Page 68 of Obsidian Prince

Alexander unbuckled his belt and handed it to Liliana who wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do with it. He handed her his hat as well. She put it on, since that seemed like the only logical thing to do with a hat[. He removed his camouflaged shirt and dull green t-shirt. He handed her those as well. She hung them on the nearest branch.

His gaze never left Giovanni as he shifted, growing more than a foot in height, plus a few inches more if you counted the crown of silver horns. His flesh became glassy black sharp-edged stone. Here, in the sunshine, up close, Liliana noticed a shimmer of green within him, like in rainbow obsidian, but slowly swirling like the colors in her fourth eyes.

Sergeant Giovanni’s face paled. She covered her mouth with her hand. Her head shook in denial.

“My nature is dangerous for anyone to know,” Alexander told Giovanni. “I never wanted you to be in danger because of me, so, I kept it to myself. It was never my intention to deceive you.”

Pete smiled a little sadly. “There are a lot of good reasons to hide what you are. One of my closest friends thinks Others aren’t even really people.” Pete took a deep breath before he stepped around so that he stood beside Alexander, facing Giovanni. “It’s why I didn’t tell you, either, Zoe.”

“Didn’t tell me …Oh.” She shook her head again. “You’re not one of them.” The statement was certain.

Pete gave her a rueful shrug.

“You’re not! You can’t be.” She didn’t sound completely certain. “I’ve met your parents.”

Pete grimaced. “I was adopted. I’m wolf-kin. You and I were pretty close before I found out how you feel, and then …” He shrugged. “I’m sorry, I just … I love how easy we are with each other. I didn’t want to lose that.”

Giovanni’s jaw set. Her dark eyes flashed. Her aura blazed equal parts orange with anger and the pale unclean yellow of pain. “Fine. Fine. You both put one over on the gullible Normie. Bet you thought it was hilarious listening to me rant about Others.” She drew herself to attention. “I’ll accept that transfer on Monday, … sir.” The last word sounded sarcastic. She marched back up the trail the way she came.

Alexander watched her go, his living stone face oddly more expressive of the sorrow and pain coloring his aura than his controlled human face was.

Pete took a couple of steps after her. “It wasn’t like that, Zoe.” But she ignored him and kept walking. After a moment, he stopped, letting her go. His shoulders slumped in defeat.

Liliana watched Sergeant Giovanni on the trail back to the cars. She let tears fall silently once she was far enough away she didn’t think anyone would see them. Liliana’s heart ached for the woman who just lost the two people she cared about most because she couldn’t let go of her prejudices.

Alexander walked up behind Pete. He put a giant stone hand on the wolf-kin’s shoulder, his face and aura filled with sadness. “It’s bad for morale to have someone with those attitudes working with my soldiers. I didn’t know or I would have found a gentler way to have her reassigned.”

Pete looked up at the graceful living statue of volcanic glass. He nodded agreement. “She was always the consummate professional on the job. I’m not surprised you didn’t know.” He turned to face Alexander. “Liliana told me the local Fae prince was unseelie.”

“Is that going to be a problem?” Alexander pulled his hand away from Pete’s shoulder and showed him his empty, weaponless palms, tension in the sculpted statue shoulders.

Pete shrugged. “Doc Nudd’s been like a second father to me. He’s unseelie. I really don’t care.”

Alexander made a graceful gesture with his hand. “Nudd told me that. I should have listened. He has always given me wise counsel. But I’ve had enough unpleasant experiences with seelie and their allies that I was hesitant.”

Siobhan piped up behind them. “The Colonel got bad advice from that Eliot git for a while is all.”

Pete glared at her. “You knew?”

Siobhan grinned. “Lilly’s not the only one who can keep a secret.”

Liliana wrapped Alexander’s belt around her hand, fiddling with the canvas end and the metal tip. She looked at her hands as she ran it between her fingers. “There have been a lot of revelations today. There is something else. The Kodiak-kin killed only two people.”

Detective Jackson hadn’t said much up to then. She’d been looking a bit unsure of why she was there, but that got her attention. “Yeah, I knew that, actually. Do you have some sort of a lead? Did you see something, Lilly?”

“I did.”

The giant living statue of Alexander glanced down at Detective Jackson, who stood no taller than Liliana, about waist high in his current form. He gave the petite Normal a respectful half nod. “I would appreciate it if you let the press continue to think the killer is in custody.”

Detective Jackson’s eyes narrowed at the giant, regal figure. “Justice for murderers is my area, Colonel. I’m not letting a killer go free to end someone else’s life on your say so.” She put her hands on her hips, not backing down in the least from the giant of oily black stone. “Why would you even think I’d mislead the press?”

“I suspect the answer to that question is going to be obvious in a few minutes.” He glanced at Liliana. “You’re certain I can wake the forest?”

Liliana nodded. “I have seen you do it in the near future. I have no idea how you will do it.”

Alexander’s expression twisted to irony. Even in demi-stone form, the expression made a dimple in his cheek. It was adorable. At least, Liliana thought so.

“Wake up the forest?” Pete said as they walked to rejoin the larger group.

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