He nodded and lifted the flap, holding it for me to exit. “As you wish. I am anxious to hear what you have to say.”
Several werehounds gathered around the tent, heads pointed in our direction. On all fours, their bodies came up to my waist. The largest one, and one of the medium sized hounds, had brown, matted fur. Two had black fur, and the smallest, gray. As I passed, each one sniffed my legs.
“They must’ve heard of your arrival.” The Red petted a gray one that was smaller than the others. “We call them Gian’s pack. They loved him so. Wherever he went, there were a few around protecting him. I suspect while you’re here, they’ll show you the same respect.”
I held my hand out to a large, brown one, and he nuzzled it. Or at least I thought he was a he. It was hard to tell. “Do they ever change to human form?”
“Most choose not to. It’s very painful and temporary.”
“So they have a choice?” I reached out to another one, and she pushed her head against my palm.
“They do.”
“Thank you,” I said, my gaze touching each one before I continued following The Red.
A recent rain had dampened the ground. The mud slurped at my boots as I sloshed after The Red to a large tent. The group sat on pillows around a fire pit. Smoke snaked up from the logs and exited through a hole in the top of the tent.
Muddied shoes lined one side near the opening. I tugged off my boots, then found a seat on a pillow between Bastien and Jaran. The Red took the one between Lei and Demos.
I inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. “Thanks for coming,” I said and crisscrossed my legs. “I’m just going to jump in. Um…okay, so that day the hideout was attacked, Veronique and three Sentinels found me in New York. They tried to kill me but died before they could.”
“Wait a second,” Lei said. “Did you kill them all?”
“Yes, but by accident.”
“They were attacking her,” Bastien clarified, resting his elbows on his knees. “She defended herself.”
A grin spread across Lei’s face. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing. I’m just impressed.”
“Let her continue,” Jaran said and gave me a nod. He had a way of sensing when I needed him. When Arik broke up with me, Jaran was the one who’d gotten me through the tough times.
“Only Uncle Philip knew where I was going.” I swallowed. It was painful to say, not wanting to believe he had anything to do with Veronique’s attack. “I’m not sure if he sent her or if he told the council and one of them did. But the recent murders of high wizards on the council are pretty suspicious, wouldn’t you say?”
“What’s more suspicious?” Bastien said. “The wizards who’ve replaced them have always been strong voices in favor of breaking from the Mystik League and segregating the covens and havens. All but Philip Attwood.”
“He’s neutral,” The Red said. “He hasn’t taken a side, which to me is more damning than showing your hand.”
Bastien leaned back. “Then we must test his loyalties.”
I shot him a startled look.
He rested his hand on my lower back. “It’s the only way to be certain.”
I knew it was the right thing to do, but I hated the idea of it.
“There’s something else.” I uncrossed my legs and stretched them out in front of me. “The Fey have a cure for the disease spreading through the covens. But the council sent an order halting its distribution. I disobeyed that order when I delivered it to Greyhill, and now the council wants to arrest me.” My gaze went to The Red. “Are there any curers in the village? Nana sent me with the cure’s recipe.”
“The oldest and wisest curers are from Barmhilde. I’ll take you to them after we’re through here.”
Demos cleared his throat. “You failed to mention that I am also on the wanted list. And you left out the part where Arik is enforcing the council’s wishes and won’t listen to reason.”
It probably wasn’t nice of me to flash him a glare, but I couldn’t help it. “I was getting to that, but it’s more complicated. I think I know Arik better than most.”
Shit. Way to insert foot in mouth, Gia. I wanted to take that last bit back the instant it left my lips, worrying it would hurt Bastien.
But obviously it didn’t because he said, “She does. And I put my faith in her judgment.”
When I smiled at him, he gave me one back. “Arik will process what I told him, observe the council, and come to his own conclusion. And he’ll realize what we all do now. The Wizard Council is trying to get rid of the Mystiks.”
“What is your plan?” The Red’s wide chest expanded with each of his breaths. Laniars resembled greyhounds, but he looked like one on steroids.
“I sent Emily with Arik. She’ll deliver a note from me to Cadby. I told him there will be someone coming for Royston, Emily, and him next Friday.” My intense stare on the fire made my eyes water, but I couldn’t look up. I didn’t want anyone to see the fear in them. “That gives me three days to gather what I need to release the Tetrad.”
“All right, then, what are we doing?” Impatient Lei had also returned after the spelled tattoo was removed.
“Bastien will go with me. Demos will stay with Carrig. Jaran and Lei will return to Asile with an elaborate story of being kidnapped and escaping or something. Once there, take up a normal routine. Make sure Cadby, Royston, and Emily are ready. On Friday at two in the morning, The Red and his gang will library hop through the gateway books at the same time, to different places. All the activity will throw the Monitors into a frenzy.”
Jaran sat up and nodded. “I get it. That’s when Lei and I will jump with Cadby and the others. The Red’s Mystiks will mask our departure. Brilliant plan.”
“One problem.” Lei looked doubtful it was brilliant at all. “What about Arik?”
I hadn’t forgotten about him. The thought of what I would ask them to do turned my stomach. Could I do it if asked? No. How could I expect them to?
“Avoid him. But if he tries to stop you—” My emotions halted me, and I cleared my throat, not wanting to continue.
Oh, Arik. How did it come to this?
Chapter Thirteen
Lei’s and Jaran’s glares unnerved me, and I lowered my head.
The words sticking on my tongue tasted like poison. I wanted to spit them out, but I couldn’t. Arik was one of us. Or, more important, he was like them—I was the outsider. He was their leader, and I was asking them to disobey him. I had loved him. I still cared deeply for him. And now every memory of us twisted my heart and made it difficult to breathe. His Sentinels’ betrayal would destroy him.
Lei’s stare bored into me. “I see. You want us to kill him?”
“No. I didn’t say—”
“I won’t harm him,” Jaran cut me off. “We’ll find a way to remove him from the situation. If it comes down to Arik or this mission, I will pick Arik.”
It was Bastien’s stare boring into Jaran this time. “You would sacrifice two worlds filled with innocents for one Sentinel?”