Island Shifters: Book 03 - An Oath of the Children (17 page)

“Your room.”

“Yes, come Izzy, let us go now to our rooms.”
She
turned
to
walk around the Elf,
but
was yanked back when Izzy did not move.

With a frown, she noticed the man holding onto Izzy’s shoulders.

“Your little friend will stay with me while you will return to your
room.” He reached out and pried Izzy’s hand from hers, breaking all contact.
“You wish for nothing more than to sleep in your big bed. You are getting very tired.”

She started to shake her head, but the song was so beautiful.

“You are tired now and
wish to lie down in your room,” he sang to her firmly.

“Yes,” she repeated, wallowing in the alluring texture of his voice.

“No!” Izzy screamed and clawed for her hand, grabbing it tight once again. The man quickly looked into Izzy’s eyes and sang his
dazzling
cadence
in her ear.

“What are you waiting for?” the
Elf
asked her.

“I wish to go to my room now.”

“Aye! You do.”

Without another word, Jala dropped Izzy’s hand, turned and made her way to the stairs
forgetting all about her worry of the dark Elves, her young friend, and her promise.

C
HAPTER
12

I
MMUNITY

Kellan knew he was acting the fool, but could not help himself as he twirled Samara across the cobblestones.
The mayor’s gala
had
spilled out through the
open
arched doorway and into the moonlit courtyard beyond.
Flickering torches
gave the evening
a
dreamlike
feel
as they danced the Stecci. With impeccable timing, they
came apart while still holding hands high in the space between them.
Eyes locked on each other, they circled three times
and then
took a step back
for the obligatory
bow and curtsy
before pressing
together once again.

Samara’s tinkling laugh lit up the night and she
leaned in close to him to
sniff
his hair.
“Mmm…”

Kellan pulled his head back to look at her. “Lady Samara, I must ask why you keep
doing that.”

“Because you smell
so
good.”

Kellan blinked in confusion. While he did wash lightly at the basin in his room
before the gala, it had been a few days since his last bath.

She
laughed
as though she had just read his mind.
“It is getting late.
Would you mind escorting me to my room?”

“Of course
not, my lady.”
Kellan
dropped his embrace and
put his hand on the small of her back to guide
her into the estate. If anything, it seemed as though more people had gathered and it took
several
moments to make their way to the stairs.

Climbing behind Samara,
Kellan
paused when she turned around abruptly
on the second floor landing.
“What is that?”
she asked sharply.

He turned. “What?”

She pointed to Maks skulking up
the stairs behind them, the hackles on his neck standing straight up in the air. “Oh, that is Maks, a Draca Cat.”

“Why is it here?”

Kellan’s expression softened.
“He is here because he is my protector and friend.”

“Well, get rid of
it.”
She reached
out
to turn
Kellan’s
chin
until he had no choice but to look directly into her eyes. The song that poured out of her mouth made him weak in the knees. “You wish to send the cat away and come with me to my room. Send the cat away, Prince Kellan.”

Kellan’s eyes turned black, but Maks spoke first.

Has the wine addled your mind?

What? No. I…I
had
one glass of wine and
that was all. Why?

I have no other explanation for your foolish behavior.

What does that mean?

Where is Gregor Steel, Prince? He is missing
as are all of
the other guards.

Kellan looked around. He was not even aware the Saber was missing. All his life, the man had been like an extension of his arm or his shadow in the late afternoon. Always there, but not always noticed.

Where are Jala and Izzy?

Kellan shook his head
in confusion
at Maks’ question. Where were the girls?
Maks was right. He
had to investigate right
away to be sure all were safe.
He turned back to
Samara. “If you will excuse me,
my
lady.
Maks has reminded me of
urgent
matters I must attend to.”

Her scowl drew her features in tight.
“No.
You will send that
cat-thing away and come with me to my chambers,” she
insisted.
“You wish nothing more in this world than to come with me right this minute.”

He nodded mechanically and said to Maks without turning to face him,
“Go on, friend. I
will
come seek you out later.”

No! You will act like a Prince of Iserlohn
and find your missing friends!

Kellan offered his arm to Lady Samara and continued
up the stairs to the guest chambers on the third floor, turning his back on the frustrated growl
of Maks.

When they arrived at the door to her room, he suddenly felt nervous.
His mind was telling him that he wanted to be there, but his heart was urging him in other directions.

Kellan held open the door and Samara entered the room ahead of him.
The white dress she wore swirled around her hips as she approached
a
side table holding a wine decanter
and a plate of fruit. “Wine?” she inquired with a smile over her shoulder.

Kellan gulped, barely able to nod.

Samara laughed,
poured two glasses
and walked over to hand
one
to
him.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, accepting the proffered glass.

She turned to the armchairs by the fireplace. “Sit,” she commanded, pointing to
one.

Kellan sat down, stiffly, his mind reeling with mixed
emotions.

“There is so much I wish to know, Prince, that I am at a loss
as to
where to start my questioning.”

“What do you wish to know?” he asked and took a long
drink
of wine.

“Let
us
start with the magic, shall we?”

“The magic?”

“Aye, what kind of magic do the people
of Massa
have?”

“Oh, well, most of us are shifters.
There are
a few sorceresses
left and,
of course, my father is a Mage, but the rest are shifters.”

“What does a shifter do?”

He proceeded to tell her about the innate ability of most Massans to manipulate the elements and living creatures around them through the use of magic, and
her eyes grew larger
and more
nervous
as he spoke.

“Your people are very
powerful, aye?”

“We have the power for great destruction, yes, but
we
would never harm
the
innocent.”
He brought the wine glass to his lips and took a drink. “Do not worry, Lady Samara. It is only evildoers
that
need
fear the shifters of Massa.”

For some reason, her eyes narrowed to slits. “Go on.”

He then explained to her what it meant to be a shifter and
how
the blood oath
prevented them from using magic for
sinister
purpose.

She
sipped her wine and
gazed into the fire for long moments.
“I will share a secret with you,
Kellan. The Ellvinians also have an ability of sorts. It is
called
Ascendency.”

“I have never heard of
it.
What is it?”

“A form of persuasion.
It is the
power of suggestion
laced with
hypnosis. Some Ellvinians believe it is magic, but most do not agree.
Every Ellvinian has the ability, although some are quite a bit stronger
in its use
than others.”

“Power of suggestion? You can actually make people do what you want, just by suggesting it to them?”
he asked dubiously.

She
smiled at him and
nodded.
“Aye, young Prince, that is exactly what we can do.”

The events of the last few days
flashed
through his mind, and
his eyebrows pulled together. “Is that what you have been doing here?”

She simply shrugged.

He was angry now.
“Tell me,
Lady Samara,
is your trickery against the Massans for sport or
are your plans more malicious in nature?”
He stood. “Tell me,
why are you really here?”

She waved him back down. “Oh,
Prince,
sit down. The Ellvinians are here to
discuss a long-term supply of wormwood only. Our Ascendency is a natural part of our make-up, and we could not turn if off if we wanted to. Please sit.”

“I think I’ll stand.”

She steepled her hands under her chin as
her
gaze ran over him. “You are a very dangerous young man.”

“I can be.”

“You see,
I also have another ability of sort. I am an
Eyereader.”

“An Eyereader?”

“I have the ability to see into the future. All in my
caste
have this ability.”

“And, you have seen something about me in your future?”

“I have.
Just this morning, in fact.
Your friends as well, although one is missing. Where is the girl with black ringlets? If my visions
do
not deceive me, she can use magic to fly.”

“What do you want with her?” he growled.

“Let’s just say that I want to have a word with her.”

His jaw clenched.
“I don’t think so.”

“Have you not been listening to anything I have said, Prince? You will do as I say whether you wish to or not.”

* * * * *

Callous
laughter accompanied the Ellvinian sailors as they walked in groups along the
wooden pier
at
the wharf.
The
harbor was
suspiciously absent of the
late night revelers
who
typically
frequented the taverns along the waterfront
in droves.

To avoid notice, Kane pressed closer into the doorframe in the alleyway where he was crouched. He knew Jain was hiding at the end of the narrow corridor, but he could not see him.

“It’s like taking candy from a child,” one of the sailors roared.

Another clapped his
companion on the
back in agreement. “I had one chap hopping on one leg until I finished an entire pint of their mead.”

The gang laughed.

“I told one family to leave their house and go south. I wonder how far they will get before they realize it is a strange idea.”

“Aye! And, the women!” one boasted. “Although, it does take
a bit of
the
fun out of it for them to be so willing. I prefer my
romps far more
feisty!”

“Be careful that Second Chandal does not catch you abusing the women!” one warned.