* * *
"Could be a little anemic," the werewolf nurse looked Ashe over after they arrived in Star Cove. "But a few good meals should take care of that," he added. "With lots of protein and iron."
"Mr. Winkler, I felt almost the same after the thing with the water," Ashe remarked while slipping on his shirt. The nurse had him take it off for the brief examination.
"So what did you do, then?"
"Well, it wasn't quite this bad, and I cleaned Betsy's out on chicken and dumplings." Ashe referred to the best diner in Cordell, Oklahoma. Winkler paid the nurse with a wad of cash and sent him out the door. He grinned and told Winkler to call anytime. Winkler just waved and shut the door behind the werewolf.
"Now, young man, I want to ground you, but I'll trust you this time and accept that you somehow needed to be where you were. A little heads-up next time so we won't run around like scared rabbits?" Winkler lifted an eyebrow at Ashe.
"I know. I'll try not to worry you next time."
"Sounds good. This isn't the best thing, so close to the full moon," Trajan patted Ashe's back. "Man, I thought we'd lost you and Sali both."
"Trajan, I'll do my best to send mindspeech next time," Ashe climbed off the barstool at the island. "I'm really tired and I'd like to go to bed, now."
"Yeah, get some rest, kid. They're holding Hayes' service in the morning. Did you want to go?" Winkler asked.
"I don't know. What do Hayes' parents want?"
"I think they want all his classmates there, to see him off," Winkler sighed. "This is hitting them terribly hard."
"Yeah. I know," Ashe muttered.
"Don't dwell on that—we understand that you can't be in two places at once."
"I wish I could," Ashe said. "Goodnight, Mr. Winkler. Trajan. Trace." Ashe walked toward his bedroom that doubled as an office. If things went as planned, the move to the beach house would happen Friday after the service for Hayes, which would be held deep in Shirley Walker's groves.
* * *
"Salidar, tell me exactly what you saw," Marcus demanded. Denise stood with Marco inside the DeLuca kitchen, watching as Marcus grilled his youngest son. Sali squirmed uncomfortably. Finally, deciding that Winkler had likely gotten the same information from Ashe, Sali described everything he'd witnessed in Canada.
"Ashe can't have caused an earthquake. That's just not plausible," Marcus raked fingers through his dark hair. "It was just a coincidence."
"Even the authorities are saying they don't know why it didn't affect any other area—something that big would have," Denise ventured to say.
"Denise, don't interrupt," Marcus growled. Denise kept quiet after that.
* * *
"You're saying the boy did this?" Wlodek spoke with Edmond over the phone. Edmond and Hector had listened outside the DeLuca home while Marcus questioned Sali. Eavesdropping was the best way to get information that might have stayed with the werewolves, otherwise.
"That's what the young werewolf says. He insists that Ashe Evans transported him to Quebec, kept him shielded—that was his term—shielded, walked through an entire camp of Elemaiya without raising a stir and then appeared between two armies. The werewolf boy says Ashe lowered the shields of those armies and talked with the leaders from both sides before an attack was precipitated by one side. Ashe then caused the earthquake to stop the battle and send all of them on their way."
"Quite fascinating," Wlodek murmured. "You're sure of what you heard?"
"I have an excellent memory, Honored One. Those words are verbatim."
"Why is he still so young?" Wlodek whispered. "We have so many uses for him."
"As you say, Honored One," Edmond said respectfully. "Casimir can make the turn immediately if you ask it. We will take the boy while he sleeps. According to the young werewolf, Ashe is quite exhausted after the episode in Canada."
"No doubt," Wlodek observed dryly. "Nevertheless, he is still underage and the risks of turning at this point are too great. Perhaps if we have need of him, we can use his father to bring him to us. If strong vampires supervise him, he should do as he is bid. Especially under compulsion."
"I imagine that Hancock and his sire might keep him in line."
"Just as I was thinking," Wlodek agreed. "But we are speaking in hypotheticals at the moment, are we not? Keep a watch on the boy. He will be more than useful to us in the future."
"We will do as you say, Honored One." Wlodek hung up first. Edmond hit the end call on his cell more slowly.
* * *
Ashe had used up what little energy he had to become mist and hover over Edmond's head. Mentally sighing, he misted back to his bedroom where an illusion of him lay as if sleeping on his cot. "Messed up, messed up, messed up," he pounded his pillow before flopping down on it with a frustrated sigh.
* * *
Rabis watched as the Queen paced. She muttered profanities under her breath as she trod the same ground repeatedly. Rabis wisely kept quiet. He knew, if she didn't, what might have happened had Parlethis taken the Dark King's crown and handed it to Friesianna. The two could never be used together. Never. But the Queen refused to heed the H'Morr's warnings and lusted after Baltis' crown anyway, just as Baltis coveted hers. Long ago, Rabis and his father, Saldis, had foreseen what might happen if both crowns were used together. It would be disastrous. Saldis had given his life for his son Rabis, so Friesianna would never know the true author of the H'Morr. Rabis kept his head bowed as if in deference to his Queen while she continued her rant. Parlethis, too, kept quiet. Rabis knew it was the only thing keeping Parlethis' head and body connected at the moment.
"Contact our spies," Friesianna snapped after stopping in mid-pace. "See if they have discovered Baltis' new hiding place."
"Yes, my Queen." Parlethis was happy to escape her presence intact.
* * *
Baltis was more than displeased and three of his captains lay dead at his feet. They'd ran like frightened hares when the ground began to shake. Baltis punished them as they deserved. His brother was dead. Baltis had no idea where the humans had taken his brother's body—Wildrif was still weeping over the ordeal at the lake and could tell him nothing. Laridael had brought the quarter-blood along, although he was also mourning his lost brother. Laridael's twin, Liridael, had died beside the Prince.
"Come, Laridael, we must plot revenge against the humans for our brothers' deaths," Baltis said. Laridael nodded and obediently followed his King through the sands toward the King's tent.