But I had a feeling Emmerick did. And
maybe some of the other Elders too.
“ If they're out there, I can't imagine they know
how to shift. They would've been caught by now if they did.”
“ Maybe so,” Sam said. “Or maybe
they've found other ways to hide. You guys are protected here, thanks
to that ether, but there are other ways to keep secrets this big.”
“ Speaking of hiding secrets, I have a feeling
we're not going to get what we're looking for in those damned
archives.”
“ Why?” Sam leaned across the table, her eyes
as beautiful as open seas, staring into mine curiously.
“ Emmerick was in charge of all those files for
years before you came. Think about it. If there was anything damning
there, it's probably gone now. Something in all this doesn't add up.”
She wilted. I reached for her small hands, cupped them
in mine, and squeezed. I just wanted to comfort her, even though
there was nothing remotely easy or comforting about the situation.
“ We'll figure this out. Tomorrow, I'm going to see
Franklin. Privately. If I can get the old man to tell me something
out of respect for his brother, then maybe we'll get to the bottom of
this.”
“ You think?” Hope sprang in her voice.
My heart already felt several pounds lighter. “Yes.
And I know one thing: I'm not giving up. The minute I brought you
into this cabin, I knew I'd never quit. I don't care what it takes,
Sam, or who I have to fight. I'll brush everything aside to be with
you.”
It was a good thing we'd nearly finished our dinner. A
minute after the words were out of my mouth, she sauntered to my
side, and sat on my lap. We kissed, lighting our evening fire to a
comfortable roar.
“ Yes?” Franklin poked his head out into the
cold.
His eyes looked glazed and tired behind his spectacles,
like I'd just woken him from a long nap. The Elders sure slept a lot
when they weren't holding their meetings. I wondered if I'd do the
same if I made it to their age.
“ Sorry to bother you, Elder. Can I have a moment
of your time?”
Franklin's eyes narrowed cautiously. He hesitated, but
then cracked the door open, waving me inside.
“ Of course, boy. What's brought you by?”
Boy. He still thinks of me like a nephew. Maybe I can
use that to my advantage...
“ Sam's research. Some of what she's found in the
old records doesn't jive with our policies. I know you're not a big
fan of Emmerick.” I paused, watching Franklin's face tighten.
“Do you think he's been pulling the wool over our eyes?”
“ It wouldn't be prudent to discuss my private
feelings about a fellow councilman. Nor should you show such
disrespect to an Elder.”
I fought the urge to say something infinitely more
disrespectful about Emmerick.
“ It's not all about what I think or feel,” I
said, stepping closer to him across the neat wooden floor.
“Emmerick's policies may be harming the entire clan. Especially
the firm line against all outsiders...”
Franklin tilted his head, eyeing me more warily than
before. “What are you getting at, lad?”
Damn it. He's not going to come out and talk about it
unless I make him.
“ Our closed, completely walled off society, for
one thing. The records indicate humans and shifters used to have
plenty of interactions. You talk about it all the time at your
council meetings.”
“ That's true,” he said quietly. “But
their world has changed tremendously in the past century. I don't
need to tell you...you've been scouting since you were in your
twenties. And Kalispell is just one little town – there's a
whole world out there with human marvels we couldn't hope to
understand. Nor would we want to.”
“ I'm not talking about their machines, Elder.”
I paused, ensuring his eyes met mine and held. “It's our
numbers. Sam thinks we're not having babies anymore because we need
human mates to do it.”
Franklin slammed his cane angrily into the ground. He
turned away from me, and let out the heaviest sigh I'd ever
maybe some of the other Elders too.
“ If they're out there, I can't imagine they know
how to shift. They would've been caught by now if they did.”
“ Maybe so,” Sam said. “Or maybe
they've found other ways to hide. You guys are protected here, thanks
to that ether, but there are other ways to keep secrets this big.”
“ Speaking of hiding secrets, I have a feeling
we're not going to get what we're looking for in those damned
archives.”
“ Why?” Sam leaned across the table, her eyes
as beautiful as open seas, staring into mine curiously.
“ Emmerick was in charge of all those files for
years before you came. Think about it. If there was anything damning
there, it's probably gone now. Something in all this doesn't add up.”
She wilted. I reached for her small hands, cupped them
in mine, and squeezed. I just wanted to comfort her, even though
there was nothing remotely easy or comforting about the situation.
“ We'll figure this out. Tomorrow, I'm going to see
Franklin. Privately. If I can get the old man to tell me something
out of respect for his brother, then maybe we'll get to the bottom of
this.”
“ You think?” Hope sprang in her voice.
My heart already felt several pounds lighter. “Yes.
And I know one thing: I'm not giving up. The minute I brought you
into this cabin, I knew I'd never quit. I don't care what it takes,
Sam, or who I have to fight. I'll brush everything aside to be with
you.”
It was a good thing we'd nearly finished our dinner. A
minute after the words were out of my mouth, she sauntered to my
side, and sat on my lap. We kissed, lighting our evening fire to a
comfortable roar.
“ Yes?” Franklin poked his head out into the
cold.
His eyes looked glazed and tired behind his spectacles,
like I'd just woken him from a long nap. The Elders sure slept a lot
when they weren't holding their meetings. I wondered if I'd do the
same if I made it to their age.
“ Sorry to bother you, Elder. Can I have a moment
of your time?”
Franklin's eyes narrowed cautiously. He hesitated, but
then cracked the door open, waving me inside.
“ Of course, boy. What's brought you by?”
Boy. He still thinks of me like a nephew. Maybe I can
use that to my advantage...
“ Sam's research. Some of what she's found in the
old records doesn't jive with our policies. I know you're not a big
fan of Emmerick.” I paused, watching Franklin's face tighten.
“Do you think he's been pulling the wool over our eyes?”
“ It wouldn't be prudent to discuss my private
feelings about a fellow councilman. Nor should you show such
disrespect to an Elder.”
I fought the urge to say something infinitely more
disrespectful about Emmerick.
“ It's not all about what I think or feel,” I
said, stepping closer to him across the neat wooden floor.
“Emmerick's policies may be harming the entire clan. Especially
the firm line against all outsiders...”
Franklin tilted his head, eyeing me more warily than
before. “What are you getting at, lad?”
Damn it. He's not going to come out and talk about it
unless I make him.
“ Our closed, completely walled off society, for
one thing. The records indicate humans and shifters used to have
plenty of interactions. You talk about it all the time at your
council meetings.”
“ That's true,” he said quietly. “But
their world has changed tremendously in the past century. I don't
need to tell you...you've been scouting since you were in your
twenties. And Kalispell is just one little town – there's a
whole world out there with human marvels we couldn't hope to
understand. Nor would we want to.”
“ I'm not talking about their machines, Elder.”
I paused, ensuring his eyes met mine and held. “It's our
numbers. Sam thinks we're not having babies anymore because we need
human mates to do it.”
Franklin slammed his cane angrily into the ground. He
turned away from me, and let out the heaviest sigh I'd ever
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