Island Shifters: Book 01 - An Oath of the Blood (17 page)

When they finally arrived in Parsis, Kiernan was not at all surprised to find City Boulevard lined with worried parents and Council Members. She looked over at Beck and gave him a tired smile. It seemed impossible to her that just the sight of him could make her feel so content when the world all around them was falling apart.

Beck loved her.

Those three words gave her hope and strength, and a determination to fight for a future with him. He gave her a small smile in return, but it was quickly replaced with a grim set to his features. As Lieutenant, it was his responsibility to relay the events of the massacre at The Crown Bluffs. He must ensure that his father, as Mayor, and the Town Council Members appreciated the dire circumstances facing the island. The defenders of Massa, the shifters of Pyraan, would have very little time to develop the most advantageous strategy for defeating the threat bearing down on them from the north.

Beck’s parents, Jaimes and Constance Atlan, and Airron’s parents, Joshe and Jeni Falewir, were among the crowd waiting to hear what could have brought their children back to Parsis. They eyed curiously the large, hooded prisoner riding along with them. Jaimes Atlan stepped forward, the worry unmistakable on his face. “Beck! What is going on? Why have you returned to the city?”

Beck slid from his horse and said loudly, “I must request a meeting of the Council immediately, father. The Island of Massa is under attack.” The crowd gasped, several of the women letting out frightened screams.

Kiernan dismounted and stood next to Beck as Jaimes grabbed his son’s arm. “Beck, what are you saying? What has happened?”

“I will explain everything at the Council Meeting, father. We will only have a week at most before the invaders arrive here in Parsis.”

Titus snorted and said contemptuously through the gap in his hood, “The Cyman Army will be ‘ere by dawn, shifter.”

Rogan whipped his head around to face the Cyman. “Impossible! There were thousands of soldiers swarming our shores. You cannot move an army of that size that quickly.”

“It is possible,” Titus said calmly. “You saw firsthand ‘ow fast we can move. Unlike the pathetic Northwatch Legion, we ‘ave ‘ad years of disciplined trainin’ in extremely ‘arsh conditions. We do not use ‘orses or wagons or carry ‘eavy weaponry. We do not sleep in tents or cook meals. We ‘ave trained to survive on very little food and sleep. We do not ‘unt or sit around a campfire. Mostly, the army will live on agave plants, pine bark, and nuts as they travel.” He paused, and then sighed. “I tell you this so that you understand the truth of your chances ‘ere. It does not ‘ave to turn into a blood bath unless you choose it to be so.”

His words sent a chill up Kiernan’s spine and she reached out to Beck to lace her fingers through his.

Constance Atlan rushed up to Jaimes and grabbed her husband’s arm, her eyes wide in alarm. “Who is that?” she whispered to Beck, rolling her eyes in the direction of Titus.

Titus reached his bound hands up to remove his hood, and there was another gasp from the crowd.

Kiernan placed a hand lightly on Beck’s mother and then looked up at Titus. It was very disconcerting staring into his one large eye. Her eyes and voice were hard though as she said, “He is one of Mage Adrian Ravener’s minions, Mistress Atlan, and he is here to destroy us.”

Kiernan walked into the overflowing Council Hall with Beck, Rogan, Airron, and Rory. She was comforted to see all of the familiar faces she had come to know and love over the years. Mistress Halloran, the innkeeper, rushed over to hug her, the woman’s usual cheery features reddened and lined with concern. Blacksmith and earthshifter, Jorge Owen, sat in the front row with Master and Mistress Falewir, looking as if he was ready—and able—to take on the Cyman Army single-handedly. Despite the large number of people present, it was eerily quiet, and the anxiety in the room was palpable.

The gathered citizens made way for Kiernan and the four legionnaires as they moved through the crowd toward the front of the room where Master Atlan was sitting with the Council Members and took a seat in the front row. Heads twisted around when the back doors banged open and Katrin Allendale, a young female mindshifter, hurried to the front of the room and stood before Jaimes. “The prisoner is secured, Mayor Atlan.” Her faced beamed proudly and she whispered, “I mindshifted him myself until he could be bound.”

Jaimes patted her shoulder. “Thank you, Katrin. It would appear that your devotion to your studies has paid off.” She twirled giddily and went to sit in the second row with Ben Martyn.

When she was seated, Master Atlan rose and addressed the crowd. “If what the self-proclaimed Cyman says is true, we have very little time to prepare our defenses.”

Jakob Martyn, the grocer, stood. “I think we should retreat to Iserlohn and join with the Army of Men! Even with our magic, it would be difficult to win a battle against thousands of well-trained soldiers. Our only hope is to unite with the other lands, starting with Iserlohn.”

Jorge Owen stood and gestured to the athame on his neck. “It is the responsibility of the shifters of Pyraan, Jakob, to protect and defend the people of Massa! We cannot run from our duty and hide behind Iserlohn’s skirts!”

“We are not running!” the grocer retorted with a distinct tremble coloring his voice. “We are saving ourselves and giving the people of Massa a chance to win this battle!” He was wringing his hands and looking about wildly for support. The impending hostilities were beginning to unravel the man.

Jaimes shook his head. “I agree with Jorge! We will not desert our duty in the hour of crisis when the people of this island need us more than ever. It is what we have trained to do since we joined the Northwatch Legion as young men, Jakob!” He slammed his hand on the table in front of him. “We will not run!”

Kiernan felt more than saw the acquiescence of the shifters as they agreed with Jaimes Atlan. She felt her own body react to the words he spoke, coming from a deep-rooted belief housed in the core of her being and, without warning, the air in the chamber changed. It was subtle at first, but gained strength as a visible energy misted throughout the room. She instinctively tensed, but then relaxed when she sensed that the power in the room was not malevolent. It was strong and determined, yes, but not harmful. It was seeking something. Then, the magical vapor entered her body with force to swell in her chest and heart. It physically lifted her off her chair and swirled all around and through her body and the bodies of her fellow shifters.

Kiernan knew instinctively that it was the centuries-old blood oath demanding fulfillment. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and resolve flowed through her mind. Every shifter in Pyraan would feel the call, whether present in the Council Chamber at that moment or elsewhere.

There would be no retreat. Whatever the chances, the shifters of Pyraan would stay to fight for the people they were sworn to protect.

The blood oath would have it no other way.

The full moon seemed an eager participant in the tireless activities taking place in the city of Parsis. Beck shared neither the moon’s nor the citizens’ fervor as he walked purposefully through the midst of the preparations. Having seen the size of the Cyman Army firsthand, he was more than a little concerned that the thousand or so shifters in Parsis was not enough. Envoys had been sent to the outlaying settlements as a call to arms, and once the newcomers arrived it would add another three thousand to their numbers, but it would take time. And, whether or not all would be able to reach the city before the Cyman Army was anyone’s guess.

With new purpose in their hearts, the Council Members disregarded all misgivings and bolstered their preparations for war. Even Jakob Martyn was now readily devising battle tactics with his fellow bodyshifters.

Needing no prodding prior to the blood oath’s not so subtle reminder, Jorge Owen vigorously directed the shirtless earthshifters at creating defensive barriers, gleans of sweat layering their abnormally muscular chests. With casual waves of their hands, great holes in the ground opened up and the dirt was used to construct the enormous dirt walls from which the shifters would make their stand against the invading army. Other earthshifters carried large boulders with ease to reinforce the bulwarks from behind.

Under Rogan’s direction, the fireshifters were busily inventing elaborate strategies to throw at the enemy, and the ideas for destruction were getting more lethal as the night wore on.

Earlier that evening, Beck’s father had asked Airron to take their only bargaining chip, Titus, south and out of the fight to await further word. Master Atlan had originally asked Kiernan to do so, but she adamantly refused to leave Beck. Airron did not want to abandon the conflict either, but Jaimes convinced him that he needed a strong shifter to guard the Cyman, so ultimately he relented.

Jaimes Atlan had also wisely instructed that as many horses as possible be corralled to the south in the event an emergency retreat was required, and Beck made sure that Chasin was among them.

Kiernan was doing her part teaching some of the younger shifters how to use a sword. She had changed out of her drab gray Legion uniform and into a dress and sandals. Beck smiled as he took a moment to watch her. Even while sporting a deadly weapon with a grim look on her face, she was beautiful to him.

The shifters were preparing for battle, despite his fears.

Turning away, he jogged along the boulevard searching for his mother. He was told that she was assisting with sequestering the older women and children into the underground storage cellar of the Town Hall, but with all of the people in the streets, he was having difficulty locating her.

He hoped that the troublesome Halfies had made it safely to Haventhal. Surprisingly, he had come to appreciate the spirit of the little imps. Against his very nature to be mean, Vinni Vee had traveled out of his way to warn Beck that danger was coming. Even though Beck did not believe that the Halfie could actually read such a warning in the clouds, he had to admit that Vinni was right. Danger did find him.

Not only did it find him, it threatened to devour him.

His thoughts of Vinni quickened his footsteps. He had to find his mother to get the answers he was sure she had. He thought back to the night he left for The Crown Bluffs when she seemed distracted and evasive. Yes, he was sure his mother had been holding back information from him.

He found Constance Atlan expertly guiding a group of older women to the shelter of the Hall. Her face was drawn and exhausted and Beck felt his heart tug, and he swallowed down the lump that formed in his throat. No matter what happened, he promised himself, he would see to it that she stayed safe.

“Mother!”

Constance looked up and used the back of her hand to move a loose strand of hair from her eyes. She smiled as she saw him.

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” he asked when he reached her.

“Of course. Katrin, can you please take over for me?” The mindshifter who was helping Constance quickly took the lead. She peeked up from under her long eyelashes to give Beck a quick demure smile.

He nodded politely to her and then led his mother to one of the small benches that lined the square. Mother and son sat side by side in the middle of the commotion going on all around them.

“I am worried, Beck,” she admitted with a sigh.

“We all are, mother,” he said putting his arm around her shoulders and hugging her close to his body. “But, I will protect you. I will not let anything happen to you or father.”

She was staring at him as if seeing him for the first time. Again, she looked like she wanted to say something to him, but was not sure how to put it into words. He remained silent while her internal struggle took place. At last, she reached out and cupped her hand under his chin. “Where did my little boy go?” she whispered. “The mother in me just wants to pick you up and run with you as far from this place as possible.” Beck grinned inwardly at the mental picture in his mind. “But, the shifter in me knows that not only can I not keep you from harm, but I fear you are our only hope.”