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by Alanea Alder
"What the hell?" Casek exclaimed.
Izzy looked up in time to see the shadow disappear. She sighed and looked down at her bracelet as bells began to toll everywhere in the city.
"Oops."
#
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"Ryuu, keep them here. That bracelet has a tracking feature, that's what they'll be homing in on," Dav advised when the bells began to go off.
It didn't take the unit warriors five minutes to show up, her mate and Aiden in the lead. Oron went to her and simply wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Gods! I didn't know what to think when the alarms started going off in the palace."
"Why is it always you!" Aiden roared as he scooped up his mate in his arms.
Oron leaned down. "Please tell me there's a real emergency and you didn't just press the button," he whispered.
She felt a moment of irritation before he pulled back and she saw the worry in his eyes. "Because if you did, I think we can still escape to Monroe for a bit."
Her heart melted. He wasn't angry, even believing that she might have pressed the button due to her compulsory nature. "I love you. I want to have children one year from now," she announced.
His eyes widened and he smiled wide. "Really?" he frowned. "You didn't press the button to tell me that, right?"
She shook her head. "No, silly. I saw this shadow thing, then smelled cheese, then Meryn screamed for Ryuu, then the guys came out of the tavern and yelled 'feral' then they started freaking out, that was when I pressed the button," she explained.
Oron turned to face Aiden his face ashen. "That's impossible."
Aiden looked from Dav to Ryuu. "How sure are you?"
Dav stared at Aiden flatly. "I may not be a warrior anymore, but I was fighting them before you were born. I know a feral when I smell one."
Aiden winced. "You understand why I asked?"
Dav ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Yeah, we do. Like Prince Oron said, what we saw, should never have been possible."
Meryn snorted. "That seems to be par for the course anymore."
Izzy turned to Priest. "Didn't you say something about having to do follow-up reports on meetings with people who saw shadows? Because that's what I saw twice. One when we were headed back from the Dark Forest and the one just now, only the one today had a person in it."
Oron's hold on her tightened. "What do you mean you saw one the other day?"
She patted his chest. "I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."
Priest nodded. "That's what a lot of people said in our questioning too. That they never would have reported it, but they'd seen it more than once."
"Where?" Aiden asked.
Priest waved his hand around. "All in the Border City."
Ryuu rubbed Meryn's back. "Let us get these two back to the safety of the palace," he suggested.
Aiden handed Meryn off to Ryuu before leaning down and kissing her forehead. "I'll be along in just a bit. I want to organize the units."
Meryn nodded. "Okay," she turned to Izzy. "Coming?" Izzy shook her head. Ryuu and Pierce left taking Meryn back to the palace.
Oron looked torn. Izzy took his hand. "I'm staying with you, so if you want to help Aiden, don't let me stop you. I honestly feel safer here, surrounded by unit warriors than if I were alone in the palace."
Oron squeezed her hand. "You wouldn't be alone."
"I'm always alone when you're not with me," she explained.
"What am I going to do with you?"
"Just love me, everything else will take care of itself."
Oron nodded then pulled her toward where Aiden was instructing the men. "Dav, do you think you can get help from the Old Guard who reside in Éire Danu?"
Dav gave him a wolfish grin. "Try to keep us from helping," he challenged.
Aiden chuckled. "Father's friends are the same way, itching for fun."
"What do you want us to do?" Ari asked, pointing to the other unit warriors.
Aiden's smiled disappeared. "My mate may be many things, but she is hardly ever wrong. If she says that the impossible is happening, then gentlemen, we need to prepare you to face ferals here in Éire Danu."
He looked over to Micah. "Call Colton, tell him I need Lorcan, Ben, and Graham sent here, A.S.A.P." Micah pulled out his cell phone and walked away to make his call.
Aiden turned to Darian, but he was already nodding. "I'm heading there now to pick them up." He held up his hand with the signet ring. "I'm so glad I don't have to hide this anymore." He closed his eyes and a portal opened three feet in front of them. He gave a short wave, then walked through.
Oron took a step forward. "Aiden, shouldn't you discuss this with the queen?"
Aiden shook his head. "I am in charge of the units, they take their commands from me, not the queen." He gave a wry smile. "Just like with Prince Magnus, the city's ruler can make small, day to day requests, but my orders supersede everything." He pointed to him cheekily. "Besides, I have you to run interference for me," he said, grinning broadly.
Oron cursed under his breath. "And everyone thinks Meryn is trouble."
Aiden laughed then turned to the assembled warriors. "Starting now, we will be running a two-by-two-by-two schedule. Two units running perimeter patrols, two units training and two units resting."
"Yes, sir!" the men boomed.
Dav had a sly look on his face. "And what about us Old Guard?"
Aiden gave him an innocent expression. "I'm putting you in charge of them. See that they are used to the best of their abilities."
Dav's mouth dropped open. "Sonofabitch," he muttered. Around him, the men laughed.
Aiden shook his head. "You didn't think I was going to try and spearhead everything, did you?"
Dav looked bewildered. "Wouldn't most leaders?"
Aiden shrugged. "I'm in a city I've never been to, amongst men I've never met. It's more prudent to delegate some of the decision making to those with overall more experience and knowledge of the city."
Thane clapped Aiden on the back as he and his brothers walked by. "We need more men like you Aiden McKenzie, you almost make me regret not becoming a unit warrior." Aiden's eyes lit up before Thane looked over his shoulder. "Almost."
"Damn," Aiden said sighing.
Thane chuckled before pointing to the horizon. "Justice, Law, let's go set some D.E.W.s."
Aiden's eyes bugged. "You can create distance early warning lines?"
Thane looked confused. "Of course, can't..." He looked over to the unit witches who seemed equally impressed.
Kendrick nodded at Thane sympathetically. "Trust me, I know exactly how you feel. They haven't been trained in sweeps, either."
Thane scrubbed his hands over his face. "That's old magic," he argued.
Kendrick held up a finger. "Exactly."
"What are sweeps?" Aiden asked.
Kendrick turned to Aiden. "A magical pulse that can take out swaths of the enemy. Originally created when we still had front line battles. The stronger the witch, the more damage the sweep does. The only downfall is that it affects everyone in its path, friend and foe alike."
Aiden grimaced. "We engage in a more guerrilla-style fighting now, sweeps could potentially take down a fellow unit warrior."
Kendrick pointed to the expanse between the Border City and the Dark Forest. "Yes, that's true. But when you have a wide open area to defend, then it can be advantageous."
"Kendrick, could you and Law teach the unit witches here how to do lay D.E.W.s and perform sweeps while Thane and Justice set an outer perimeter?" Aiden asked.
Kendrick exchanged looks with Thane who nodded. "We can do that."
Izzy stepped forward. "Will the warning thing go off when the goblins visit? Telk said something the other day about them coming during the deepest dim. I wouldn't want them getting hurt."
Thane shook his head. "They will be set to go off for ferals only. The spell detects creatures without souls, then activates; otherwise, unit warriors
running patrols would set them off." He looked out at the vast landscape. "It won't be perfect because there will be gaps, but it should help."
Izzy stared. To their right, the air began to shimmer gold before a portal opened. Darian and three other warriors stepped through. Darian sighed. "Good, you're all still here. I didn't know whether to go to the palace or not."
Aiden clasped forearms with the two of the men and ruffled the blond hair of the third. "Hey, Ben."
"Where's my baby sister?" The man asked, ducking his head away. "Mother told me in no uncertain terms that I was to coddle her shamelessly," the blond warrior announced.
Aiden pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ben..."
The man held up his hands. "Mother's orders overwrite your jealousy. We all know Meryn loves me best."
"Thought I might find you here," a male voice called out.
Aiden looked up, then nodded. "Rex, what are you doing here?"
Rex just stared. "You all arrive, then warning bells are deafening everyone around the city." He looked around. "Where's Meryn? I would have thought for sure she'd be at the epicenter."
Izzy giggled. "She went back to the palace with Ryuu and Pierce, but she was here," she informed the handsome man. She eyed his arms. "You wouldn't be Elder Rex Lionhart, would you?"
Oron pulled her back toward him as Rex blinked. "Yes, I am. Do I know you?"
Izzy shook her head. "Meryn said that I had to meet the Elder with the amazingly hot arms."
Rex preened. "That woman has impeccable tastes."
Aiden snarled at both Rex and Ben. "She's my mate."
Darian led the two other warriors toward the units standing by. "Men, this is Lorcan Ariav, Beta's unit leader, Graham Armstrong, Delta's unit leader and the blond flirt is Ben McKenzie, Aiden's brother, he serves in the Gamma Unit with Oron. They are here, I'm assuming, to get you up to speed on the new drills we created for engaging reapers." He turned back to Aiden to confirm.
Aiden nodded and went to stand next to Darian. "Unlike Noctem Falls and Éire Danu, Lycaonia's perimeters, until very recently had to be constantly defended. Myself, along with Colton Albright and Gavriel Ambrosios have developed training methods to fight this new, invisible enemy." He turned to Graham, Lorcan and Ben. "We're running two-by-two-by two. Graham, you're assigned to training. Lorcan you're in charge of patrols and Ben you're to float between the two, wherever you're needed."
"Yes, sir." The three answered.
Aiden looked to the units. "Ari, can you assign them quarters amongst the units?"
Ari nodded. "Of course."
"Alright men, you have your orders for now. Ben, you're with me," Aiden commanded. He turned to Kendrick and the Ashleigh brothers. "See you for dinner." He and Ben walked up the street, heading toward the palace.
The men around her exhaled.
"Gods, he's good," Dav said.
Thane watched the unit commander walk away and smiled when Aiden reached up and cuffed Ben soundly. "It would have taken us at least a week to get this organized with the way other leaders posture. Their pride would never have allowed them to hand over major decision making to others. He not only quickly identified what needed to be done, but also asked the right men to do it."
Darian's back straightened. "We follow him for a reason, Thane."
The men all murmured their agreement.
Rex winked at her. "Come along, my dear. These men don't need us around." He placed her hand on his elbow to escort her back to the palace.
"Hey!" Oron exclaimed.
Izzy felt along his bicep. "She wasn't lying, your arms are amazing."
Rex laughed out loud. "I have so missed that little midget."
"Oron we'd better head back to the palace as well. The queen will want our update personally," Darian said from behind them.
"Damn right. Izzy, come back here," Oron ordered.
"No way. I'm getting to know the Elder," she teased.
"Have fun! Don't kill the Elder, Oron," Kendrick called after them, as they walked away.
"No promises," Oron muttered darkly behind them.
*****
They had only made it one street over before Oron pulled her to his side and Darian wrapped an arm around Rex's shoulders in a friendly manner blocking him from reclaiming Izzy's hand.
Rex just shook his head and started going over some of the requests his father had fielded concerning lion-shifters wanting to return to Éire Danu.
When they got closer to the queen's chambers Oron pulled her to a stop, allowing Darian and Rex to enter first. He steered her to the nearest alcove.
"Why are we out here?" she asked.
"Were you serious about having a child a year from now?" he asked, trepidation in his eyes.
"Yes. Meryn said there's an amulet I can wear that will act as birth control. She helped me realize that most of the things that I was concerned about would resolve themselves in a year, like our living arrangements or finding my place in your world."
"Your place is at my side," he said, wrapping his arms around her, resting his cheek on the top of her head. "I will get you an amulet first thing tomorrow. It can come off whenever you're ready, I never want you to feel pressured, this will always be your choice."
"I think I just want more time of it being just us. I've never really been in a serious relationship before, so this is all new to me and throwing a kid in the mix scares the hell outta me," she admitted, then sighed. "But when Meryn said how long you've been waiting for a family, I felt like an asshole."
He stepped back and tucked his fingers under her chin, tilting her head back. "No baby, how you feel is never wrong." He kissed her forehead. "I'm new to this relationship thing too, I should have spoken to you first before I got upset." He looked in her eyes. "It was my own insecurity that made me lash out. Even though I'm a Vi'Eirlea now, it felt like the same type of rejection I've faced my whole life, like you didn't want to have an Eirson child."
Izzy squeezed her arms tight causing him to grunt. "Are you kidding? I'm relying on your fifty percent of the DNA in this kid to keep them alive. If they take after me we'll need a bomb squad." She looked up grinning. "You're the best part of me."
Before she could blink, he captured her lips. He kept them welded together until they were breathing in sync. Slowly he lifted his face. "If we didn't need to check in..."
She nipped his chin, causing him to laugh. "Later," she promised.
He nodded. "Later."
Smiling they headed back toward the queen's chambers.
Once they joined the others, Izzy remembered why she had left and flushed with embarrassment.
"Thank the gods; she is safe!" Izzy was nearly knocked over when the queen plowed into her for a hug.
"I'm fine," she managed to get out.
"Aleks, dear, let her breathe," Brennus chided gently, pulling her back.
Aleksandra dashed away her tears. "I felt like I couldn't breathe myself when the alarms started going off. Before I knew it, Oron and Aiden had run from the room and I had no idea what was happening. I had to wait for little Meryn to return to update me." She spun around to face her niece. "Meryn, is there something you can do with that computer of yours so I don't have to wait for runners with news?"
Meryn shrugged. "I could get you walkie-talkies and cameras like I did in Noctem Falls."
The queen nodded slowly. "It's a start. I never again want to be trapped here while the fate of my loved ones is unknown."
"Queen Aleksandra, I can personally attest to the brilliance of this young lady," Rex said as he walked over and dropped a kiss on the top of Meryn's head.
Meryn beamed and peaked around him to look at her. "Did you see his arms?"
Izzy wagged her eyebrows. "He was very charming."
Aleksandra tilted her head. "What's this?"
Rex straightened and blushed when he faced the queen. "Young Meryn admires the shape of my arms," he admitted.
The queen smiled and tapped her lips. "I can
see what she is referring to."
Rex's eyes widened as Brennus moved in front of his mate blocking her view. "Seems I need to add another name to the 'not allowed near my mate' list."
The queen stepped around her mate and looped her arm through his. "Stop embarrassing the cub," she admonished.
Brennus chuckled. "You first."
The queen turned to Rex. "I'm sorry dear, I just remember you as the studious little boy you were. So proud to be a Lionhart and such a serious little man."
Rex covered his face with his hand. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Brennus laughed outright at Rex's chagrin. "Maybe you won't make the list after all."
Micah pretended to be picking up something from the ground and blew on it. "Here Rex, I dusted off your pride for you." He acted like he was handing something over to the Elder.
Rex ignored him and sat down on one of the sofas. "Ferals in Éire Danu?" he asked and everyone quieted.
"It is impossible," the queen said flatly. She turned to Meryn and Ryuu. "I don't mean that I think you are lying, but maybe mistaken."
Meryn looked down at her hands. "Aunt Aleks, I know I've only been in your world for six months, but I've been personally attacked and fought ferals more than once. This guy reeked of hot ass and Cheetos, he was most definitely a feral."
Brennus winced at her description but was nodding. "It's not a smell one forgets."
The queen walked to the window, turning her back to the room. "There has to be some kind of mistake," she said sharply.
Oron went to speak, but Brennus shook his head once then pointed to his own chest. Oron nodded. "Mother, Izzy agreed to have a child one year from now," he announced, effectively changing the subject.
The queen spun from the window, pure joy on her face. "That is wondrous news! I'm so happy for you both. I was hoping that the two of you would work things out. I can't wait to start buying baby things, they need so much. When I remember how many cloth diapers Darian went through," she shuddered.
Darian flushed. "Mother!"
She threw her head back and laughed. "Some days, I was seriously worried about what we fed you."
When Kendrick and the Ashleigh brothers came in Aiden stood and met them at the door. Kendrick nodded and Thane looked worried, but both seemed to agree to whatever Aiden said.