"Will our informant know when the Call is sent?" Baltis was now sitting straight on his throne, his interest focused solely on Rend's words. How a werewolf spy could know these things puzzled Baltis, but he was grateful for the information. Obediah Tanner, a rogue werewolf, had been feeding the Dark Elemaiya information for years. For a price, of course.
"He will know—and he has not led us astray so far," Rend said respectfully.
"Then pay him and keep me informed. We will track and destroy," Baltis commanded. "Those Bright fools still don't realize there's a seventh one out there. I'd like to eliminate him before Friesianna learns of his existence." Baltis mused for a moment. "Very well, kill the others when you find them, and keep watching for the opportunity to destroy the hidden one." Baltis escaped his reverie and waved a careless hand, commanding his Destroyers. "See to it."
"As you will it, my King." Rend bowed and walked away.
"We will bring the Bright Queen down," Prince Beldris smiled at his brother.
"Of course we will," Baltis nodded regally.
* * *
"I heard Chad and Jeremy's essays won't be considered," Cori said as she walked out of Cloud Chief Combined with Ashe and Sali. Sali had gotten into an argument with Wynn and Dori during Math class, destroying the temporary peace that existed between them and reinstating the old feud. Ashe shrugged over the whole thing and resolved to wait it out. Again. At least Cori was still speaking to him, even if she was giving Sali dark looks now and then.
"That's what Marcus told us yesterday. It's no surprise, but I don't think they had a chance anyway," Ashe said. "I figure somebody in your class will get it, though."
"I could use the money when I go to college," Cori said. "But dad promised to give me a little money to fix up my dorm room."
Sali and Ashe had given their best to the essay because both wanted a cell phone. Ashe figured they would be forced to wait the extra year to get one. The five hundred in first-place prize money was the amount specified by their parents or a cell phone wouldn't be allowed before the boys' fifteenth birthdays.
"Dude, we're just not destined to communicate outside mindspeech until we turn fifteen," Sali muttered dejectedly after Cori broke away from them to walk toward her home. "And that's a little one-sided at the moment."
"Hey, Ashe. Sali," Edward was waiting outside Ashe's garage when he and Sali arrived.
"Edward, what's up?" Sali grinned.
"Not much. I had to promise Mr. Landers that I wouldn't be any trouble before he'd let me out of his sight," Edward said.
"Come on in, I think Mom replenished the supply of microwave popcorn," Ashe said, inviting Edward inside.
"Luanne and Macy can't stop talking about Wynn and Dori," Edward said as they waited the prescribed time and listened to popcorn thump against the inside of the bag as it popped. "But Lizzie is back to her grumpy old self. Philip caught it from her, so now we can't stand either one of them. Again."
"I think Wynn and Dori wouldn't mind if Luanne and Macy came to visit," Ashe said, portioning out the hot popcorn into three bowls. Sali would take the lion's share if he didn't.
"Let me call Macy. Luanne is with her right now," Edward pulled his small walkie-talkie from a jacket pocket and pressed the button.
"Edward, what is it?" Macy asked.
"Ashe says that Wynn and Dori might not mind if you went to visit," Edward said.
"That would be cool, where do they live?"
"Hang on while I get Wynn on the phone; they're at the O'Neill's this afternoon," Ashe said and lifted the cordless to dial Wynn's number. Soon Wynn had her mother's permission for the girls to visit.
"We'll be there in a minute to take you," Edward said. He, Ashe and Sali raced out of the house; Edward and Sali waited impatiently while Ashe set the alarm and then they all ran toward Macy Hill's mobile home.
"Be back by six, I'll have dinner ready around then," Ramona Hill called after Macy and Luanne. Luanne's parents were visiting again—they didn't like being cut off from the others.
"You guys walk everywhere, don't you?" Macy asked as they walked across a grassy field toward the O'Neill's farm.
"Just about. People don't drive much inside the community," Ashe agreed. "Sali runs to my house as wolf, sometimes. I have a couple changes of clothes for him when he gets there."
"What does it feel like—to change?" Luanne asked Sali, who nearly blushed at the attention.
"It doesn't hurt—it just is," Sali replied. "The first time I changed, I was ten. Marco—that's my older brother—was teasing me, telling me I wouldn't ever be a wolf. It was self-defense," he shrugged.
"The first time for me, I didn't even realize it," Ashe said. "I was sleeping and woke buried under the covers. At first, I thought I was dreaming. It took forever just to wriggle out of bed."
"You changed while you were asleep?" Macy stared at Ashe.
"The first time, yeah. Scared the dickens out of me."
"You had dickens in you? Must be awful coming out," Sali teased.
"Yeah, it's slimy and green," Ashe said, poking Sali in the ribs and running away.
"You can run but you can't hide," Sali shouted. "Get back here. We have guests."
"Yes, Mom," Ashe contritely trotted back. Edward snickered.
* * *
"This is cool," Macy and Luanne, hair blowing in the wind, stood on the lower rung of the white board fence and watched the sheep in one of the O'Neill's pastures, while Wynn and Dori talked about the farm the O'Neill's ran.
"You can't really have livestock if you turn into a predator," Dori sneered at Sali, who patently ignored her. "That's why the Pack always avoids this place and the Thompson's—they raise chickens and turkeys and shapeshift into a buffalo and a swan."
"So, not many pets, either?" Luanne asked.
"No. Dogs and cats would be curious when all the shapeshifters and wolves went out on the full Moon. Not a good combination," Wynn sighed. "And I always wanted a dog."
"We can send Sali over next month," Ashe offered.
"Ashe Evans, don't make me chase you," Wynn flipped white hair back and glared at Ashe. Ashe grinned at Wynn, who couldn't help but smile back.
"This is how it's supposed to be—friends having fun," Luanne breathed in the Oklahoma air and tilted her head back to revel in the afternoon sun.