situation.
"It's Alexander," I begin. Blake nods, clearly expecting this. "I'm - damn it, I'm falling for him. Hard. And at the same time, I have to write a story that will end his career. And maybe really damage shifter-human relations." Tears prick my eyes as I say this. "I've worked so hard my whole life to get to where I am. To be ready when a big story presents itself. And now that it's here, I don't want to write it. I want to be with Alexander, but how can that be? He's doomed. He denies who he is. He's going to be destroyed, if not by me, then by some creep like Slimeballs -"
"Slimeballs?" Rachel frowns.
I nod. "Yeah, this creep of a reporter. I-I don't know. I feel overwhelmed and sad and scared for him and just so confused."
Rachel puts out her hand to cover mine and gives it a squeeze. "There's always a solution. Always."
I sigh and smile gratefully at her. "Well, for the first time, I don't see one."
Rachel and Blake exchange glances, a wealth of information passing between them that I don't understand. I want to sigh all over again. They seem to have the perfect marriage. "What is it?"
"Well," says Blake. "I hoped his return might mean more than just a day or two in town. Aurion - how can I put this? He's getting even more extreme. He's going to call a convocation of the shifter cairn elders. He's going to use an ancient tradition to declare our way of life under attack, and urge all the cairns to unite to defend themselves."
My eyes go wide. "Against what?"
"Humans," says Blake in disgust. "He says we should be given power and authority instead of being relegated to little cairns on the edges of the wilderness. We need to be put in charge of the government so as to protect the planet from humanity. And if the humans refuse, then we should end our Accord, and make our case with violence."
"That's - that's madness," I say.
Blake nods soberly. "But he's Aurion. The eldest cairn leader in the northeast, and even wise men listen to his words. If he succeeds... well."
"So you wanted Alexander to challenge him?" Blake nods. I shift in my seat, anxious. "But he wants nothing to do with shifters and his father. He wants to belong to the world of humanity. To lead them by example."
"Which," says Rachel, "I might be able to help him with. If he really wants."
I blink. "What? How?"
Rachel stares deep into my eyes, and for a moment everything disappears but her face. I feel like the kitchen has been replaced by the vast cosmos, as if she and I are floating in the depths of space, and all my secrets are open to her, my hopes and dreams, my mistakes and regrets. Then the kitchen snaps back into place, leaving me a little stunned, and Rachel nods her head as if she's confirmed something.
"I'll share my secret with you, Myra. You're good people. I'm a witch. Of sorts. I'm not nearly as powerful as my grandma was, but slowly I'm coming into my own. And I know of an ancient ritual that will remove the shifter side of Alexander's nature and leave him just a man."
I take a moment to process. Rachel said that so calmly that I can't help but believe her. I know there are witches out there, just like I know there are billionaires and albino tigers. I just never expected to have dinner with one. "You're sure? You can do that?"
Rachel nods. "Yes. It's very painful, but it can be done. And there's no reversing the process. Once I take the lion from Alexander, he will never get it back."
"Oh," I say. "Then he could run for mayor. Any attempt at exposing him would fail."
Blake nods. "A simple blood test would prove him human."
I put my hands to my head. "Then I wouldn't have to write the story and ruin everything."
Rachel nods. "You could go back to Boston with him and see where your relationship goes."
I stare from one to the other. "But... Aurion?"
Blake sighs. "We'll have to find another solution. One of us will have to challenge him."
Rachel takes Blake's wrist and squeezes, clear concern on her face.
"Aurion is
"It's Alexander," I begin. Blake nods, clearly expecting this. "I'm - damn it, I'm falling for him. Hard. And at the same time, I have to write a story that will end his career. And maybe really damage shifter-human relations." Tears prick my eyes as I say this. "I've worked so hard my whole life to get to where I am. To be ready when a big story presents itself. And now that it's here, I don't want to write it. I want to be with Alexander, but how can that be? He's doomed. He denies who he is. He's going to be destroyed, if not by me, then by some creep like Slimeballs -"
"Slimeballs?" Rachel frowns.
I nod. "Yeah, this creep of a reporter. I-I don't know. I feel overwhelmed and sad and scared for him and just so confused."
Rachel puts out her hand to cover mine and gives it a squeeze. "There's always a solution. Always."
I sigh and smile gratefully at her. "Well, for the first time, I don't see one."
Rachel and Blake exchange glances, a wealth of information passing between them that I don't understand. I want to sigh all over again. They seem to have the perfect marriage. "What is it?"
"Well," says Blake. "I hoped his return might mean more than just a day or two in town. Aurion - how can I put this? He's getting even more extreme. He's going to call a convocation of the shifter cairn elders. He's going to use an ancient tradition to declare our way of life under attack, and urge all the cairns to unite to defend themselves."
My eyes go wide. "Against what?"
"Humans," says Blake in disgust. "He says we should be given power and authority instead of being relegated to little cairns on the edges of the wilderness. We need to be put in charge of the government so as to protect the planet from humanity. And if the humans refuse, then we should end our Accord, and make our case with violence."
"That's - that's madness," I say.
Blake nods soberly. "But he's Aurion. The eldest cairn leader in the northeast, and even wise men listen to his words. If he succeeds... well."
"So you wanted Alexander to challenge him?" Blake nods. I shift in my seat, anxious. "But he wants nothing to do with shifters and his father. He wants to belong to the world of humanity. To lead them by example."
"Which," says Rachel, "I might be able to help him with. If he really wants."
I blink. "What? How?"
Rachel stares deep into my eyes, and for a moment everything disappears but her face. I feel like the kitchen has been replaced by the vast cosmos, as if she and I are floating in the depths of space, and all my secrets are open to her, my hopes and dreams, my mistakes and regrets. Then the kitchen snaps back into place, leaving me a little stunned, and Rachel nods her head as if she's confirmed something.
"I'll share my secret with you, Myra. You're good people. I'm a witch. Of sorts. I'm not nearly as powerful as my grandma was, but slowly I'm coming into my own. And I know of an ancient ritual that will remove the shifter side of Alexander's nature and leave him just a man."
I take a moment to process. Rachel said that so calmly that I can't help but believe her. I know there are witches out there, just like I know there are billionaires and albino tigers. I just never expected to have dinner with one. "You're sure? You can do that?"
Rachel nods. "Yes. It's very painful, but it can be done. And there's no reversing the process. Once I take the lion from Alexander, he will never get it back."
"Oh," I say. "Then he could run for mayor. Any attempt at exposing him would fail."
Blake nods. "A simple blood test would prove him human."
I put my hands to my head. "Then I wouldn't have to write the story and ruin everything."
Rachel nods. "You could go back to Boston with him and see where your relationship goes."
I stare from one to the other. "But... Aurion?"
Blake sighs. "We'll have to find another solution. One of us will have to challenge him."
Rachel takes Blake's wrist and squeezes, clear concern on her face.
"Aurion is
Similar Books
