together.
“If I don’t intercede they might not be able to save either of them. Kali is dying, Lainey.”
She shook her head frantically. Taber gripped her face between his hands, his gaze steady as he stared at her.
“I can save her.”
“Fine. Let’s go.” Lainey turned on her heels then realised she didn’t have on any shoes. Her boots appeared on her feet. “Thanks, Taber. Tell me what you need me to do.” She tried to still her panic and fear.
“I just need you near,” Taber admitted. “I can heal Kali. As well as Zoey. That’s the name of the white tiger that was put in the enclosure with Kali. They might not have fought if Zoey wasn’t so agitated. I can calm the other animals but I need you—”
“I’m here.” She held out her hand and Taber slid his into hers.
She led him outside then squeezed his hand before releasing her grip and going to oversee the placements of their new arrivals.
“Taber .” She sent him a feeling of warmth then one to Kali. Lainey gasped as she felt how close to the edge Kali really was.
“I’ve got her .”
Lainey relaxed, though she kept the link with him as he focused on what he needed to do. She couldn’t see what he was doing but she felt it along her skin. Lainey paused, looking at the others working around her. They didn’t seem to sense or know anything.
“They won’t unless I wish it so .”
Lainey inclined her head then focused back on the animals that needed her. She spoke with them in her thoughts. Settling them as she kept a sensory awareness for Taber. She could feel the distress of the tiger he was healing. As she worked, Lainey could tell when he brought Zoey back from death. She rolled her shoulders, relieved he had succeeded. Because she knew that if he hadn’t it would have devastated Taber.
“To everyone else they are both dead. Kali and Zoey are like Klu now. It was the only way to save them. I had them agree to it first. I sent them both to the house .” Taber paused then spoke again, “ Kali wants you to know she loves you and won’t ever leave your side. Zoey hopes you’ll accept the same from her .”
Lainey locked her knees as the images from both the Eurasian lynx and white tiger flooded her. From Kali she got the love she always felt around the cat. Zoey was more tentative, almost unsure of her welcome. Lainey opened up her mind and returned the feelings to them both. She hadn’t seen the tiger yet but would not turn it away.
“Lainey, I’m so sorry.” Sean’s voice made her look up.
The sorrow on his face confused her a moment then she realised he, like everyone else but her and Taber, thought the cats were dead. Lainey lowered her head and walked rapidly to Kali’s enclosure. No one spoke to her but she could hear them following. Inside she stumbled to a stop as she viewed what was left of Kali and Zoey.
“No,” she screamed tears filling her eyes as her legs gave out.
Arms came around her, holding her up. She recognised his touch. She turned to look at him, baffled, and met Taber’s gaze.
“You said they lived .”
“They are. But this is for everyone else. There must be proof they are gone .”
“But it looks so real .” Lainey focused on the still bodies of the animals.
“I’m projecting the images to everyone. Including you. I needed your reaction. I’m sorry—I should have thought to warn you .” Taber held her tight, rocking her.
She distantly heard the murmurs and sorrow like her own among the staff gathered.
“How will we hide them so no one knows they are alive?”
“I am a god, Lainey. Kali and Zoey are immortal and if they do not want to be seen they will not be. They know they can’t be seen by anyone who doesn’t know of them ,” Taber explained patiently.
She nodded not saying anything—her gaze was locked on the forms on the ground.
“Go to the house and I’ll finish up here .”
Lainey pulled away and walked out. The staff touched her as she passed, expressing
“If I don’t intercede they might not be able to save either of them. Kali is dying, Lainey.”
She shook her head frantically. Taber gripped her face between his hands, his gaze steady as he stared at her.
“I can save her.”
“Fine. Let’s go.” Lainey turned on her heels then realised she didn’t have on any shoes. Her boots appeared on her feet. “Thanks, Taber. Tell me what you need me to do.” She tried to still her panic and fear.
“I just need you near,” Taber admitted. “I can heal Kali. As well as Zoey. That’s the name of the white tiger that was put in the enclosure with Kali. They might not have fought if Zoey wasn’t so agitated. I can calm the other animals but I need you—”
“I’m here.” She held out her hand and Taber slid his into hers.
She led him outside then squeezed his hand before releasing her grip and going to oversee the placements of their new arrivals.
“Taber .” She sent him a feeling of warmth then one to Kali. Lainey gasped as she felt how close to the edge Kali really was.
“I’ve got her .”
Lainey relaxed, though she kept the link with him as he focused on what he needed to do. She couldn’t see what he was doing but she felt it along her skin. Lainey paused, looking at the others working around her. They didn’t seem to sense or know anything.
“They won’t unless I wish it so .”
Lainey inclined her head then focused back on the animals that needed her. She spoke with them in her thoughts. Settling them as she kept a sensory awareness for Taber. She could feel the distress of the tiger he was healing. As she worked, Lainey could tell when he brought Zoey back from death. She rolled her shoulders, relieved he had succeeded. Because she knew that if he hadn’t it would have devastated Taber.
“To everyone else they are both dead. Kali and Zoey are like Klu now. It was the only way to save them. I had them agree to it first. I sent them both to the house .” Taber paused then spoke again, “ Kali wants you to know she loves you and won’t ever leave your side. Zoey hopes you’ll accept the same from her .”
Lainey locked her knees as the images from both the Eurasian lynx and white tiger flooded her. From Kali she got the love she always felt around the cat. Zoey was more tentative, almost unsure of her welcome. Lainey opened up her mind and returned the feelings to them both. She hadn’t seen the tiger yet but would not turn it away.
“Lainey, I’m so sorry.” Sean’s voice made her look up.
The sorrow on his face confused her a moment then she realised he, like everyone else but her and Taber, thought the cats were dead. Lainey lowered her head and walked rapidly to Kali’s enclosure. No one spoke to her but she could hear them following. Inside she stumbled to a stop as she viewed what was left of Kali and Zoey.
“No,” she screamed tears filling her eyes as her legs gave out.
Arms came around her, holding her up. She recognised his touch. She turned to look at him, baffled, and met Taber’s gaze.
“You said they lived .”
“They are. But this is for everyone else. There must be proof they are gone .”
“But it looks so real .” Lainey focused on the still bodies of the animals.
“I’m projecting the images to everyone. Including you. I needed your reaction. I’m sorry—I should have thought to warn you .” Taber held her tight, rocking her.
She distantly heard the murmurs and sorrow like her own among the staff gathered.
“How will we hide them so no one knows they are alive?”
“I am a god, Lainey. Kali and Zoey are immortal and if they do not want to be seen they will not be. They know they can’t be seen by anyone who doesn’t know of them ,” Taber explained patiently.
She nodded not saying anything—her gaze was locked on the forms on the ground.
“Go to the house and I’ll finish up here .”
Lainey pulled away and walked out. The staff touched her as she passed, expressing
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