97 - Planning the next steps
97 - Planning the next steps
Greg
“I’ve gathered you all here today to plan our next steps,” says Linda.
Her aura differs from the other day. I can’t put my finger on what caused it, but I can certainly tell beyond doubt that she’s more alarmed than when they came to our aid during the ambush.
“They are approaching and we can’t afford to fight them here. Our magical resources may be adequate to hide while off the radar, but not nearly sufficient to oppose them in our base. The key to our success lies where it all began,” she continues.
“What does that mean?” Nel asks.
It’s normal for her to be confused. She was sleeping during our previous conversation.
“Long story short, Eleanor, the ones after you can only be taken down where they really are. If they have grown so strong and confident to give us a hard time fighting through their projections, it can only mean they will soon make their move and we can’t allow that. We should move fast and reach them before they reach us.”
“Wouldn’t that be too dangerous?” I ask.
“Not if they know nothing about our plans. I’m open to suggestions. If any of you have a better idea, I’m willing to discuss them, and I’m being honest, not sarcastic.”
A seer who’s eager to brainstorm with others isn’t what you’d call a good sign. What did she foresee that made her worried enough to gather us here and urge for immediate acts?
“So if I understand correctly, we need to return to Southville, right?” William says.
He’s been very much on edge since this morning. Well, we’ve all been the same, more or less. Something happened yesterday. I’m not sure if it has to do with what Nicholas discussed with Linda while we were away, or with Nel and how it came to him waking up with her mark on his neck, but I’m confident the latter vexed William the most, because he has barely said a word to her since breakfast.
I would prefer to be as far away from this man as possible. His being close clouds my judgment and makes me prone to mistakes. Wouldn't it be better if we had Leo and Bob here instead of him? Planning a strategy with them would go way smoother. The thought startles me, but it’s not the right moment for personal reflections, so for the second time since we arrived here, I will push it aside and do my best to concentrate on the task at hand.
“If we all return to Southville together, it would be like carrying a neon sign in the shape of an arrow above us, pointing directly at us. We need to act quickly and quietly. You will take Irena and me with you,” she says, nodding towards the girl sitting perched up next to Nel, holding her hand.
Nicholas has made no comment at all about last night and neither did Nel. Unlike him, she seems uncomfortable, often stealing glances his way, but she didn’t approach me and confide in me as she usually did. Instead, she’s been sitting next to her high school friend, this Irena, Linda’s daughter, and they are chatting quietly. I didn’t expect it could make me jealous, but in some sense, it does. It’s like she’s punishing me for showing up in Northam with Nick, as if she’s categorized me as one of his people and slammed her door right in my face and, after all that we’ve been through together, that kinda stings.
“The rest will stay here for now. We need to measure our numbers in the South first. It’s been too long and we don’t know how many have stayed loyal to the cause. I must summon our allies there and make some necessary contacts, then I will send for you,” she concludes, deep in thought.
“Excuse me if I interrupt your reverie, but we are the ones from Southville. In case you haven’t noticed, I happen to be an Alpha there. I have a pack full of fighters and scouters and the same applies for William. What makes you think you could be more efficient in protecting her than us?”
Nick’s anger doesn’t appear to bother Linda, who stays lost in her faraway stance for an extra while, and after some long seconds bursts out laughing, totally out of phase. We all stare, confused, as she moves her hands, humming a weird tune, and a hologram projection appears in the middle of the living room.
The location is without a doubt the main ceremonial hall of the Golden Moon Clan. It’s like standing in the heart of it and staring straight at the grand marble staircase. Although that’s the only image we have, it feels like we’re surrounded by a large, fussy crowd out of the blue. Some moments later, it all goes completely silent and there’s some commotion at the stairs. Soon afterwards, some people appear at the top. In front there’s a couple holding a little boy between them. After the couple comes another pair of a man and a woman. The woman is also clutching a young lad’s hand, and the man is strikingly familiar, but they don’t resemble a couple, more like he’s angry with her for some reason and keeping his distance, which makes her awkward. All adults seem sullen and barely even interact with each other, but the boys are having fun. The one behind is constantly trying to play tricks on the other one and the first young fellow turns to him all the time. They are bickering and laughing, not paying attention to what is going on around them.
The hologram dissolves, and ignoring all of us, Linda turns to Nick.
“Do you recognize the scene, young Alpha?”
“I do, but I still don’t get your point.”
“That was just a vivid memory of mine from a significant day. You may be from there, but you were only a boy at that time…”
“You were also there?”
The familiar, concentrated expression on Nel’s face tells me she’s getting ready to pounce on someone. My hand instinctively rubs my cheek, remembering a punch I once received for not telling her about our plans. I wonder how this new variant of her enhanced powers would decompress her steaming anger.
“Ahem, I think you have forgotten there’s more of us here. Linda, what the hell was that?” she says.
“Just the reason I need to go first and make some contacts before you show up like a lamb for slaughter once more. Next time, it won’t be a sniper aiming for you, Eleanor. A coven that thinks you shouldn’t exist is a pretty good reason not to carry out any restless moves.”
“And would you mind explaining to me too what we all saw and how it proves your point? Because from what I understand, only one person here could grasp the deeper meaning.”
Nel has always had this habit of fidgeting with her fingers when she’s agitated. I study her as she does it now too, not realizing she’s squeezing the cup she’s holding. A thin smoke comes out of her fingertips and seconds later a crashing sound resonates in the room and most of the shards fall to the ground next to her feet, but she doesn’t appear to realize what has happened. Her hands are still in the same position and haven’t loosened up, while her fingers still press some of the broken glass, which has cut through them and narrow streams of blood stain the little rug under the coffee table.
After a couple of moments, a light ball appears around her fists, forcing them to open up and relax. At the same time, the bits of the shattered cup fly away and her wounds start healing themselves.
“Get a grip on yourself, Eleanor!” Linda scolds her.
“Why? You can still mend me in seconds. That’s what you used to say during our training, isn’t it?”
“Your parents escaped from their birthplace for a reason. The memory is from the night it all began. As you know by now, they tried to conceal your existence as much as possible. Your appearance on the Golden Moon territory was reckless and foolish. You should never have negated all that they fought and eventually even sacrificed their lives for.”
Nel and Nick growl at her simultaneously. This new version of them together is almost scary. They are both so intimidating. If they team up, most wolves would cower in fear without them even trying to exude their aura. Still, the witch is, of course, completely calm and unaffected.
“You can growl all you want, you lovebirds. One way or the other, your paths would eventually have crossed. My job would be much easier if this had happened anywhere but there. You alerted forces you can’t control, and I’m uncertain whether I’m strong enough to guarantee your defense and counterattack will be fruitful.”
“And what’s the cause that your allies should have stayed loyal to?” William asks.
Linda turns to him, narrowing her eyes, calculating and visibly weighing up how much she should let on. No matter what they wanted to show in the beginning, I can discern the clear cracks between them, but I can’t tell how deep they run. Is it some minor bickering caused by a temporary disagreement or are they two distinct sources of power, each holding their own interests that just teamed up for a common cause now?
“Didn’t Steven’s cheat sheet mention that?” she laughs, then turns feral in the same instant. “Oh wait, he didn’t know that, so he couldn’t pass it on to you. But can you guess why? Because we didn’t want him to…”
“Enough with the riddles and the past already!” Nick interrupts them. “So we are supposed to fight a mysterious enemy, allying ourselves with some people who are willing to crusade for the same cause, that we are allowed to know nothing about, while using ancient forces without of course discovering more about their true inner effects. Am I the only one here finding this absurd and impossible?”
Nel’s head snaps in his direction. She stares at him with her eyes wide open as if he’s just said or done something unique and new, while we’re in fact running in circles again and again, ruminating on the same old bullshit without a clear view of why or how it affects us. She closes the distance between them as if noticing for the first time that he’s present in the room. The most bizarre about her stance is that she’s staring not into his eyes, but his chest. As she reaches within touching range, she extends her arm and her fingers reach for the mark on his neck. For the slightest flash of a nanosecond, I think I saw a sparkle from beneath Nick’s clothes, but it was gone before I could be sure what it was. Nick grabs her hand and lands tender kisses on all her fingertips, then pulling her to him and engulfing her in a tight embrace. She nestles there, almost purring at this sudden affection, whilst he essentially tries to hide her in his arms, shielding her from whatever lies outside.
Linda smirks at their interaction, visibly satisfied with the image. Completely on the contrary, William is seething and I can feel what’s happening is not at all good for him. But why should I care about what is good for him and what is not? When did he ever do the same for me? Did he ever even once, in all the long time-span since we first met, consider what would be best for me? Of course not… Get yourself together, Greg! You literally promised not to let him fog your judgment only ten minutes ago! Wait a moment… What did I miss? Why is everyone looking at me?
“So, Greg… Are you with us on this? Do you think you can pull it off?” Linda asks me.
Oh shit… How do I tell them without giving away more than I should that I just zoned out for the last couple of minutes and heard nothing at all?