Page 55 of Taken By Raider Kings
“I think we’re all equally sick of taking crap fromupir,” said a very soft, deceptively gentle female voice.
It was the other Bear shaman, the one who hadn’t spoken yet.She was slim for a Bear, but wide-shouldered and generously hipped.Strands of copper wire twisted in her hair, and her voice held such a wealth of calm power every Tribe in the room took a deep breath.
Except Zach.The anger flooded his marrow, spread outward, a rage even Sophie might be hard-pressed to soothe.
If we lose her…He took a good look at them, at Julia’s face thin with pain and hunger, Brenn cringing at the slightest sound, and Eric quivering like a leashed greyhound.She hadn’t had time to start smoothing their rough edges, welding them together.
But she was still their shaman, their one shot at belonging.Being a part of the Tribes instead of jackals at the edge of the world, falling off a fingernail at a time.
And then there was Kyle.Those bloodsucking fuckers had killed his little brother.Never mind that Ky had been too weak to carry the alpha, and Zach hadknown.Ever since the fire, he had known—and let Ky carry it, anyway.
Now he’d screwed up their only chance of keeping a shaman.They’d been depending on him, and he’d let them down.Again.
He’d let his mate down, too—even if she didn’t know she belonged to him.He would never have the chance to maybe coax her into considering the idea that he was worth her.
Because he’d failed.Like always.
Not this time.Not now.
“Themajirhave told us to be patient.Themajirhave told us to wait, and now they do not,” the Bear shaman continued, copper bangles sliding on her wrist, chiming delicately.“It is time.Come dawn, we can have every Tribe in the city aware of what we intend.Those who will help us, will help.Themajirwill aid us, as well.”
“Ilona.”Cullen sighed, spread his huge capable paws.“I don’t want to lose another shaman, either.But think about what you’re saying.”
“Cullen.”The other Bear shaman fixed him with a steely glare.“Ask themajirfor us.Cast the bones, draw the runes, smell the smoke, pour the mead.But I’m telling you right now, any except the cubs who want to fight are free to, with my blessing.This has gone far enough.And with Carcajou?—”
“There’s onlyfourof them!”Cullen objected.
“Four’s more than enough,” the Tanuki shaman piped up.“We’ll help.We’ll unlock any doors and steal any shinies.”Her nose twitched again.
Cullen stared at Ilona, who returned the glare with interest.It wasn’t quite a struggle for dominance, but there was a general move backward, anyway.If the two decided to tangle, nobody wanted to be in the way.
Zach saw his moment.The Tanuki shaman gave him an odd look as he passed, her kohl-smudged eyes bright and intelligent, and the low thrumming growl in the air mounted another few notches.
There was a crowd by the door, but they parted for him.“Zach—” Eric sounded breathless.
“Stay with the Tribes.”His tongue felt too thick for a human mouth.
“Zach—” Julia, this time.
“Stay.”The Change ran inside him like glass wires.His failure, his responsibility, goaded the beast.
The animal stretched, finding that he would not chain it this time.There was a meaningless babble of noise, ignored like everything other than what the animal understood.
Food.Shelter.Possession.
The sleet outside was flung silver needles, soaking through his hair and useless, confining clothing.His blood burned, his nose lifted, tasting the night.Wet concrete, burning exhaust, the jungle of a city like every other wilderness.Only this place had a clear crystalline ringing under each freezing raindrop, a distress call muted by concrete and inimical metal.
The ceaseless cry of a shaman in danger.
The human part of him couldn’t have heard it.But the animal knew, and it responded with a throaty howl, ending in a series of clicks.The rage was sweet fuel to them both, a golden thread he would follow until it ended at what he sought.
Something that belonged to them had been taken.
And he would not rest until he had taken itback.
twenty-three
Eventually,but by painstaking bit, the faint unglow from themajirdescribed her surroundings.Sophie lay in a small space, on concrete, though near her feet was a wooden door.At least, she thought it was a door—it moved slightly when her feet found it.And she was vaguely aware of needing to pee, though it wasn’t critical yet.
