Page 42 of Bear Protector
“True,” Kiera agreed, remembering the high-pitch, keening sort of scream that reminded her of a steaming kettle in each of her dreams. “What did you use? But back up a bit first. How did you capture them?”
“The shifters caught them as babies during the first summer hunt several years ago. Ashborn was still the alpha, so Commander Oslo probably has no idea about them. Minassus had his personal guards chain them down here, knowing they would be of value to us someday. They have finally become useful.”
“These things have been down here for years?”
“Yes. Minassus had a rotation of guards that would feed them and keep watch. I didn’t know about them until a few months ago. It’s a long story, but the short version is… I had learned about a species of plant native to the region. It is a member of the wild indigo family, and was used years and years ago as a sedative for feral pigs that got into farmers’ fields. I figured, maybe we can try it as a way to slow down destroyers. I approached the Chancellor with the idea, and he shocked the hell out of me by bringing me down here to meet these three guys.”
Kiera shook her head. “Unbelievable.”
“I know, huh? Three convenient test subjects at my disposal.”
“No, I mean, we’ve been living with these creatures right under our noses and no one knew a thing. What if someone wondered down here? Or unknowingly cast a spell that ended up freeing them? I just can’t imagine how years could pass with such deception. Oh wait, nix that. I can imagine…because it’s a way of life in the fortress.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “It’s a thing.”
Kiera returned her attention to the monsters. “So the plant worked?”
“It’s been a long process, lots of sleepless nights. As you saw, I even have a small bedroom down here next to my lab.”
“Which explains your frequent disappearances.”
“Now you know I was working. I’ll show it to you later, but yes, I finally hit on it.” She showed Kiera a jar on the wall behind them. It was filled with a bright blue powder. “That is the essence of the flower. It’s taken me days on end to dry it and grind it to the right concentration. Watch.”
She opened the lid and took out a bit of the powder using a metal spatula. Stepping up to the bars, she blew the fine particles in through the bars. Some of it settled on one creatures’ face that had been stirring. Its legs became unsteady, and within seconds, it slumped to the ground. “This quantity will keep the critter down for about five hours.” Reena chuckled. “Once, I used so much on them that I knocked all three of them out for a day and a half. I thought I had killed them. They came to eventually, thank goodness. These beasts are hard to come by…well, you know what I mean.”
Reena replaced the lid on the jar, treating it with reverence.
“Does the powder affect humans? Or shifters?”
“No. It’s completely harmless to us.”
“Why would the Chancellor not want to use this product in traps, guns and all the other defensive weapons across the region? Or on the outer walls?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. The plant grows like a weed all spring and summer, everywhere on the island, so availability is not an issue. After I first showed him how it affected the beasts, he told me I needed to spend more time testing it. It wouldn’t be difficult at all to weaponize…and apply it on the region’s outer walls, or even have the Nauru incorporate it into their border containment spells. The destroyers would inhale it, drop like flies for a long nap, and soldiers could kill the buggers in their sleep.”
“Would we need as many shifters?”
“No. I would recommend some remain, as no one solution is fool-proof, but you’re right. We can probably make do with half of the troops, or even less.”
“Meaning fewer shifter transformation ceremonies.”
“If the Chancellor allows it.”
Kiera shook her head. “I can’t believe he’s not open to using it this winter.”
“Me too.”
“So… what else have you found out?”
“That was it for now. There are other enchantments I’ve been working on, but this is the most promising.”
Kiera held on to Reena’s shoulder to stop her. “Just a few questions before we leave.”
“Okay. Go on.”
“First, if this is actually ready to go, why did you tell me you were close to a new development?”
“That was for something else. I’ve been trying to recreate an old but very strong barrier spell I found in one of the scrolls in the library. I thought I had found the missing herb last week, so I was hopeful. The spell didn’t work, though, which was strange. I probably—”
