River Cast: Part Two in the Tale of Lunarmorte (39 page)

“
I’m here to
ask you for the right to campaign against Marita for Head of the
Coven.”

The murmuring turned into
heated exclamations and Caia shifted closer to Vil unconsciously.
He placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.

“
Why?”
Penelope asked, seeming hurt by Caia’s request.

“
Because I
believe that I can end this war, but not using Marita’s methods.
I’m not asking you to kill her and give me the trace,” she rushed
on, “I’m just asking that you give me the authority to make the
decisions in this war. Marita would still continue using the trace,
but working
for
me.”

A few of them almost
looked disdainful, but Albert’s gaze had softened. “That’s quite
merciful of you, Caia.”

“
I have no
wish to harm anyone. But I don’t believe this war will ever find
closure under the leadership of Marita.”

The tall magik who had
spoken first scoffed. “And how do you think you can do any better?
Marita has had quite a few victories recently.”

“
Because of
Caia,” Penelope inserted, “Marita has been doing just as well as
any other Head of the Coven until Caia came along. Those victories
you speak of have had Caia’s hand in them somewhere.”

More murmuring as this
sunk in.

Caia rubbed her sweaty
palms against her trouser legs and stepped forward a little more
confidently. She wouldn’t tell them her suspicion that Marita had
tried to kidnap Jaeden for her own nefarious means because without
proof she would appear as a spiteful little girl, completely
undermining her position with the Council. But she would tell them
about the children. For that there was proof.

“
Whilst I was
at the Centre I followed Marita one day. She disappeared under a
trap door in the Altar of Gaia. The second marble slab to the right
of the statue of Gaia has a gold button attached to it. If you
press it, it opens to reveal a basement. Inside the basement you
will find at least one laboratory where Marita is conducting
illegal experiments on lykan children who are caged down
there.”

A flurry of outrage
erupted in the room, some admonishing her for ‘such nonsense’,
others like Alfred and Penelope paling in fear.

“
All you need
to do is send a spy in. Someone who can mask their thoughts well in
their trace.”

“
You really
expect us to believe this?” the elegant magik sneered.

“
I expect you
to go in and find the proof for yourselves.”

“
Alfred,” a
surprisingly young looking magik intoned in a bored voice, “I’ll
go.”

Alfred nodded, never
taking his sad eyes off Caia. “We’ll get to the bottom of this,
Caia, I promise.”

She refused to let go of
the bigger picture, however. “And when you do?”

Penelope sighed wearily.
“If you’re proved correct then Marita will be sentenced and the
Council will vote on a new Head.”

Be strong. Be
powerful. Be confident.

“
I will be
proved correct. And your decision should be easy. With me as the
Head of both Coven’s I promise I will bring this war to a
conclusion. There are Midnights who have an outright aversion for
war, believe me it’s the truth. And no one else in our world can do
what I can do. Only days ago I destroyed four magiks in four
different locations simultaneously. In my short career as a magik,
as one who has had a few battles in the last few months, I’ve
proved the victor... and the victories could almost be called
easy.”

She portrayed a deliberate
iciness, emanating a balanced impression of power mixed with
threat. She softened somewhat at their apprehensive expressions.
After all she didn’t want them so afraid of her they would take her
out.

“
We’ve lost
too many people we love to this war already. Make me the Head of
both Covens and I promise you I will bring it to an end. If you
remember... it has been prophesised.”

Her reminder of that small
detail served to drain all colour from their faces. After a few
moments of thick, shocked silence they began to speak amongst
themselves, their words so rushed and confused she couldn’t make
out what they were saying to one another. Finally Alfred raised his
hands to quiet them and directed his next words at Caia, “We will
have to discuss this at length, Miss Ribeiro. For now, we will send
in Derren to uncover this laboratory. We will visit you when we
know more.”

Caia felt her heart beat
slow. “When can I expect you?”

Doukas shrugged wearily.
“These things can take days.”

She nodded. “I understand.
I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with
me.”

Penelope gave her a
bracing smile. “You’re welcome. You may go now.”

They rushed by her at
lightning speed and she realised Vil, with his hand on her
shoulder, had taken Penelope’s words literally, getting them out of
there as fast as he could.

She stumbled away from
him, feeling nauseated, as they landed back in Ryder’s sitting
room.

Strong, warm arms
encircled her and she found herself snuggled against Lucien’s
chest, his familiar scent soothing her rattled nerves.

“
You’re OK,”
he breathed.

She wouldn’t go that far.
They had a long wait ahead of them. If the Council failed, Marita
would probably pin them as traitors and have the entire pack
imprisoned indefinitely.

24 - Pack Woes

The following
days changed over as if it were the passing of a season rather than
a week. Arrangements continued for Jaeden and Ryder’s ceremony, a
commotion that rotated around Caia in a blur as she waited
anxiously for the Council to come to their decision. Marion did not
appear to question why Caia had yet to arrive at the Centre,
leading her to believe that the Council had yet to make their
discoveries or at least had not made Marita aware of them. The
thought of losing Marion’s friendship was a sharp ache - another
sacrifice that she knew would not be the last on this journey she
had chosen to take. It was difficult for her to remember when her
life had been anything but this one of power and conflict. She
wondered if she would ever feel normal again; if
life
would ever
be
normal
again.

And the pack
was just one more of struggle to undergo. The announcement at the
pack run on Sunday had been met with shock and anger. For most,
they felt it should have been something they discussed before Caia
had gone and spoken to the Council. Lucien faced their resentment
like a shield, taking all the bullets Caia knew were for her.
Trying to explain to them the feelings she had felt through her
trace about the Midnights was met with a mixture of confusion and
disbelief. The news of Marita’s experiments was met with a mixture
of betrayal and a fearful unwillingness to believe it. Ella and
Dimitri in particular were furious they had kept the information
from them, and although fond of Caia, could not believe that she
could think Midnights, beings who had tried to destroy their pack,
could be anything other than villains. Magnus, as always, was quiet
and watchful, his only words a reinforcement in his faith in Caia
and his promise to Rafe that he would be there for her no matter
what. The other older members of Pack Errante were as incredulous
as Ella and Dimitri. Jaeden’s brother, Christian, Alexa and Malek’s
father, Morgan, and his wife; Dana and Daniel’s mother and father -
all were hugely against backing Caia in her coup. Their eyes
followed her warily, unspoken words thickening the tension between
them,
we trusted your father, and look
what he brought upon us
. Only Sebastian’s
parents, Isaac and Imogen, seemed unsure, speaking of their son and
his love for Caia, how he would have wanted them to be loyal to
her. And, as both she and Lucien had been expecting, the younger
generation, Aidan and the twins, Malek and Finlay, even Lucia and
Cera, were willing to consider that Caia could be right. The
biggest surprise was Alexa - having never hidden her dislike of
Caia, even more so since she and Lucien were officially mates –
actually stood for Caia.

“
Well I
believe her.” She had shrugged in a bored manner. “I mean come on!
These people can’t be that stupid that they still see us as a
threat to humans when we are so obviously not. Hey, and if Caia
does become like the Head of Daylights then the pack become like
royalty. Uh,
hello
.”

So it hadn’t been the most
eloquent rationale but it was support and Caia would take it no
matter the source. In the end Lucien had come to a fair but
disheartening agreement with the pack. If Caia was wrong and the
Council didn’t find the proof against Marita, Lucien would make
sure it was clear those pack members who didn’t support her were
not punished simply because of them. He told them they could walk
away now, but that had only served to anger the pack more. What
they really wanted was for him to disown Caia - it was easy to read
on their faces as they glared resentfully at her. And no matter how
selfish she knew it was, she was thankful that he loved her too
much to walk away for them.

That night, exhausted and
wanting nothing more than to sink into bed with Lucien and close
her eyes to their problems (their household for one, which was now
straining with the tension of Ella’s anger at them and poor Magnus
because of his refusal to agree with her) Caia had been struck with
more unnerving news. As they said goodnight to Ryder and Jaeden,
the last to leave, they were stopped at the foot of the stairs by
an unexpected visitor.

“
Saffron!”
Caia yelped in surprise as the faerie appeared inches before her.
The faerie, though sombre, managed a wave of hello.

“
Good
evening, Caia. Lucien.” she twisted her mouth as she said his name.
Caia wondered what that was about.

Lucien returned the look
and nodded a welcome. “Saffron. What brings you here?”

Her beautiful face was
pinched with anxiety as she glided past them and into the sitting
room. Feeling a little apprehensive at her appearance Caia followed
numbly, waiting for the axe to fall.

“
I’m here
because I found out that Caia has asked the Council to give her the
right to run for Head of the Coven.”

“
Marion told
you?”

Saffron gave her a
somewhat patronising look. “No. That’s why I’m here. Marion doesn’t
know.”

Caia blinked, sure she
hadn’t heard correctly. “How can she not know if you
know?”

“
Because
Marita hasn’t told her. Or Vanne.”

“
How does
Marita know? I take it the Council found the proof?”

Saffron shook her head,
her face pinched with anger. “Derren has been imprisoned by
Marita.”

Lucien stopped pacing up
and down at the window. “What? What the hell is going
on?”

“
Marita is
crafty, Caia. I’ve never really... well, liked her. She’s a
different kettle of fish from Marion. I came here tonight to warn
you that she won’t play fair in this. With Derren in prison, the
Council are going to be suspicious of his whereabouts and they will
probably demand a search of the Centre. She won’t let that happen.
I hope you are ready for a bloody and relentless battle with this
woman?”

Caia gulped just thinking
about it. “I kind of have to be.”

Saffron sighed. “Well I’m
afraid Marion will not take to this news at all when she finds out.
She is very fond of you, Caia, but Marita has a way of manipulating
the people close to her.”

“
I won’t hold
anything against Marion. Marita is her sister. She loves her.
She’ll believe her.”

The faerie nodded
thoughtfully. “I on the other hand have been around a lot longer;
I’ve felt this change coming. I will try and keep my eyes and ears
open at the Centre for you, but Marita has tightened her security
since the Council sent in Derren.”

Caia didn’t know what to
say. She didn’t understand such a generous offer.

Saffron laughed at her
expression. “You might not have my mistress’ support but you will
have mine.”

“
That is
extremely generous of you.” Caia tried not to gape at
her.

Again the
faerie chuckled but the laughter didn’t reach her eyes. Her eyes
were hard with determination. “There is nothing generous about my
offer, Caia. I have survived this long in this war because I’ve
always chosen the right people to fight for... the winning side.
Quite simply
you
are the winning side.”

Lucien grunted. “Well,
thanks for the support no matter the lack of feeling behind
it.”

Saffron rolled her eyes at
him. “Lykans, you’re so sentimental.”

“
Seriously,
Saffron, thank you; for the heads up, as well.”

“
Hmm sure. I
will be in touch.”

And then she was
gone.

Caia whirled around to
gawk at Lucien. “Can you believe that?”

He wrapped an arm around
her waist drawing her close. “At least we know you have some
powerful support. You might actually win this thing.”