Call to Arms (War of the Fae: Book 2) (38 page)

“Okay, Jared, can you fill us in on what you’ve been doing?
 
I think the changelings here would appreciate a little background.”

Jared stood at his seat.
 
“Thank you, Anton.”
 
He nodded his head to us.
 
“Changelings ... ”

We all nodded back.

“As you know, I’ve been back and forth to Florida, New York, and California quite a bit in the last several weeks, working on finding and bringing back recruits for our changeling test.
 
The results have been quite good.
 
We are happy to say that as a result of our efforts, we now have thirty-two new fae including a variety of races.”
 
He paused to recognize our nods of approval.

“My last assignment was in Florida again.
 
I was up in an area very familiar to Jayne, I believe, West Palm Beach.”

My heart started hammering again.
 
Now we were getting to the good stuff – or the bad stuff, depending on how you looked at it.

“We have been receiving reports from our colleagues there that there is a strong Dark Fae presence moving in, so we have been keeping an eye on the situation, trying to determine the extent of the issue and the reason for it.”
 
Jared looked at me and then at Dardennes.
 
Dardennes nodded at him, encouraging him to continue.

“We do not know all the details, but we believe the Dark Fae have figured out some way of identifying fae candidates without putting them through any test.
 
They are actively recruiting for their side and seem to not only be targeting candidates indiscriminately, which has resulted in a group of fae roaming around that are not only stupid but dangerous, but also they seem to be spending considerable resources on recruiting specific targets.
 
We’ve seen them build elaborate schemes and even false identities and false families, just to ingratiate themselves into the lives of those they wish to recruit most.”

Warning bells were going off in my head.
 
This was starting to sound like my most paranoid thoughts of Tony – and Jared was talking about West Palm, my hometown.

“And this brings me to why we have asked you here today.
 
It appears that Tony has been targeted by the Dark Fae as a potential recruit.”

I jumped up from my seat.
 
“I
knew
it!
 
I totally friggin’
knew
he was being influenced.
 
It’s Ben, right?
 
The fae’s name is
Ben!”

Jared looked surprised.
 
“How did you know that?”

“Tony told me about him the day he got back.
 
In an email.
 
Ben immediately started taking over Tony’s life, changing him, becoming his new best friend.”
 
I choked on the last two words and tears jumped to my eyes.
 
I swiped at them angrily, sitting back down.
 
I was shaking with fury, sadness, and fear.
 
A big ball of misery lodged itself right in my throat, threatening to gag me.
 
I breathed in and out loudly, trying to get my emotions under control.
 
I felt Becky’s comforting hand on my back.
 
Spike reached over and put his hand on my forearm, squeezing gently.

“Jayne,” said Tim, warning me, “I feel your energy humming in my wings.
 
Control yourself.”

He was right.
 
Sometimes when I got really emotional, The Green kind of seeped in.
 
Our connection was so close, sometimes I forgot where I stopped and it started.
 
Tim was kind of my energy barometer.
 
He could sense when the balance was off.
 
I took a second to collect myself.
 
I recognized the power flowing around me uncontrolled and separated myself from it.
 
Now was no time to be knocking people out into la-la land.
 
I hardly ever did that anymore, but it was always a small worry for anyone training with me.

“You are correct.
 
His name is Ben, and he is a particularly powerful fae.
 
We don’t know exactly what he is, but we know that the other fae look to him for direction and that many of his own kind fear him.”

I almost didn’t want to ask, but I had to.
 
“What has he done to Tony?”

“So far, at least as much as we can tell, he has done nothing other than ... influence him.
 
And not in the way you might be thinking.”
 
Jared actually smiled before continuing.
 
“In fact, I saw Tony.
 
It was from a distance, and I almost didn’t recognize him.
 
I sensed his energy signature though, so I knew it was
him
.
 
But truthfully, I don’t think any of you would recognize him.
 
Even you, Jayne.”

“Whaddya mean by that?” asked Finn.

“He looks very different.
 
Different hair, different clothes ... he even walks like someone else.”

I thought about that email Tony sent, telling me about Ben giving him clothes.
 
It made me mad all over again.
 
“So what are we going to do?
 
We can’t leave Tony there for the Dark Fae.”
 
I looked at Jared, then Céline and Dardennes expectantly, but they weren’t saying anything.
 
“What?
 
You can’t leave him there.
 
Right guys?”
 
I looked around at my friends.
 
They were all nodding.

Dardennes cleared his throat.
 
“We have a unique situation here, a problem essentially, and the council has made a ruling.”

I felt my hackles rise.
 
Usually the council involved the other fae in important rulings, and Tony was important.
 
They should have involved us.
 
I didn’t get a good feeling about this at all.

“The rules are that once a changeling candidate has refused the change, he is released following erasure and can never become a fae using one of our amulets.
 
That has been the rule forever and will not be changed by this council.”

We all started talking at once, some of us – Tim and me – louder than the others.
 
Well, Tim was louder in my ears anyway.

“That’s bullshit!”

“You can’t abandon him like that!”

Dardennes held his hands up to try and calm us down, but I wasn’t having it.

“That makes absolutely no sense at all.
 
We all know Tony has fae blood.
 
If he doesn’t come with us, they’ll take him over to the Dark Fae side!
 
We’ll lose him forever!”
 
I was so frustrated I started quoting my gray elf friend Gregale’s words.
 
“That’s a waste of resources and we don’t do that!”

Dardennes nodded, still holding up his hands.
 
Everyone quieted down to hear his next words.

“I could not agree with you more, but the council has spoken.
 
I
am not to bring this candidate back here, give him an amulet, or allow him to speak the words that bring the change.
 
I
cannot do that.
 
I
am helpless here.
 
There is nothing
I
can do.”
 
He raised his eyebrows at us expectantly.
 
He didn’t look sad at all.
 
He looked ... like he was waiting for us to say something.

I frowned, scanning all the other faces around the table.
 
My friends were obviously as confused as I was.
 
Jared looked like Dardennes and now Céline too – like they were waiting for us to figure something out.

Finn spoke up.
 
“You said that
you
can’t
do any of these things.
 
Does that mean
no one
can’t do ‘em, or just
you
can’t do ‘em?”

Dardennes smiled broadly at him and then at all of us.
 
“The council has ruled that none of the elders may bring Tony to our compound or give him an amulet or allow him to speak the words of the change.
 
That is all I can tell you.
 
It is merely the truth and nothing more or less.”
 
He and Céline got up to leave the table, both of them grinning at one another conspiratorially.
 
“We will leave you now.
 
I am sure all of you have a lot to discuss.
 
It is a sad day that I couldn’t bring Tony to you here.
 
I hope you can find a way to make things right in your hearts.”
 

Céline nodded her head, pausing at the door and turning to us.
 
“I wish you all the best of luck in your ... future endeavors.
 
And Jared?”

“Yes, Céline?”

“The jet is fully fueled and waiting to take you back to Florida.
 
Ivar will be aboard to help you and anyone you need to bring to assist you on your next mission.”

“Thank you, Céline.”

She and Dardennes left the room.
 
For a few seconds, it was completely silent in the room.
 
Then Finn spoke up.
 
“Are ya’ll gettin’ the same meanin’ outta this that I am?”

“If you mean they’re saying we can go and do this stuff, just without them telling us we can go, then yes,” said Spike.

Jared sighed.
 
“Listen guys, Anton and Céline can’t tell you guys to do this.
 
But they aren’t going to stop you if you want to go.
 
It’s up to you.
 
But we have to keep quiet about it because the elders were clear.
 
Anton cannot sanction this trip or what we do on it.
 
As far as the elders are concerned, I’m going on a recruiting mission.
 
As far as Anton and Céline are concerned, I’m recruiting and I’m taking assistants.”

“I don’t give a shit whether the elders
or
Dardennes say yes or no.
 
I’m going.”
 
I looked at each of my friends in turn.
 
“You guys can go or stay.
 
Either way, you’re still my friends.
 
But nothing is going to keep me back here when Tony’s in trouble.”

Jared looked at me.
 
“I suggest you go spend some time with Gregale.
 
He can give you a sneak peak at what we’re dealing with.
 
Ask him to take you into the Gray.
 
Go see Tony with him.”

“What the hell are you talking about?
 
If I could go see Tony, don’t you think I would have already done that?”
 
Jared was crazy talking as far as I could tell.

“Just go see Gregale.
 
He’ll explain.
 
Do not tell him what our plans are, though.
 
The fewer people who know, the better.
 
Just tell him you miss Tony and you really need to see him from the Gray.”

Jared turned to the others.
 
“You guys need to let me know now if you’re coming with us.
 
I have to pack provisions for the correct number of people.”
 
He looked around expectantly.

Chase was the first to speak.
 
“Where Jayne goes, I go.”

“Me too!” yelled Tim.

“Tim says he’s going,” I informed them.

“I’m in,” said Spike, lazily.
 
“This place was getting boring anyway.”
 
Something told me he was just looking for some fresh energy, but whatever.
 
The more the merrier.

“I think I should stay,” said Becky.

I looked at her, a little hurt.
 

“No, don’t go looking at me that way.
 
Here’s what I was thinking ... I can act like I’m here and listen in on conversations and stuff, and I’ll pop in and out where you are and tell you what I hear ... give you a heads up if the elders figure out what you’re up to.”

“Can you go that far?”

“I think so.”
 
She smiled shyly.
 
“I’m getting pretty good, actually.”

“It’s a good idea,” said Jared.
 
“What about you, Finn?”

“Sure.
 
I
ain’t
stayin’ behind and lettin’ Spike have all the fun.
 
Shee-it.”

“So that’s it then – four are going, one staying.”

“Five!”

“That’s five Jared, don’t forget Tim.”

“Yeah, sorry, Tim.
 
Five fae on board plus Ivar and me.”

“Is Ivar
gonna
give us a hard time?” asked Finn.