Savor (16 page)

“You don’t need to be so suspicious. The ‘mystery’, as you called it, isn’t for any nefarious plan.”

“I wouldn’t think it would be.” In other words, I knew he wasn’t going to admit to it.

“Yet you admit to being nervous.”

“Nervous about the whole situation.”

“I see.” He continued walking up the steep terrain.

After another twenty minutes he switched back toward the east, and we entered another wooded area.

“We’re almost there,” he called over his shoulder. I’d let him walk ahead.

“Great.” I wondered what kind of place he could be taking me that was worth all the theatrics and the distance.

We walked deeper into the woods, until the canopy of trees was so thick it completely blocked out the sun. There was something almost magical about this forest, a hazy feeling in the air that immediately put me off. Where the hell were we?

“We’re not as far away from the main compound as you think.”

“Yes, we did quite a few switch backs.”

“And the walk home will be much shorter. We’ll cut through the barracks.”

“The barracks?” There was only one kind of barracks I knew of and it involved military.

“Yes. Where we house our soldiers.”

“I wasn’t aware you had a formal military here.”

“How else would we defend ourselves?”

“I knew you had soldiers, but not the formality.” Paranormals generally didn’t bother with it.

“The Society would be wise to make things more formal.”

“You are aware of our set up?”

“Yes. I understand you have the intelligence and strength, but do you really believe that will be enough in an all-out war?”

“Are you anticipating such a war? There hasn’t been a true paranormal war in centuries.”

“Whatever has happened once will happen again.”

A chill ran through me, and I was never cold. There was something nearly prophetic about his words. My only question was whether he planned to start that war himself. “A war like that would destroy us all, including the humans.”

“Some victors would survive and repopulate. As I said, it’s happened before.”

“I’d like to believe we’ve come farther in the last few hundred years and no one would be stupid enough to risk the fate of so many.”

“You make the mistake of equating stupidity with rash decisions. They are two different things.”

“Yes, but they overlap.”

He laughed lightly. “They do, don’t they?”

We continued through the darkness until we came to what appeared to be a large cave. The opening was narrow, and it was blocked by a large boulder. He started to push the boulder away. I wasn’t going in there.

He must have noticed me tense. “Are you all right?”

“I’d prefer to wait out here.”

“This isn’t the kind of cave you’re picturing.”

“Is it a tight place?”

“No. Quite the opposite.”

“But it’s a cave.”

“Not all caves are small and narrow.” He pushed the boulder enough for us to slip through. “You’re going to have to trust me on this.”

“Why should I?”

“Have I given you any reason not to trust me?”

“Not explicitly, but on the flip side you haven’t given me many reasons to trust you.”

“What if I told you that this cave holds the one thing that is going to determine who wins the war?”

“First, we still don’t even know if there is going to be a war.” I’d grown tired of him dancing around his point. What reason did he have to believe a war was brewing?

“There is.” He crossed his arms.

“Even if I believed you, why would you show me? Why trust me when you’ve already told me you have an entire army?”

“An army is important, but its leaders are cruicial.”

“And I fit in how?”

“I already told you I had a job offer.”

“Yes, to help you unify the bears.”

“That unification is only the first step in protecting us from the war.” He crossed his arms.

“Who’s the opponent then? If it’s not only the bears, then who is it? You know I’m not turning my back on The Society.”

“Neither would I.”

“Then who is the opponent?” I was losing patience. If Gareth was playing a game, I wanted no part in it.

“The witches.”

“Tiffany.” She had to be involved.

“She’s part of it.”

“What do you know that I don’t?”

“I know that you’re not going to keep her in that prison of yours for long.”

“She’s not breaking out.” No one escapes the in-house Society prison. Many had attempted it, but none had ever breached the walls.

“Not herself.”

“My dad’s in there, so he can’t help this time,” I mumbled.

“And your brother?” He watched me closely.

“You know about my brother?”

“Bryant. Yes. Not my favorite Pteron.”

“Not mine either.” I wasn’t going to pretend to like him.

“They’re working with some terrifying forces that go back to the original wars.”

“Why don’t you tell the king? He needs to prepare.”

“Why would the king believe me? And even if he did, why should I put the security of my people in the hands of a man who’s young enough to be my son? And a man without a real army.”

“Then why talk to me? I assume you realize I’m the same age as the king.” Twenty-three had never felt so young.

“Let me show you what we have on our side.”

“The ‘stuff’ that’s in the cave?” I adopted Vera’s habit of using air quotes.

“You’ll be fine in there. Your wings will work.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you?”

He sighed. “Are we back to that again? What other choice do you have? Leaving your post was one thing, but turning your back on something that might save your beloved Society from ruin?”

“You go in first.” Normally I’d have refused, but something in his words rang true. Besides, I had told Vera I had nothing left to lose. Except her. And protecting Levi. The problem with caring about people is they make decision making that much harder.

“My daughter would kill me if I let something happen to you.”

“The daughter you just met.”

Gareth turned to me, letting the large boulder fall back into place. “My family has been in charge for centuries. We need a legitimate heir to hold power.”

“And Vera’s the only one you have.”

“I’m sure you understand the importance.”

“Yes, I’m well aware.” All Levi had heard his whole life was how important having an heir was. His father had nearly cost the family the crown, and Levi couldn’t take any more chances.

“What is in there?” I gestured to the cave.

“As I said earlier, some things are better seen rather than heard.”

I paused long enough to think things over. I could over power Gareth, wings or not, the bigger question was whether he had anyone else waiting inside the cave. But then again he could attack me almost anywhere, cave or no cave. He seemed intent on having my help, and he was right, Vera would be seriously pissed if he killed me. “Fine, but I’m warning you. I don’t take well to being played with.”

“There’s no games here. Just one leader looking for worthy men to help. I know the stories from the last war. I’m willing to do anything it takes to make sure my people make it through this one intact.”

His determination is what scared me. I definitely didn’t want to get on his bad side. “Fine. Let’s see what this is.”

He pushed away the boulder again, and despite my reservations I followed him inside. He replaced the boulder. “For security.”

I hoped to hell my gut instinct was right, and I hadn’t walked into a trap. We walked through a short corridor that got darker as we moved on. My night vision wouldn’t work in the completely dark cave, so I patted my pocket to make sure I had my phone.

We emerged from the tight corridor, and my eyes made out the barest hint of a slight neon glow.

Gareth lit a lantern. “Take a look around. Was I right?”

The cave was like no cave I’d seen before. It was huge, with cathedral height ceilings. The neon glow was coming from large purple and orange crystals hanging from the ceiling.

“What is that stuff?” I peered around at the colorful rocks.

“It’s Origin Crystal.”

“No way. That’s not real.” I’d learned about the mineral as a child. It was said to be what helped create the first shifters and was the source of all the different types of magic. It was folk lore. Pure and simple.

“It is. Our healers have been using it to test the properties.”

I thought back over my conversations since arriving on Norco Island. “That’s what Gemma was alluding to.”

“And why she wants to test it on a Pteron. If it makes a bear super strong, imagine what it could do to someone like yourself.”

“No one is experimenting on me.” No one was touching me period, well except for Vera.

“I never said they were. I’m only stating the potential.”

“How did you get this here?”

“It’s always been here. This cave had been sealed since my great-great grandfather’s time.” Gareth spoke of his ancestor with reverence.

“And you just discovered it now?”

“There was nothing ‘just’ about it.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I was told about it.”

“By whom?”

“Remember that sabbatical you were asking about?”

I looked toward the entrance. Big cave or not, I was uneasy being closed in. “Yes?”

“I didn’t use it to goof off.”

“Where did you take it?” Gareth wasn’t talking fast enough for my tastes. He was doing one of the things I hated. He was dangling little carrots of information with no follow through.

“The where isn’t as important as the who.”

“The who?”

“Yes.”

“Stop messing around, Gareth. Tell me everything.” I touched an orange crystal right next to my head. I let go hastily. It was hot enough that it singed my skin. Luckily Pterons heal quickly.

“Hot, isn’t it? The purple ones are cold.”

“Why the difference?”

“You need to use them in pairs. It’s synergy. It’s all about how much of each you use.”

“This sounds like science fiction.” It seemed more like a comic book than real life.

“What about our existence isn’t? Everything about us seems like lore.”

“I get what you’re saying, but that doesn’t mean I understand what you hope to do with these crystals.”

“You do know. You’re merely refusing to recognize it.”

The answer came to me in a flash. The talk about experimenting. The Society’s lack of a formal army. “You’re creating super soldiers.”

Gareth nodded. “And who better to lead them than one of the best in strategy and defense?”

“You knew about me before I came.”

“Yes.”

“But how could you have known Vera would bring me?”

“I didn’t. She made my job much easier. My guess is she was drawn to your strength. She knows the protection you can offer her.”

“Vera isn’t concerned with someone protecting her. She’s good at protecting herself.”

“But she’s past twenty-one. Our women feel the need to mate by then. She knows she needs to settle and find the best to mate with.”

“Yeah, not the case here.” Vera and I were enjoying each other, not planning to mate. I knew she felt exactly the same way I did on the subject, which is what made things work so well with the two of us.

“Don’t be so sure. I’m not talking about a conscious impulse, but an ingrained one. Taliana returned from her sabbatical for that reason. To pick me.”

“Vera isn’t picking anyone right now.”

“I’m presenting her for the Petere ceremony tonight. There will be petitions. I expect you will put one in as well.”

“Is this a joke? We’re standing in a cave filled with so-called magic minerals discussing super soldiers, and now you’re adding my petitioning to mate with Vera? Can you make any of this weirder?”

“Yes.” His face was completely serious.

“Uh…”

“But you probably can’t handle it.”

“Ok.” This was getting better and better.

“I wasn’t completely forthcoming with you yesterday.”

“Really? I’m shocked by that admission.”

“I wasn’t sure if you would trust me if I told you.”

“But I’ll trust you now?”

“I’ve already let you in on our biggest secret. No one knows this crystal still exists, let alone in this amount .”

“Then what is it? What are you holding back?”

“Remember when we discussed how searching for someone who doesn’t want to be found can be dangerous?”