I can assure you she has told me enough about her own son to know that whatever happened to him also happened to me.” My body shivered, my flesh crawling with every word of his unwelcome suggestion, willing my body not to give away anything. “I also know Mistra well enough to know she really has no idea what happened to me,” Sirius went on smoothly, admiring his nails as if he just had them polished, breaking his stare as
Kira“Are you ready?”Perrin puffed beside me. He was up early, his own mind racing about tonight’s patrol. I hadn’t slept a wink. I was up for most of the night, restless and staring at the ceiling. I didn’t want my thoughts muddied by that stupid potion as I’d have enough in my system soon enough. I was paying the price, my pace feeling slower than usual.I replied, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”“Any idea who you’re paired with yet?” he asked, breathing hard. We rounded a corner and started an uphill mile. It was still dark, the faint orange of the morning just teasing the horizon. “Nope. Janas just said it’ll be a new recruit. Somebody I don’t know well enough. Probably someone I haven’t sparred with.”“Who’s left?” He knew I had beaten nearly three quarters of the Alpha Guard by now.I wiped sweat off my face. “Not many. But Janas said it would be someone who wouldn’t know my scent either. That’s important.”Perrin nodded, grunting as we made the final ascent. “So that leaves…” his
KiraThe sound of his paws on the dewey earth were soft but rhythmic. He paced behind me, allowing me to lead.Well, at least he got that much right.We spent much of the first hour in silence, I set a brutal pace that had his wolf form panting. I only stopped once to allow him to catch his breath. If I kept this pace up, there was no way he’d be able to tail me in another few hours. The fiery orange of the sky I had welcomed this morning plunged to purple, then faded to navy of a starless sky. It was going to be a foggy night; a rarity for early summer. Luck was clearly in my favor. The less visibility, the better.Do you usually run this fast? The mind link stopped any hint of his heavy breathing to permeate his speech, but I knew he was pushing himself. I slowed just a fraction. Why, can’t keep up?Just curious. You seem to be running pretty fast. I felt the wolfish grin of pride spread across my lips. I was going fast. So?Just wondering what you’re running from.My paw nearly
KiraI ran. Hard. Not to punish him, but to silence the battle going on within my mind. There were no sounds except my own harsh breathing, which was beginning to match the ragged breathing coming behind me. There were no words except the periodic crackling of the radio in the quiet of the night.As agreed upon weeks ago, Mark had started issuing hourly notices as the time crept by. Janas had instituted it shortly after Ethan’s attack, making sure that each radio carried by a patrol pair had its volume turned up to hear any announcement. Ben had carried the radio tonight, strapped to his hind leg. Despite being my partner, that was one part of the plan that had gone off without a hitch. There was a reverse call button that could be pressed by a wolf’s paw, alerting headquarters of our location in case of danger without speech. It was meant for immediate purposes; could be pushed by either the wearer or his partner. Any need to really communicate required phasing and talking directly
KiraI stared down at my paws, the pads becoming raw: swollen and blistered. I sat back on my hind legs, clawed at my neck; my muzzle; the nose I had just pushed into the weeds. I could feel my throat clamping, my tongue feeling like it was too big for my mouth.I needed the sleeping potion. Fuck. I was going to suffocate first.I didn’t have time to blame Mark. To hate him for not realizing mint was everywhere. He knew about my allergies. How could he–No. Not enough air…I wheezed, coughing, struggling to pull any air into my lungs. Dizzy and nauseous, I urged my body forward, stiff legs refusing to cooperate. I grabbed the third bag with my mouth, just barely breaking it with my teeth. It burst within the box.Fuck.I pushed myself over the edge of the box’s side, forcing my muzzle to the bottom to lap up as much as I could. It wouldn’t be the full dose of the sleeping potion, but it would be enough. All the while my entire body was laying amidst the mint, the raw blistering fester
DeidreThe stretcher comes careening into the operating room, Jennivah steering with a frenzy. Her eyes are wild; nearly afraid. I’ve never seen her like this, even after Ethan.“What the hell happened?” I bark at her, putting on my own scrubs. I haven’t even shed my blazer. Jason called merely five minutes earlier. That was not part of our plan. This was not part of our plan.Jennivah parks the cart and I prepare myself for what I see. I do my best to separate the mother and healer. She’s just another patient. Just. Another. Patient. I turn to the gurney only to see Kira’s bloodied body on full display beneath the fluorescents. I am not prepared. My heart constricts and I force back the bile rising in my throat.My blood is all over her. Light scrapes cover her body, but she’s swollen. Red. And raw.Jennivah manages, “Irene is with Ben. He’s pretty shaken up.”“Is she stable?” My eyes don’t leave her body but I can hear how empty my voice is.“Yes. Mark used a cannula to keep her a
Perrin“Go,” Jesamine says. “Go to her. Now!”She pushes me out of her bed. I don’t hesitate.“Lo! LO!”But doesn’t wait, scurrying down the hall as fast as her aching legs will take her. I know her joints hurt. I spent the better part of this morning giving her entire body a massage.But she beats me somehow to the lobby– to the front doors. I see her disappear in a blare of red lights as she takes off in the back seat of Charlie’s waiting SUV. What have I done?I reach for my phone, trying to call her. It goes right through to voicemail.I have no choice. I run.**The back trails are dark, not yet lit by the morning sunrise. I realize that I have no idea what time it is; Jesamine had kept me company for hours, but it was out of…Friendship. I nearly stumble over a tree root in the trail as the thought crosses my mind. Have we really come to that? Are we finally through the stumbling awkwardness of what we once were, and finally turning the corner to something more–I see the wind