what the hell is
that supposed to mean? I don’t mean to be rude, but I have had about all the
cloak and dagger I can stand for one day. Could someone please just give me a straight answer? Where is my Uncle Johr? He’ll
tell me what I want to know, without trying to make it all fluffy and happy.”
Breeg made a deep throaty sound. “Whesht. She has a temper, no? This could get quite interestin ’.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
I’d be happy to show him the extent of my temper.
Talon leaned over and
whispered in my ear. “Be careful, he is ancient and very powerful. Do not try
his patience; he has a reputation for being unpredictable at times.”
I planted my feet, putting
my hands on my hips, and stared Breeg in the eyes. “Bring it on.” I challenged,
tossing my hair over one shoulder.
The air surrounding Breeg crackled,
creating static that made my hair stand on end. Regardless of the consequences,
I would not be pushed around any longer. I maintained
eye contact with the little man and raised one eyebrow. Even the ley stone dust
pulsed in time with my rapid breaths.
“Caitlin!” Talon said,
panic in his voice.
“What’s going on in here? Who
the hell blew all these ley stones into dust? Did I miss some sort of battle?”
bellowed a tall, heavily muscled man with bright red hair as he strode through
the door.
I pushed past the other
two men and threw myself at him. “Uncle Johr!”
He caught me and swung me
around in the air as if I weighed nothing. “Hey there, Cat .
I am so glad to see you safe.” He nodded in Talon’s direction. “Good work, boy.
I am looking forward to your briefing before you leave.”
My eyes narrowed at the
reminder of Talon’s official role.
Talon bowed to him formally.
“Yes sir, whenever you are ready.”
Johr noticed the small man
standing near the door. “Breeg,” he said, reverence in his voice. “I am honored
that you would come to watch over my little Cat.”
I gritted my teeth over
his assumption that I needed a handler.
Breeg gestured toward me
and then back to Johr. “Ye need me more than ye ken.” He stroked his beard. “This
one be a latent. I strongly suspect she may also be tha Lumina Talon suspects. As ye so aptly
put it, she is tha one who ‘blew all these ley stones into dust’. It would seem
she has quite tha fire.”
Johr put a hand on my
shoulder forcing me to face him. “Cat, did you do this?”
I gave him a sheepish grin
and shrugged one shoulder. “Well, not intentionally. However, things around
here seem to have a tendency to blow up when I get mad.” My voice rose. “All I
want is someone to give me a straight answer. No more secrets.” I tried to put
all my anxiety into my gaze, begging him to tell me what he knew. “Uncle Johr,
I know I can count on you for that. Can you please explain to me what is going
on?”
He sighed. “Talon, go get
Leah and Jace–this affects them too.”
Talon bowed and strode
from the room, never once looking back at me. I glanced at Breeg and planted my
hands on my hips.
He chuckled softly. “Gel,
calm yerself. We are on tha same side.”
“Caitlin, mind yourself ,” Johr snapped.
I stared at him, surprised.
He’d never used a sharp tone with me before and my expression must have shown
it. He stroked my hair and gave me a small pat on the back. I guess I wasn’t
the only one who was stressed out by our situation.
Talon returned with Leah
and Jace in tow.
“Uncle Johr!” She squealed
and jumped into his arms for a hug.
“Hey
Leah-girl. How have you been? I’d ask if you two were staying out of
trouble, but I already know the answer to that. Don’t I?”
Leah giggled. “Well, you
always said we kept you young with our shenanigans. It’s not like we go looking
for trouble.”
Johr heaved a sigh. “I
know. None of this is your fault. We should have told you both about your
heritage a long time ago. We were just hoping it was never going to be an
issue. Neither one of you had
that supposed to mean? I don’t mean to be rude, but I have had about all the
cloak and dagger I can stand for one day. Could someone please just give me a straight answer? Where is my Uncle Johr? He’ll
tell me what I want to know, without trying to make it all fluffy and happy.”
Breeg made a deep throaty sound. “Whesht. She has a temper, no? This could get quite interestin ’.”
I narrowed my eyes at him.
I’d be happy to show him the extent of my temper.
Talon leaned over and
whispered in my ear. “Be careful, he is ancient and very powerful. Do not try
his patience; he has a reputation for being unpredictable at times.”
I planted my feet, putting
my hands on my hips, and stared Breeg in the eyes. “Bring it on.” I challenged,
tossing my hair over one shoulder.
The air surrounding Breeg crackled,
creating static that made my hair stand on end. Regardless of the consequences,
I would not be pushed around any longer. I maintained
eye contact with the little man and raised one eyebrow. Even the ley stone dust
pulsed in time with my rapid breaths.
“Caitlin!” Talon said,
panic in his voice.
“What’s going on in here? Who
the hell blew all these ley stones into dust? Did I miss some sort of battle?”
bellowed a tall, heavily muscled man with bright red hair as he strode through
the door.
I pushed past the other
two men and threw myself at him. “Uncle Johr!”
He caught me and swung me
around in the air as if I weighed nothing. “Hey there, Cat .
I am so glad to see you safe.” He nodded in Talon’s direction. “Good work, boy.
I am looking forward to your briefing before you leave.”
My eyes narrowed at the
reminder of Talon’s official role.
Talon bowed to him formally.
“Yes sir, whenever you are ready.”
Johr noticed the small man
standing near the door. “Breeg,” he said, reverence in his voice. “I am honored
that you would come to watch over my little Cat.”
I gritted my teeth over
his assumption that I needed a handler.
Breeg gestured toward me
and then back to Johr. “Ye need me more than ye ken.” He stroked his beard. “This
one be a latent. I strongly suspect she may also be tha Lumina Talon suspects. As ye so aptly
put it, she is tha one who ‘blew all these ley stones into dust’. It would seem
she has quite tha fire.”
Johr put a hand on my
shoulder forcing me to face him. “Cat, did you do this?”
I gave him a sheepish grin
and shrugged one shoulder. “Well, not intentionally. However, things around
here seem to have a tendency to blow up when I get mad.” My voice rose. “All I
want is someone to give me a straight answer. No more secrets.” I tried to put
all my anxiety into my gaze, begging him to tell me what he knew. “Uncle Johr,
I know I can count on you for that. Can you please explain to me what is going
on?”
He sighed. “Talon, go get
Leah and Jace–this affects them too.”
Talon bowed and strode
from the room, never once looking back at me. I glanced at Breeg and planted my
hands on my hips.
He chuckled softly. “Gel,
calm yerself. We are on tha same side.”
“Caitlin, mind yourself ,” Johr snapped.
I stared at him, surprised.
He’d never used a sharp tone with me before and my expression must have shown
it. He stroked my hair and gave me a small pat on the back. I guess I wasn’t
the only one who was stressed out by our situation.
Talon returned with Leah
and Jace in tow.
“Uncle Johr!” She squealed
and jumped into his arms for a hug.
“Hey
Leah-girl. How have you been? I’d ask if you two were staying out of
trouble, but I already know the answer to that. Don’t I?”
Leah giggled. “Well, you
always said we kept you young with our shenanigans. It’s not like we go looking
for trouble.”
Johr heaved a sigh. “I
know. None of this is your fault. We should have told you both about your
heritage a long time ago. We were just hoping it was never going to be an
issue. Neither one of you had
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