Adda blinked at the scarred and ruined woman before them. Once, perhaps, she had been beautiful. She was young, as evidenced by her frame and the smooth patches of skin that remained along her shoulders.
It felt as though Adda was looking into a mirror, one that showed her future, rather than the present. And despite knowing that there was nothing left of what the woman had been, Adda found herself holding back a surge of compassion, and a little confusion. The Shifters made sense to her, that the Quatori would want the instincts and talents inborn in every one of them. The Dragon, too, for what better creature to possess than one so physically powerful? But the human? What possible advantage would that give? And this wasn't the result of an infection, of becoming Quatori. This was a possession, like her own—albeit hers was slower...thank the Six.
She wiped her trembling hands along her hips, hoping that her fear was not bleeding into the atmosphere for everyone to smell. The ruined Dragon circled overhead, his shadow like death's own omen, before veering off into the forest. Where was Strale? Wasn't he supposed to be tracking this one? What if he had tracked it, and found it? She had no idea what determined a Dragon's capabilities, maybe Morakamouth had already disposed of her protector.
Adda's attention riveted back to the woman and Scet, who stood facing her, tense and ready for battle. Only his grip on the spear belied his concern, white knuckles bulging against the darker wood. His face, however, was carefully neutral. Everything within the camp froze, the remains of the pack riveted on the danger, on the verge of leaping to action.
But action would kill them, Adda knew it with certainty. Just as she knew that things had become very, very serious. Each of the creatures that followed the woman had strength and speed to match a Shifter in battle, except these could not be wounded. Maybe, as Scet had said, beheading them might accomplish something, but simple spear thrusts and slices wouldn't even slow them down. And what was worse, it only took a bite before their opponent would be infected, as well, destined to become the very thing they fought against.
The woman's focus remained on Scet, demanding an answer. Adda shuddered, immensely glad to be ignored for once.
Scet stood his ground, but he didn't answer. Quite likely he didn't know how to answer. She doubted the old Alpha had shown him the symbol he had stolen, the man had a list of secrets a mountain range long. It occurred to her that this rush to hand over responsibility of the pack might have been even more self-serving than she first thought. Scet now bore the brunt of this powerful Quatori's interest.
“Do not think that you can hide it from me?” the woman announced. “Not even my brother's pathetic attempts were able to do so.”
Inside Adda's mind, Nex twitched with surprise.
The woman chuckled, an alarming, choking noise, like someone drowning. Horribly, her face turned Adda's direction. Immediately, she felt the urge to cower, perhaps crawl beneath the roots of one of the jungle trees until her attention passed.
“Did you think that I wouldn't feel you brother? Playing with the shadows? Trying to cloak it from me?”
Adda got the sense that Nex did, indeed, think such things. She could feel his chagrin and concern that she had seen through it, though he didn't speak.
I thought you said it was a lost cause. Can we get to it before she does?
She needed to know, her next actions hinged on his answer. He had urged her to run, but if he thought the symbol dangerous enough to hide from this woman, then he hadn't shared the entire truth...Adda resisted the urge to run her hands across her face. She needed Nex's honesty.
Except it wasn't Nex who answered her.
“Still playing with mortals, Nex? You're pathetic,” the woman sneered. Or at least it looked as though she was sneering. It was difficult to tell with her upper lip torn and missing in places.
Alarm tramped across Adda's thoughts, canceling all but one.
The woman had heard her.
The idea that such a creature might be in her head cast a lick of fear along her spine. Was she in Scet's head, as well?
She couldn't be, Adda realized, for she returned her focus his direction, awaiting...demanding an answer. So what was the difference then? Nex?
Maybe she couldn't hear Adda, but only her communication with Nex.
“You test my patience, Lorekeeper. I am not one to be kept waiting. Your next hesitation will cost you a life,” she gestured meaningfully toward the pack.
“What exactly is it that you want?”
Adda had to give Scet credit. His voice came out smooth and without tremble, it even had an arrogant, bored tone to it that reminded her of Nex, which sparked an idea.
The remains of the woman's lips pulled downward. She raised a slender, festering arm.
“He doesn't know where it is. I've hidden it from him.”
Adda forced the words out, hoping she sounded enough like Nex to fool the woman. Her face turned Adda's direction once more, and the force of her displeasure was nearly enough to make Adda lose her faculties. She wondered, briefly, if crossing her legs would give away her charade.
“You will not play games with me, brother. I demand the crystal, or I will snuff out your existence so fast you will wish you had time to reconsider.”
Shadows gathered around her, making her appear darker, and scarier. They flowed inward from the forest, avoiding the bright patches where sunlight found its way down to the camp. They even scurried by the fire, which couldn't have been pleasant for them, given what Adda had experienced the night before. She could almost feel their pain, as the light from the flames tore through them, yet they continued to come, building up a dark barrier around the woman.
In the background, concern washed over Scet's face. Adda wasn't sure if he understood what she was doing or not. He probably wouldn't have approved, either way, but she hoped he played along and didn't sell out her little trick.
She looked toward the woman, and forced what she hoped was a bored expression to her face.
“Impressive,” she nodded to the display, “but unnecessary, I will give you the crystal.”
Eyebrows rose in an expression of surprise, then they crinkled together. Her face pulled into a tight scowl. She raised a single arm, hand outstretched.
“I do not have it here,” Adda told her, “but I will retrieve it, if you wish.”
There was no chance at all that she would allow Adda to leave, but it seemed like a negotiation Nex would make.
Vou snorted, and lowered her hand. The shadows remained in place, an attempt at intimidation...a very effective attempt.
A new worry occurred to Adda. If she could sense the glyph, she wouldn't need help getting to it. If that was the case, Adda had no bargaining chip. She studied the woman's actions, her heart hammering in her chest so loud that it was a wonder none of the others heard it.
“I am not the fool you always believe me to be, brother. You would run with the crystal. Then I would have the immensely boring task of tracking you down. Take me to it, any attempt at games, Nex, and I will lose my temper.”
“Fine,” Adda agreed.
Nex twitched in her mind. Similarly, the old Alpha, still standing next to Scet, reacted, his face contracted into fury, a wild, murderous light entered his eyes.
Adda narrowed her own eyes at him. Not going according to his plan? Good. Only a coward would abandon his post as Alpha just as the going got tough. He intended the brunt of this problem to fall to Scet, that much was obvious. Well, she supposed she was destroying all plans today, because she had no intention of giving the woman what she sought, either.
She made a move to walk away from the camp, toward the cave, since Vou could sense the glyph she would likely sense if Adda were to lead her in the wrong direction. Besides, the blades were gathered in the cave, as well, and Adda had the vague hope that she might retrieve one and use it on her.
Nex's dismay increased dramatically with that thought, nearly overwhelming her senses, yet he did not speak to her, a sure sign that their communication could be monitored. Adda certainly hoped that was all she could sense, or her planning was for naught.
Just in case, she tried to clear her mind, focusing instead on the path that would lead her west and then northward to the cave.
“Hold, brother,” the woman spoke, and the inflection of her words sent dread simmering straight to Adda's gut. “If you are to help me so willingly, then I suppose I have little use for this Lorekeeper and his dogs.” She smiled, a horrifying ugly smile, and turned to the creatures that shuffled about, waiting at the edge of the forest to be commanded.
“Children, I present you with a feast.”
Great Six.
The creatures wasted no time leaping forth toward the pack. Adda had enough of a view to watch Scet repel the agile attack of a male, nearly as large as he was, before the woman filled her view. She leaned toward Adda, and though she was no taller, with all of her shadows and intimidation, it felt as though she were stooping over her, trapping her.
“I told you I will not play at your games, Nex. I want that imprisonment crystal.”