“With a simple star.” My eyes flicked to Elder Farrar. “Don’t try to stop this from happening as you did with their memories. There are reasons why spirits are silent, which I’m sure you will eventually hear while at the Temple.”
He stared for long moments, his gaze hardening to a rare side of him I hardly ever saw. “As I’ve said, I can’t see our path on this, but I can tell you I despise being bound to silence.”
I inhaled with aggravation, and opened my mouth…only to choke. Instantly, false loving caresses flittered across my neck, my hair fluttering in a breeze of the unseen tender touch, an arm delicately around my throat. Fear instantly pulled on me, every single man in the room jumping to their feet, eyes glowing, but I held up my hands in a stopping gesture as I tried to push the fear back, to calm myself. I had slipped, the one tie that literally bound a spirit, the only thing we couldn’t willingly say I had been, apparently, about to speak on. Everything was a choice for a spirit, whether we wished to speak on our secrets and have our powers taken, except for this one. This one couldn’t be communicated at all outside the Temple.
I closed my eyes, inhaling, shuddering at the gentle caresses, and after a moment, they disappeared as I calmed, my heart rate slowing, hair fluttering down, the unseen gone. I cleared my throat, and slowly opened my eyes. Everyone was watching with their glowing gazes, damn near on the balls of their feet, and I waved. “Sit down. It’s gone.” Slowly they did one by one. The Shifters sitting first, then Sin, grabbing my hand instantly, then the others. I cleared my throat once more, and opened my mouth, testing if I was about to say anything wrong, but when it didn’t occur again, I stated to Elder Farrar, “Some would believe us Gods, and use us as such, while we are not. The silence is a necessary evil to keep the balance.” I shrugged a shoulder. “It’s something you will have to trust me on, and if you do not, and do not allow me to do as needed, I will not allow you entrance to the Temple.” It was a simple statement of fact.
His expression turned a bit smug, eyebrows lifting the barest bit. “You would choose another Mage over me?”
“In a heartbeat.” My own brows lifted. “Be careful, Elder Farrar, you wouldn’t want to turn out like those other two powerhouses you spoke of earlier.”
His eyes narrowed for a moment, then he rolled his shoulders, relaxing on his chair. “You’re right. Excuse me, that was rude.” He glanced to Elder Merrick. “Was she telling the truth during all that?”
“Truth to all,” Elder Merrick murmured, his own brows lifting to Elder Farrar. “What the hell?”
He waved an irritated quick hand. “I want to go to the damn Temple, but I hate that silence shit.” He pointed at his head. “I’ve never been able to see it and it pisses me off.”
Elder Merrick grunted, brows still raised. “You sounded like a damn prig.”
“Oh, fuck off. I apologized,” Elder Farrar muttered, irritated golden eyes swinging to me. “I won’t do anything to stop your silent…star.”
My gaze flicked to Elder Merrick, and he stated, “Truth.”
I nodded once. “Any other questions?”
Elder Merrick’s wolf huffed. “Just go to bed so you’re rested for tomorrow. Anything else can be asked in the morning when Elder Bridges and Elder Samson are here.”
I yawned again, glancing to the others. “Nothing needs to be asked right now?” They shook their heads. “You’re all game?” They all nodded, so I sucked in a large breath, and then blew out quickly, my power flaring, six stars floating from my mouth, heading directly to each Lajak, hovering in front of their startled faces. “Open your mouth and don’t fight it. It’s for the silence.” Yeah, I wasn’t going to give them the option to change their minds about keeping quiet.
Sin instantly opened his mouth. The star sailed inside it in a small flurry. His head flew back with the force, and he instantly choked, but he swallowed heavily, his muscled throat bobbing. “Fuck me,” he groaned, dropping his head forward into his hands, “That was not pleasant.”
I patted his back. “I still need to give you…a breath of air…and by all accounts, that’s pleasant.”
Closed mouth grunts around the table.
“Love,” Sin cleared his throat, shaking his head still in his hands, “I hate to break it to you, but how will it stop them from countering it with their own power?”
I was glad he asked, a small smile lifting my lips as I glanced to those still with their mouths firmly shut. “By accepting it, their power accepts it. Therefore, any time they try to break through it, their own power will fight itself.” I nodded toward them. “Accept it, and you’re truly bound to silence, gentlemen.”
King Collins brows lifted, and he nodded approvingly, the others wearing a slight scowl, and he opened his mouth, the star flying in, choking him until he swallowed it down. He groaned heavily, sinking on his chair, his posture much like Sin, muttering hoarsely, “That…is…awful.”
“Yep.” I waved a hand. “Hurry up, gentlemen. I’m ready for bed.” One by one they opened their mouths, accepting the star, every single one of them grimacing and appearing ill afterward, until Elder Farrar was left. I raised my brows, murmuring, “I’m sure there’s another Mage who would be thrilled to take your place.”
He scowled, but he did eventually open his mouth, accepting the silence, then slumped a bit, appearing like he might puke. I stood, stretching and saying, “It should wear off shortly. No worries. And I’ll see you all in the morning before breakfast back in this room.” I pointed a finger to Elder Farrar. “Don’t forget to check Elder Bridges and Elder Samson for spells.” And with that, I helped Sin from his chair, throwing his arm over my shoulder, and hiked us to bed.
Chapter Sixteen
I slept the whole night through.
And woke in my own bed, gratefully. Then, I gave Sin his protection, quickly hurrying into the shower when he had groaned drunkenly falling back onto the bed, trying to take me down with him. That was not about to happen, especially in whatever magical state he was in. An hour later as I was finishing packing a duffle bag, he had rolled out of bed, mumbling, “You can do that to me any time, love.” Stumbled toward the bathroom. “Any damn time.”
I didn’t ask.
A half hour later, we arrived in the conference room an hour before breakfast, duffels over our shoulders, both of us wearing black leather pants, black boots, Sin in a sheer tight, black long sleeved shirt, and me in a hot pink, silk blouse. We were in like company. Everyone already there, including Elder Bridges and Elder Samson, who Elder Farrar gave the nod of approval on and said they had been brought up to date on what I had said the evening before, both of them smiling a bit when they saw me, surely having seen my picture on the news…or internet…or whatever…but anyway, they had known and kept silent, kept time from altering.
I stood in front of everyone, gauging their attire. I nibbled my lip, and then blurted, “Maybe we should go a little…less.” I waved a hand at them. “You all look like sex walking.” And my God, did they ever in their subtle, but deadly combat attire. “The spirits won’t know to run from you or jump on you.”
King Collins cleared his throat, eyes sparkling. “Thank you, my Prodigy…but, maybe this,” he plucked at the black tight button up shirt, which he had paired with soft black, leather pants, “is just the type of man you prefer.” Blue eyebrows raised a smidge. “Your initial reaction about what the other spirits would think is probably the most accurate.”
Instantly, like the only woman in the room, I flushed, my cheeks burning. “You’re probably right.” I blinked, fluttering a hand. “I mean about what the spirits will think.” Hopefully. “Anyway,” I cleared my throat, ignoring a few masculine chuckles from the end of the table, “first I need to get…the breath…done on Elder Bridges and Elder Samson, plus they need to accept the binding silence.” I glanced to them. “I’ll do the silence first, since the other will leave you…happier.”