21 | LIAISONS

It’s late in the afternoon by the time Hale and I manage to gather the majority of the people on my ‘trust’ list. Not including Mom. She’s stuck at Lia’s, since the Azures are dealing with something themselves, Mom’s doing a double shift at the store. Or so Hale’s told me. I decide I can always fill her in later - if I need to. But the fact that she’s not here makes me feel the tiniest bit better.

Something about the weird tea she’d been drinking the other morning’s been bugging me. Wolven don’t usually get sick. And she’s seemed more tired than usual - even after visiting yesterday - there was something *off* about her energy. Maybe she’s been working too hard or has a bad case of insomnia? I’ll have to ask Hale about it later. For now, the most pressing issue is how we’re going to stop the three closest events.

Zoe and Mikyle are the first to arrive, no surprise there, but when I get word from Paris that she won’t be able to physically be at the meeting - and is sending Ryker and Craven over - alone… I’m a nervous mess by the time everyone’s finally seated around the room. Hale and I brought in a few chairs for this meeting, though Craven and Ryker can’t seem to sit still.

Still the hollowed out shell of a Wolven, Craven’s eyes dart around the room like he’s a trapped animal in an unfamiliar place… Which he kind of is… And Ryker’s not much better. However, where Craven’s attitude is isolated to foot-tapping and fidgeting in place, Ry can’t seem to stop pacing. He’s probably going to wear a path in the back of the room by the end of the meeting.

The second everyone’s seated and I explain what I had to Hale, they all freeze in place. For about five seconds. And then everyone begins to talk at once.

“The Darklight community is too close to Colton to put off-” Zoe starts most vocally, sitting up in her chair like she want to join Ryker in pacing.

“Do you really expect the Princess to go anywhere near Colton after-” Mikyle growls at her in annoyance, but Ryker begins. His eyes are more alive than I’ve seen them before. His cool blue gaze locking on me.

“And that’s another thing-” I can feel his line of questioning being directed specifically at me, but before he can finish, Zoe cuts in.

“We need to alert the Queen of the impending danger-” Zoe switches her dark gaze between Mikyle and Hale. Clearly ignoring Ryker’s out-of-the-loop line of questioning in favor of trying to sort out the issue of Colton and the King.

“You’re crazy-” Mikyle starts back up and I feel the annoyance and confusion in the room beginning to invade and infect me. Both side of my hybrid nature are in the same room with me, both warring as vocally on the outside as they would within me. It makes the calmer mood I had been in evaporate in seconds.

“Everyone, shut up!” I yell. Much to my surprise, everyone listens and the room falls silent. “Hale’s taking care of the Darklight issue.” I say, looking at each before turning to Hale. He nods once in confirmation. “What I need is help with tracking the Hunter and communicating with the Palace - the vampire Royals in Colton.” I clarify the last bit for the sake of my cousins - who didn’t know about that particular issue before today.

“We can Track the Hunter.” Ryker tells me, gesturing between himself and Craven. I stare at them in surprise.

“We’re experienced in Tracking.” Craven reminds me, backing up Ryker’s offer. I stare at the two for a minute, my brain taking a few extra seconds to work properly and accept their words.

“Okay.” I breathe after another few beats of dead silence. “Okay,” I repeat and feel the weight of worry ebb some more. They’re both right. Though some part of me still mistrusts the two because of our complicated history, who else could Track a Hunter? There’s probably no one else as qualified for the job as my cousins are. “Okay, but I need both of you to keep in touch while you’re away.” I set up an immediate and specific time of the day I expect reports from the two, making sure they have access to phones.

“We’re not pups, Wisty.” Ryker grumbles in protest after I ask them to repeat my instructions back to me. I resist the urge to argue with him. But he’s right. A weird sense of worry fills me at the reminder that my cousin know what they’re doing. That they know how to take care of themselves and are more independent because of the way they’ve grown up. That I can’t do anything to help them or keep them safe myself.

“We’ll report in,” Craven adds when I say nothing. I look to him, his hunched shoulders and the strange emptiness in his eyes- only, now, there’s more in them. A calm and intention. A purpose. I realize this may be exactly what the two need after everything that happened last year. Something to focus their energy on and give them reason and opportunity to rewrite past wrongs.

A small smile twitches at my cousin’s mouth. Not the creepy and horrifying thing that used to stretch his mouth too wide, but something boyish and gentle. It makes my older cousin appear more human. More like a victim than a killer. I blink at him before returning the smile and realizing something else: he’s not the same person he once was.

“Promise you two will be careful,” I blurt before I can stop myself, looking between the two men. They frown at me then Ryker raises his eyebrows at me.

“We’re trained Trackers and Enforcers, Wisty.” He reminds me, puffing his chest up a little.

“We know how to protect ourselves, cousin.” Craven agrees, the little smile morphing back into a more blank expression. “We’ll report in. If we don’t get back to you by the assigned time, you can send one of your…” His eyes trail over Mikyle and Zoe. “Bloodsuckers after us.” His words aren’t cruel, but the skepticism in his voice shows through. I roll my eyes.

“I’m sure I won’t have to do that.” I mutter, but even I don’t know what the two will be walking into once they start tracking Hunters. I bite my lip and let out a deep sigh. “Just be careful.” I repeat. This time, neither replies or objects to my worry.

“We’ll be in touch, Wisty.” Ry reaches over and pats my shoulder once. His version of a reassuring touch, before the two Wolven turn and leave the room, I assume to begin their new mission. Some part of me smiles as they go, wondering how long it’ll take the two and almost one-hundred percent sure that if anyone can Track a Hunter, it’s those two.

“Okay,” I huff, turning to Mikyle and Zoe. “Then there’s the matter of the other two events.” I had mentioned these two, but things are a little less clear where they’re concerned. What I know about them are the generalities. Where and who is involved. One is Colton - involving Mina and William. That one, I can only guess at. Which means we’ll have to be in regular contact with the Palace. I know for a fact I shouldn’t go anywhere near the King. He scares me enough that I’m not willing to go back to Colton anytime soon. “I need one of you to be the go-between for Mina and I. We need daily reports and fill her in on the issues, but I can’t go back to Colton after…” I shudder, unable to stop as the memory of the events with the King come flooding back to the forefront of my mind.

“I’ll do it, Princess.” Mikyle pipes up. I blink at him, surprised to hear him volunteer. I’d half-expected Zoe to jump at this assignment. But she says nothing, not even looking surprised that Mikyle’s offered.

“You want to liaise between the Palace and the Coven?” I ask him, repeating the question as if it’ll clear the surprise from my body. I thought the very last thing Mikyle would want to do was leave Kiwina for any length of time.

“Yes. I have the best qualifications for the job, and I know both parties involved. You could say I’m personally invested in this job.” Mikyle nods, his usual light and carefree tone replaced by the serious and careful one he only uses when things are getting dangerous. I frown at him, not liking how a pang of worry shudders through me. This is one of the more dangerous jobs, considering how close the event is coming and all those involved. The Ancient told me generalities, not how everything would play out, but what would happen and why it needed to be be stopped.

“Okay, Mica,” I tell my ex-shadow. He’s right about one thing, he’s definitely qualified for the job. The literal family to the Queen and King, having Mikyle be the liaison between the two Covens seems like the smartest and best option. “You can be the liaison.” But even as I say the words, I can’t help but worry. For countless reasons, I begin to worry.