Nathan waited for some minutes after Jan and Claire left the living room, to continue the meeting from where he had stopped.
“So, what do we do now? From the attack today, it’s obvious that we have to cook up more safeguards. This invariably means we will need the healer here. We will also need some of our people here, as there are over there-to add to the manpower here, while the rest keep our mountains safe. Legardo is unpredictable, so we can’t take chances. Please, the floor is open for suggestions. Any one can speak.”
He relaxed into his chair, after gesturing with his two hands wide open and a bit stretched out, the honesty of his last statement. However, the room remained silent for a while, everyone lost in their thoughts, trying to bring up suggestions for what to do about the recent happenings.
Then Kane broke the silence, with a cough, mainly to gather everyone attention again which had shifted to their thoughts again at Nathan’s request. “Well, I don’t think there is much for us to do here, than to train ourselves to the best of our ability. If the healer is coming here, then he should come with the books that are required for more research on the symbols. We need to decipher the symbols on their backs…”
He looked at Freya and Lucille as he said this.
“I believe the key to the control and usuage of the powers entrusted to them would be hidden there, including maybe… clues to win this war. We might also need to retrieve Emma for it…”
Sheila piqued an eyebrow, and Kane sighed.
“Of course we will give her time to train, such as she desires. But as a last resort, if she isn’t back to the pack when we are in deep shit-I don’t hope for that though, then we will have to reach out to her. Till then, the girls would have to train their control and mastery over the powers they have. From the little I had seen of Legardo, whatever tactics he devises would have two end points. To get the girls and to create destruction in the pack. If he starts or has already started working with the vampires and the mages, then to create deaths like never before would be an ultimate goal.”
He paused, letting the information sink into the thoughts of his comrades, and then he continued.
“So, the girls need to be taught how to use their powers masterfully, both to attack and defend themselves. That is very important. I can’t imagine what will happen if Legardos gains control of any. I’m trusting Prescott and the Jaguar to keep Emma safe, although I have this feeling that she wouldn’t be needing their protecting. They might actually be needing that from her. Her choosing to train was the best option she could have given to herself. I hadn’t known it before, but seeing Freya in her magic zone clarified that to me. They could either be weapons of peace or weapons of mass destruction, depending on their control levels, and who is using them.”
Lucille bit her lips at the truth in her mate’s words. If Derek hadn’t done what he did, she would have destroyed the pack, without even knowing. She clenched her fists. It would never happen again. She would keep training, no matter the exercises that Margo gives her.
“Margo…have you heard from Ketura? What’s the Queen’s reply?”
Margo sighed, knowing that the answer she was about to give wouldn’t please the people with her.
“Yes. The Queen mentioned that she will think about it.”
The grunts and grumps following, validated her thought. Whilst she had been healing the wounded of the pack, Keturah had called her through the phone they had both gotten for themselves to facilitate a communication that wouldn’t be interrupted by magic.
After learning from Melvina about the first time the Luna had been deceived by Bridget’s bird-the twins who she didn’t know of their whereabouts, yet didn’t believe they were dead-she and Ketura had gotten simple phones.
So, she had told Keturah in much details as she could, of the entire happening in the pack, including what had happened with Derek, and the girls. Keturah had delivered the message then, but had promised to speak to the Queen again.
“She will think about it? What is there to think about? Doesn’t she know what’s at stake, or does she think that Leonarya would let the witch’s kingdom go scot free from the impending war?” Blenda questioned, incredulity ringing in her voice. She couldn’t understand the thinking pattern of the Queen she had never met. Didn’t the latter know the precarious situation they were in?
Margo shrugged her shoulders. “Ketura promised to speak with her again. Hopefully, this time around she will see reason.”
“Can I go meet her?” Sheila asked, having known Zipfarah for a long time before the coma incident. The Queen wasn’t someone that would flee at the sight of trouble, not one as life changing, or rather earth shattering as this.
Nathan shook his head. “You are not going anywhere, woman.”
Sheila glared at him, but Nathan refused to be moved this time around. “If they capture you, they might as well win the war. Through you, they can contact and control our daughters. I can’t afford to let that happen. Keturah is already there, and she has known the queen far longer than you have. If the woman wouldn’t listen to her, then I doubt she would listen to you. Let’s not waste or gamble with the little manpower that we have.”
Sheila huffed, folded her arms across her chest, and reclined deeper into her seat, sulking.
Nathan knew that he would do a whole lot of groveling later for cancelling her question in public, but he also knew that he will choose that any day, than losing his lifemate or his daughters. Their safety first, before any other thing. He can’t afford to live a barren existence filled with darkness twice, and the world couldn’t afford to either have him as a dark lord, or his daughters missing. No, not in this war.
There was silence after Nathan’s declaration, where everyone was left to his or her thoughts again. Then Yodah asked: “My Prince, when are we going to check out Amelia’s hideout?”
Nathan furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought. “Tonight.”
“And about the surprise visit to Legardo?”
Nathan shook his head. “Not yet.”
Legardo had already visited them, and had showed them that he was not alone. Nathan wasn’t about to take that for granted nor would he underestimate the fellow.
**
“This is the last warning, stranger. Show yourself.” Amelia’s master spoke, without looking around.
This was the third time he was stating this question, since the ghost had chosen to follow him around for the past few weeks he had been trailing the energy that had tapped into his mental path.
He had been shocked when he had felt it at first, shocked that someone could, without fear, enter into his mind. It would take someone with a lot of guts, someone with a lot of power to do that, someone not of this world, and he had known who it was. The redhead that was with his prodigy.
It had made him very excited, the challenge it presented, then angry. It had pushed him the more to get her in his hands, knowing that she was the main figure, and not her sisters. From the trail, he knew that they were heading to the training grounds of the rare humans. That was another dose of goodness to him.
He had tried finding the grounds for many years, but to no avail. The location eluded him at every turn. But now at last, he would find it. He couldn’t wait. His hands shook with excitement just at the same moment that he tapped into Amelia’s pathway. The magic that had been used to stop him from totally converting her to a puppet, was beginning to weaken. Just one more push, and he will take total control. But till then, he had to find who was following him.
However, before he could turn around, and cast the spell that would bring the ghost to him, even against the latter’s will, the ghost stepped out of a thicket of bushes right beside him, and walked up to him.
“Whose ghost are you? And who had sent you to follow me?”
“Casper. I’m Casper’s ghost. I was rather sent to follow Emma, to take revenge on her for killing me. I was sent by my mistress, Queen Leonarya. Seeing as you were trailing them, I had no choice to follow. We can work together, I wouldn’t have to kill you that way..”
Amelia’s master barked out a laugh, seeing the knowing glint in the ghost’s eyes. Legardo’s mistress had the audacity to try recruit him? Did she know who he was?
He sent a push to Amelia’s mind. There was no longer time. There were more peope at play now.