Page 72 of Alpha's Rejected Warrior
“You sure?”
I shrug. “Everyone drinks it to some extent. I personally don’t like the taste, but it’s very common in Kortan. If there was any chance it could drive wolves insane, I think we would know. Did Olcan say anything about it?”
Ethan shakes his head. “No, just that it could be used for medicinal purposes and he’s interested in researching it.” Hepauses for a few moments before continuing, “But if it’s only used for tea, why would it appear in the seers vision?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “It might not be connected to anything. But, at this point, we’re running out of leads. Lady Gemma knows more about our heritage than anyone else in the pack, so she’s our best option for making sense of all of this.”
Ethan goes quiet for a moment. “You know, Doc said that magic is something that’s just. . .in the air here. Like a mist.”
A nod. “Yes, that’s true.”
“And wolves don’t have any kind of biological connection to that mist.”
“No.”
He looks up at me abruptly. “What about the seers then? How do they have visions if they’re not connected to magic?”
“It’s not the same.” I struggle with finding the right words. “Seers are an exception. Their powers are extremely limited, and they come from the Moon Goddess.”
“But they’re connected to magic?”
“Yes. . .but no, not really.” How do I explain Moon Goddess theology to a human? I barely understand it myself. “I’m honestly not sure. I don’t think it’s the same kind of magic.”
The spark of realization lights up his features. “But itispossible they might be connected to magic. Couldn’t they be susceptible to mind magic, then?”
“Are you implying Jayme is a seer?”
“Could he be?” He tilts his head at me.
“If he is, why would he hide such a thing?” My thoughts spill out as they form. “If Jayme were a seer, his rank in the pack would be much higher, and he would be more respected. Branson would love for his brother to be in a safer position, so concealing such a gift would serve no purpose.”
Ethan sighs. “Yeah, that makes sense. There’s no reason for them to hide it if they want to demonstrate their loyalty to AlphaXander. I guess I’m just still holding out hope that Jayme didn’t know what he was doing.”
That draws a small smile from me. “Me too.”
For just a moment, everything is normal again. The way he tilts his head when he’s thinking, the fore in his eyes when he connects pieces of information — this is the man I fell for.
This is how it should be. We should be working as a team, our minds in sync.
My wolf practically purrs with the familiar rhythm of our partnership, making me forget the careful walls I’ve placed between us.
“You’re right.” He straightens, and that careful distance settles back over his features like armor. “We should speak to Lady Gemma. Lead the way, Commander.”
The moment is gone. His formal use of my title stings. But, this is exactly how it has to be.
As we walk without a word through the corridors toward Lady Gemma’s chambers, the space between us feels infinite, despite our relative proximity. Each step we take brings us closer to his departure.
Chapter 28 — Ethan
It doesn’t take us long to find Lady Gemma. As soon as we walk out into the courtyard, we see her sitting on a bench with Elder Stasio. They look like an extremely fashionable old couple sitting in a park somewhere: Stasio with his shock of white hair blending seamlessly with his sleeveless white robes, and Gemma with her silver-tinted blonde hair pinned up in an elegant bun, her curls framing her face on both sides.
They look like they’re deep in serious conversation. She’s probably trying to convince him not to unleash a Shaman war on Kortan. I don’t know if disturbing them right now is a great idea.
Neither does Rhiannon. I glance over at her and see that she’s shifting from one foot to the other as we watch. “Do you think we should come back later?”
Before I can answer, both their gazes lock onto us. Stasio’s weathered hand rises in a deliberate wave, summoning us toward them.
We approach the bench where Lady Gemma and Elder Stasio sit. Lady Gemma offers a warm smile, while Stasio’s dark hazeleyes track our movements with an intensity that makes my skin crawl.
