Page 46 of Visions, Paws, and Claws

I don’t like the sound of this.

Orsini gave a nod, his face grave. “Not only that, they embellished it. We know this from the Missal of Godwin.”

Vic frowned. “What’s that?” He’d never heard of it.

“The oldest known document in shifter history. It details the argument between the brothers.” Orsini peered at him. “Would you like to see it?”

“It’s here?” Vic’s heartbeat raced. “Yes!”

Orsini rose and went over to the nearest casket. “It was written in 1050 and refers to Godwin’s visit to the brothers thattook place four years before that. It’s the oldest known European document to use paper instead of parchment—that we’ve found so far.” He lifted the lid, and Vic caught his breath at the sight of the pages captured under glass, their aged beige surfaces covered in black writing, and occasionally in red. He recognized the language as Latin.

“Can you read it? My Latin is about as good as my Italian,” Vic managed to croak.

This is amazing.

“Certainly. Although I might paraphrase.” Orsini chuckled. “Whoever Godwin was, they wrote in a remarkably long-winded style.” He removed a pair of glasses from his breast pocket, put them on, and peered at one of the pages.

“My Lord Ansfrid is beloved of his people, counting among those he loves both humankind and versipelli.”

Vic blinked. “I’ve never heard that word. Is that Latin for shifters?”

Orsini nodded before continuing. “But my Lord Ansger shows his countenance to versipelli alone, shunning the company of humans.”He fell silent.

“Please, don’t stop.” Vic stared at him. “That isn’t all of it, surely?”

“I understand your confusion. Those few lines are hardly the basis for such a vicious split, correct?” Orsini closed the casket. “Now let me show you this. It purports to be written by Ansger himself.” He led Vic to another casket, which contained only one document, a single sheet of browned paper covered in identical writing. He leaned over to read from it, taking his time.

“For so long as you choose to mix the blood of humans and versipelli, my brother, you will bring about our destruction. Mankind is weak, but we are strong. Mankind’s place is beneath our feet, but our destiny is to rule. Mankind has tried to eliminate us already, and your weakness for their companywould bring us to the brink of extinction. You have chosen your path, my brother, and I have chosen mine. Peace is not the answer, only war. And if you continue along this path, then my war will be against not only mankind, but against you and any who choose to follow your example.”

Vic shivered. “That sounds more like what I’d expected.”

“I would agree. This document came to us quite by chance. It was stolen from the Spanish house of a Geran leader about fifty years ago. The thief in question was a Fridan, and he had no idea what he had his hands on, so he brought it here, thinking we’d give him a reward. My father was still alive then, and he paid the thief handsomely for it. To think we had actual proof of what caused the rift between the brothers, and why nothing has healed that rift to this day.” Orsini paused. “My father was a man of integrity who believed in the good of all men—humansandshifters—but I was by nature more suspicious. He accepted the document as being accurate, and it was placed in the archives, where it sat for twenty years. In time he forgot about its existence, but I did not.” Orsini gave a graceful shrug. “I cannot tell you why, even to this day. I simply knew I did not accept its validity. So… when I took over my father’s position as archivist, I decided to have it tested. Yes, itwasdated, and yes, itseemedgenuine, but something in me still did not believe that.” He gave a half smile. “Except my methods for establishing its provenance seemed a little unorthodox at the time.”

Vic was intrigued. “What did you do?”

“I meet a great many shifters in my work here. Most of them come because they know many of their ancestors came from Europe. And roughly thirty years ago—I may be out by a year or two—I met a professor from your country. We spoke of his students, how he spotted those who were shifters, how he took care of them. And then he spoke of one in particular, a young man with incredible gifts.”

“What kind of gifts?”

“He had the power to send his thoughts into the minds of others, and to read what lay in their thoughts too. He could also see events taking place that were nowhere near him. And finally what was of vital interest to me, he possessed the ability to glean information about a person or an object by touch alone.”

Vic smiled. “One member of the team I work with? His mate has similar abilities.”

Orsini’s eyes widened. “Mate? Oh, we must talk further of this. But tell me, how old is this mate? Might he be the same man that I invited to come here?” Orsini was visibly buzzing with excitement.

He shook his head. “Seth is in his early twenties. It couldn’t have been him.”

Orsini’s face fell. “I see. I had to ask. Such gifts are rare. No, this man would be in his early sixties by now.” His features tightened. “And if I had known the danger I would place him in, I would never have extended that invitation.”

“What danger? What happened to him?”

“Forgive me. I digress. He came to the archive, and I let him hold the document you see here. He told me what I’d already guessed. That it hadnotbeen written more than a thousand years ago.”

Vic scrutinized the paper. “But… it looks the same.”

“Yes, it does. It is a really amazing effort on someone’s part. But once he confirmed my suspicions, I sent it to be tested scientifically.”

“And?” Vic had a feeling he knew what was coming.

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