My final betrayal of the monster.
The plan, such as it be, only took me to that point. Once I’d accomplished it, I could switch focus to breaking free, if that be possible.
When Isobel and her escort paused, I sensed the life essences of the slim forms weaving through the tree trunks. Liberi females, not full-fledged Watchers, but powerful in their own right. Yet something about them be strange—and I could not get a grip on it. They be also linked, as though they operated together as a unit.
I’d never witnessed such a strong connection between our females, and they had my full attention as they moved out of the trees. Their hair be streaked heavily with white, a sure sign that they regularly manipulated powerful energies. Their eyes, fastened on me, seemed dark rather than vivid blue.
It confused me—it took many years of careful guidance and training to produce a Watcher. Only months had passed since Galeran and Isobel had broken free from Elandriel. When I’d left them, these women be mere acolytes. How had they come so far, so fast?
They spread out to encircle me. My stomach clenched as their hands glowed—not blue. Butred.
And all traces of the life essences around me cut off, like they’d severed them with a knife.
I fought to hide my dismay as Isobel smiled at me—a cold, mirthless expression. She turned to sketch her hands in the air between two immense trunks. Another gate. Only this time, I couldn’t read the paths at all.
My plan had hit a significant roadblock. It wouldn’t affect my connection to Anna—the telepathic matebond did not rely on energy—but if I couldn’t ascertain our location...
I’d have to find another way. Or abort the whole thing now. Without access to the life energies, I also could not shift form. I eyed the watching Bellatis, assessing my chances. I knew most of these warriors intimately. As a human, I could take them on one by one, but the entire group? And without my power?
The coven not be trained to fight. Even deprived of access to life energy, I could get past them without trouble. The Bellati be another matter. I had little doubt I could arm myself within the first skirmish, but there be over twenty of them, and only one of me.
Not odds I’d be likely to survive.
So when Isobel stepped through to another forest, I followed her. And the coven of Liberi came with me, keeping me within their screening bubble.
Cara would try to trace our path. She be powerful, but Isobel be laying a difficult trail.
I’d started this to save Anna. But as I lured them away from her, I embraced the symmetry of it. Of coming full circle to face the Bellati who almost destroyed me, and bringing him down.
If I couldn’t deliver Galeran to those that hunted him, I had one other option. I could challenge him.
It be an ancient Bellati rule, one that hadn’t been invoked in living memory. But it be part of our code, and the code be something all Bellatis lived by. Galeran be a capable warrior, but so be I. I stood an excellent chance of defeating him in fair combat.
Isobel took us through to another forest. This time, the gate fed us out near a ridge of rock that towered above the trees. The sky be darkening above us—at best guess, it be late evening.
Even after diverting us through four gates, Isobel still hadn’t landed us directly in Galeran’s lair. No wonder he’d consistently escaped us.
A small group of Bellatis awaited us in beast form. They tossed their manes and glared at me.
Isobel approached me. Above one of her palms danced a ball of energy.
I tensed. I knew what that be. An unwelcome gift from a Torshin, now dead, who’d used it with gleeful abandon on his victims.
“For your part in the past, I’d like to turn this loose on you,” she hissed. “But I will leave that to Galeran. For now, it will serve another purpose.”
The ball altered shape into a long tendril of pure energy, reaching for me. Even though I knew I wouldn’t get far, every fiber of me wanted to bolt.
But I needed to finish what I’d helped to start.
The energy rope sizzled icy cold as it burned through my hair clothing and kissed fire along my skin. I didn’t flinch as it bound my arms to my body.
The only way forward, be through.
3
Matt
My body was one giant stonkin’ ache.
