Page 45 of King of Forest and Fur

“So, you hired Drystan, that shifter, to what? Come get me?”

Xanthus’s wicked grin went away. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Yes. In hindsight, that wasn’t the best choice. He was a little too, how shall I say, hot-headed?”

“Tsh, you could say that,” she mumbled.

“I needed someone dangerous and capable. He had no ties to anything so there’d be no questions, and he wanted the past altered as much as I do. It seemed easy enough to aid his escape.” Xanthus flicked a speck off his cloak, a look of annoyance crossing it. “I have to admit, I didn’t think he was the type to squeal about his means of escape. I had to do something about that.”

“Altair? You framed him just because? Wasn’t he a friend?”

“You don’t make it in this world as long as I have by being loyal to anyone but yourself.”

Leila couldn’t believe the smugness she was not only seeing, but hearing. It was heartbreaking that she had been so naïve. But she needed to stay focused.

“But why go through all that? Especially since you could have just kidnapped me anyway,” she said gesturing around the room she was now locked in.

“Leila, dear. You were unmotivated. I knew you could travel through time. But nothing was pushing you the way you needed. I figured putting you in danger could act as a catalyst to activating your powers,” he said as if it had been an obvious solution.

“So, you hired someone to kill me in hopes I would time jump to save my life?”

Xanthus smiled again. “And it worked.”

Leila thought about it. Had it worked? Was fear really her biggest motivator?

“You know I’m right. I can see it on your face. That’s why you couldn’t get it before.” Xanthus chuckled. “But you will. You have to.”

Leila was searching for that hum. The one that vibrated her true powers within her. She needed them more than ever. She could have sworn she felt it continuously since the incident in her office. But now, there was nothing. As if she were empty. She had to keep him talking.

“If you want me to do this, I need to at least know what I’m doing it for. It could help me understand and maybe motivate my powers.”

Xanthus narrowed his eyes at her, but only for a moment.

“It’s simple really. We belong in a world where there is no war, discrimination, and many other things that Pandora’s box has let out.”

“I don’t understand. You want a perfect place?”

“It’s more than that,” he snapped. “It’s a utopia. Something we deserve and I know where we went wrong. I was there. I can stop certain events from happening that are detrimental to the natural order of things.”

Leila raised a skeptical eyebrow. “The natural order of things?”

“Yes. How things should be should other things not have influenced it.”

“But that’s just your opinion on how things are.”

Xanthus looked down his nose at Leila as if she wasn’t worthy of an ounce of time.

“You know things could be better. We all know that. Sorcerers should have more respect. Shifters can be the animals they want, but loyal to us. There are many things that need to be adjusted, Leila.” He walked away from her, deep in thought.

She knew there was no possible way, but she couldn’t help but look longingly at the door. Her heart was hoping that at any moment Rehn would bust through, like before, and save her from this nightmare.

But that wouldn’t happen. She had left thinking they had solved the mystery. And, to add to it, no one knew where she was. She had to fight this battle by herself against the man who taught her about her own powers.

Xanthus turned back toward her, his long fingers tapping his chin.

“Now, what event to start with is the question.”

“You don’t even know if I can do it.” She tried to find strength and reflect it in her voice.

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