Page 45 of Blood Bearon
“Korred isn’tjusta bear shifter,” her partner said weakly, at last meeting her eyes, revealing the sickly look to his face.
“You don’t expect me to believe what you’re about to say.” She could read it on his face, plain as day. “You expect me to call you crazy or something.”
Khove shrugged. “How else are you going to react when I tell you that not only are shape shifters real, but the shifter we’re up against is also a mage? Even I realize how crazy it sounds, and I’ve grown up my entire life knowing shifters and magic are real, tangible things.”
Rachel licked her lips nervously, wondering if she’d just heard right. “Magic.”
“Magic,” he said with a sigh. “Honest-to-goodness, real magic.”
“Yeah. That does sound crazy.”
Khove flung up his hands helplessly. “See, I told you.”
She chewed on her lower lip, taking deep breaths to steady herself. “Right. Okay. So he can use magic. Like, what kind? Abracadabra, with a wand?”
“No. More like evil sorcerer with evil world-controlling ambitions,” Khove explained. “He’s highly trained, and can use his power to do any number of things.”
“I see.” She didn’t. “And you. You’re a more powerful mage? Is that why you’re here working with me?”
Khove shook his head. “No. I am what I’ve told you, though I have training in how to fight people like him.”
She could feel the anger and venom in his words when he talked about Korred. There was a lot of hatred there. Alot.
Rachel leaned back, eyes half-closed, head resting against the back of the seat. “You want to give me the full backstory on this guy maybe? Give me a full picture of what we’re dealing with?”
“That’s probably for the best,” he agreed.
She listened with a fascination that swiftly turned to growing horror as Khove told her everything. From the initial uprising that killed so many of his kind, to the most recent atrocities that had nearly ended his entire House. It was a tale she could barely comprehend, so grand and yet filled with little details that would be near impossible to fake.
“Wow,” she said, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding at the end of it all. “How did he survive the ceiling collapsing on top of him?”
Khove shrugged. “Best guess? He summoned a shield at the last second. There were scorch marks on the debris that matched up with it. We recovered his body, or so we thought. It appears it may have either been an illusion, or a spell he cast upon himself, because shortly afterward, the body disappeared. Then just a few nights ago, he attacked the Manor itself.”
She sat upright in sudden understanding. “The burning trees. All the debris, the torn-up ground. That washim.”
“Yes. It was a message. A signal, that he’s back, and he’s not going away without a fight. Wehaveto stop him, Rachel. Before he assembles strength enough to take us down.”
“Right. Okay. Sure.” Rachel took a moment, trying to calm herself. “Assuming that I believe all of what you just told me… Which I do, but believing you versus accepting it are completely different things. But pretend I do. What would this guy do next? If he’s done striking at your finances.”
Khove pondered that question while she took them back out of the parking lot. Focusing on driving to distract herself was the better choice, instead of just sitting still.
“I’m not sure heisdone hitting our money,” Khove said. “But if we act like he is, how would he approach his goal?”
“What’s his goal?”
“To control everything.” There was a pause. “Well, hedidwant to control it. Now it just seems like he wants to burn it all down.”
“So he’ll hit the Manor?” she suggested.
“No. It’s too well-protected for now. He needs to gain strength. Build an advantage.” Khove sounded thoughtful.
She drummed her fingers against the wheel, trying to think while focusing on the road ahead. “Well, he must haveaplan. What would he expect to happen after his attacks then?”
Khove bolted upright, looking around.
“Khove?” she asked uneasily at his reaction to her question.
“He would expect the Queen to send someone to investigate,” Khove said quietly. “To watch for further attacks. To try and stop them. Outside of the Manor’s protection.”
