Page 17 of A Duke at the Door

“Spiritimplies something ethereal,” Lowell said.

“As in a novel by Mrs. Asquith,” Felicity added.

“Whereas essence is shared between us,” Lowell went on, “tangible in one form or the other, manskin or Shape, and within reach always.”

Tabitha beamed. “A wonderful distinction, thank you.”

Lowell, against all odds, blushed at the compliment. “We hold them in our auras, and they chime in occasionally,” he continued, “but we know when to cede to one another or when it is not appropriate to do so,” he added.

“Appropriate?” Tabitha was nearly done with her questions.

Theversipellesin the room looked at one another. “Safe,” said the duke.

“Safe.” As Llewellyn had not been. “How was it he was not discovered in his predicament?”

“Hidden in plain sight,” said Mr. Bates. “We have deep, abiding pity for captive creatures, and thus we avoid such spectacles, not wishing to add to the attraction.”

“There are those among us who devote themselves to the liberation of creatures unwilling in their work,” O’Mara added.

“Oh, no.” Felicity’s voice broke. “I fear Himself was not willing in his work. It may be why we cannot find him.” Her horse had been missing since her removal to Lowell Hall; neither hide nor hair of the Templeton stud had been seen for months. The duke nodded and set his arm around his duchess’s shoulders, an astonishing gesture even among friends. “I had no way of knowing,” she said. “A terrible excuse.”

And finally, the thing Tabitha had wondered above all: “How was Llewellyn kept in his lionskin?”

The Alpha exchanged a glance with his Beta and Omega. “There is a way,” Alfred said. “It is an old curse.” Tabitha took a breath to dispute this nonsense. “It is ancient magic, Miss Barrington, and it is real.”

“Beliefs are powerful things, Your Grace,” she allowed.

“When proof is provided, it is no longer a belief but a fact,” said Mr. Bates. “We wolves are responsible for some misdirection in that we have led the world to believe it is silver that may entrap or kill aversipellis, but in fact it is gold.”

“As little as an ounce causes us to be held in our essential Shape,” Lowell explained.

“It blocks our sense of our human selves,” the duke’s Second added, “and prevents otherversipellesfrom perceiving the trapped being.”

“The Shifter in question will, over time, lose all knowledge of their humanity,” Lowell concluded.

“It is unbelievable that Llewellyn was able to come back to himself.” Mr. Bates got up from his seat and paced the perimeter of the room.

“It is conceivable that hisfeelingsof injustice were enough to bring him back,” O’Mara said.

“Touché, O’Mara,” Tabitha allowed. “Was he the only one of his kind in that place?”

“The only lion, yes,” Lowell said.

“The onlyversipellis.”

Mr. Bates, all out of character, gaped at her, then looked to Lowell, who nodded. Without another word, Mr. Bates bowed and left; if it were possible, O’Mara looked even more cross.

“How fortunate we are to have you here, Miss Barrington.” Felicity stood and set about collecting cups and saucers.

“One last question, Your Grace.” Tabitha knew this was the most important of all. “Why do you want him well?”

Lowell looked puzzled by this. “What?”

“Why?”

It was the Alpha’s turn to rise and pace in agitation. She saw O’Mara take a breath, and yes, well, the atmosphere in the room lightened, and Lowell calmed. He paused, and breathed, and said, “Because his life was robbed from him, his freedom, his essence as a human was stripped from him. Because he was very likely tricked into it through his status as an Alpha.”

He turned to face her, exuding power in a way the prince had: in this case, not to threaten but to bolster. “I cannot think how it came about, who could have overpowered him, and by what means. He is not one I would like to come up against, even though we are both Alphas. His nature was used against him in some way, I am certain, and that is an abomination.”

---