Page 24 of Collar Me Crazy
"You mean the light show?" called someone from the back. "Because my wards have been acting like a car alarm for two days."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.
"The magical fluctuations appear to be affecting all our protective systems," Elder Bram said, his austere face grave in the torchlight. "We've documented seventeen separate incidents of ward malfunction in the past forty-eight hours."
"What's causing it?" a shifter named Luka asked, his deep voice carrying concern for his fellow residents.
"We're still investigating," Varric replied carefully. "But the disturbances seem to be centered on the Veil itself. Something is affecting the barrier that keeps us hidden from the outside world while also protecting us from those that mean us harm."
Sonya's blood chilled. Her visions had shown the Veil fracturing, breaking apart like shattered glass. But she'd assumed those images were symbolic, not literal.
"How bad is it?" Miriam Caldwell asked from her seat near the front. "Are we talking minor adjustments or complete failure?"
"At present, the Veil remains stable," Elder Bram said. "But the fluctuations are increasing in both frequency and intensity. If the pattern continues..."
He didn't need to finish. Everyone understood the implications. Without the Veil, Hollow Oak would be exposed to the human world, vulnerable to discovery and all the chaos and dangers that would follow.
“Well, is it really so bad since we were already exposed last year? Can our agreement with the government aid us?” someone questioned.
“No. This is different. The agency helps when we help them and only marked us as a sanctuary, off limits for benign a threat. Not protecting us from any,” Sera responded.
"What can we do to help?" Callum asked, turning to action instead of excuses.
"For now, everyone should strengthen their personal wards and report any additional anomalies immediately," Varric said. "We're also implementing a buddy system for anyone who needs to travel outside town limits."
"Buddy system?" Kieran's tone held barely concealed skepticism.
"No one travels alone until we understand what we're dealing with," Varric clarified. "The Veil's instability could affect our ability to maintain the illusions that keep humans from finding us unless we are meant to be found by them."
As the meeting continued with practical discussions about patrol schedules and emergency protocols, Sonya becameincreasingly aware of Varric's attention. The elder wolf's storm-gray eyes kept finding her across the circle, studying her with an intensity that made her squirm.
He knew something. Or at least suspected something.
The question was, did he know about her visions of the Veil's destruction? And if so, why wasn't he asking her to share what she'd seen?
When the meeting finally ended and people began dispersing in small groups, Sonya found herself lingering near the carved stones. The urge to speak with Varric warred with the instinct to keep her visions private until she better understood what they meant.
"Troubled thoughts, young seer?"
She turned to find the him approaching, his long silver braids catching moonlight as he moved with the careful grace of someone who'd lived far longer than his apparent age suggested.
"Just processing everything," she said carefully. "It's a lot to take in."
"Indeed." His eyes searched her face. "Though I suspect you've seen more than most about what might be coming."
Her heart hammered against her ribs. "What makes you say that?"
"Because you have the look of someone carrying visions she's not ready to share." His voice was gentle but knowing. "When you are ready, child, you know where to find me."
He walked away without waiting for a response, leaving Sonya alone with the ancient stones and her increasingly urgent need to understand what her gift was trying to tell her.
Around her, the torches flickered in a wind that carried the scent of winter and change. Whatever was happening to the Veil, whatever her visions had been trying to warn her about, it was accelerating.
And she had the sinking feeling that time was running out for all of them.
14
RYKER
