30 – Eventine Returns to the Meadow

Eventine nodded at her mate. He nodded back, blew her a kiss, winked at her, blew her another kiss, then forced himself out the door to his rounds. No one could agree what the scent in the forest was, and they were all on alert.

Crew and Dahlia were sitting across from her. Harlan had brought chairs in because the couch was taken and the cabin had received a steady stream of visitors since Jaggar had left. No one could find him, no one had any idea how he might be trying to get to the meadow, but he had the right idea.

Leilani was lying on the couch, her eyes closed, a smile playing over her lips occasionally, like she was dreaming a pleasant dream.

Eventine got right back to business. “Crew, you’re not allowed back in the meadow, so that’s why I need Dahlia. I’m sure she can get us both there.” Crew did not look happy about it. His back was ramrod straight, like he was ready to spring out of the chair at any moment and usher Dahlia out of the house. He was taking his role as her protector too far, not letting her even consider what Eventine had asked them for.

“What if she can’t get back here?” Crew said.

“Why would you think that would happen?” Eventine asked, genuinely curious.

He glowered at the floor. “I just don’t want her getting involved in all of this.”

Dahlia put a hand on his arm. “You know I’m involved already, there’s nothing we can do about that. I want to help if I can.”

Eventine nodded, trying to catch Crew’s eye. “She’s involved. She’s not here just to look pretty, Crew, and she’s not here just to be your mate or have your young. She’s as involved in the fight as any of us, she’s been born into it just as surely as you have.”

He shook his head. “Not like this. She’s not supposed to fight. She’s not supposed to get wrapped up with Rhen.”

Dahlia and Eventine exchanged a look.

“What makes you say that?” Eventine asked carefully. This was exactly what she’d been talking about. Exactly what Trevor was upset with her for. Someone was finally going to say it.

“She’s female,” Crew said, his face set like he knew the shit he was going to get for it, and he didn’t care. He had his arguments ready.

“I’m female,” Eventine said softly. “Should I fight?”

Crew gave her a dirty look. “You’re a wolfen. It’s different.”

“Is it? If Dahlia were a wolfen, would we be having this conversation? Or is this more about you not wanting to lose her? Maybe more about the way you grew up, and about how scared all of you are that you’ve only gotten a short time to be with your mates?”

The door behind them opened. Rogue and Mac tromped in. “Don’t tell me someone died,” Rogue said when she saw everyone’s faces.

Eventine wasn’t sure whether to be glad Rogue was there or not. The female got to the point, always, but she didn’t seem to know or care when she was out of line. Sometimes it was a good thing. Sometimes, it wasn’t.

“No one has died,” Eventine said, deciding it was a good thing. “But Crew doesn’t want Dahlia to help me get to the meadow because she’s female.”

Rogue rolled her eyes. “Crew, what’s your deal? You turning sexist on us?”

Crew stood up and faced Rogue, then gave up before he got started and faced Mac. “Mac, get your female under control, or can’t you even handle that?”

“Oh boy,” Rogue said. “Somebody get this guy a dictionary and a button that says: Sexism equals bad.” She rolled her eyes again, facing off with Crew. “That was stupid as shit.”

Crew growled, Mac growled back, and Dahlia shot to her feet, pushing her mate backwards toward the hallway, trying to get him away from Rogue and Mac.

“Grr, grr, grr,” Rogue said. “You’re all so scary. Not. Still fucking sexist, though.”

Crew shook his head. “That came out wrong, but seriously, someone talk some sense into someone. Dahlia’s not getting involved and that’s my final word.”

Dahlia pushed at her mate, trying to get him to back up, throwing a look at Eventine. “Just give me two minutes,” she said. Crew looked like he wasn’t going to back up until Dahlia twisted one of his nipples, making him yelp and turn a hurt look on her. They disappeared into a back bedroom.

Rogue flopped into the chair Dahlia had vacated. “We can’t find Jaggar anywhere.”

Eventine nodded tightly. “I figured. That’s why I need Dahlia’s help.”

Rogue made a sour face. “If it works, if you make it to this meadow, how long will you be gone?”

Eventine shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Mac sat in the chair next to Rogue, his legs wide, his muscles rippling, his nostrils flaring as he scented the breeze coming in from the open window. “I’m surprised you even want to go back,” he said. “Aren’t you freaked you’ll get stuck there?”

“I’m trying not to think about that,” Eventine said, although she didn’t think it was possible, or probable. “It can’t be helped. If Rhen is equal to Khain, she has to actively help us. She can’t talk in riddles anymore.”

In truth, Eventine had only one goal once she got to the meadow, if she got to the meadow. Everything she was saying was true, but the most important thing to Eventine was Leilani. Leilani and Jaggar deserved their shot at this happiness thing, at the chance to live full lives of purpose, more than any of the rest of them did. Somehow, Eventine felt that Leilani was the key to everything that came next. Not Leilani’s power, but Leilani’s redemption. If they couldn’t make things right for Leilani and Jaggar, they wouldn’t be able to make things right for anyone, so Eventine was pulling out all her tricks, calling in all her favors, using every bit of influence she had, or should have, in order to secure Leilani’s future. If Rhen really was her mother, she had no greater trump card than that.

Crew and Dahlia returned. Crew’s expression was irritated. He moved behind the couch where Leilani seemed to be sleeping, a soft blanket pulled up to her neck, her eyes closed, her face relaxed.

“I was wrong, I admit it,” Crew said, rubbing the back of his neck and staring at the floor. “Dahlia and I are trying, so I’m over-sensitive right now.”

Rogue smirked at him. “Trying? Trying what? Paleo? Pilates? New sex toys?”

Crew shot her another dirty look. “You’re a bitch sometimes, Rogue, you know that?”

Rogue crossed her arms and lifted her chin. “Yeah, I know it, somebody’s gotta be. Don’t blame me if you all push me to extremes.”

Mac laughed and kissed her on the cheek. “Fuck ‘em if they don’t like bitches. More bitches for me.”

Rogue shot him a look. Eventine smirked. If looks could kill, there would be a smoking hole somewhere in Mac’s body.

“Sorry,” he said, laughing, not-sorry stamped clearly on his face. “It was a compliment. I like you bitchy.”

Eventine shook her head, ignoring Rogue, who had climbed into Mac’s lap and, oh look, now they were making out. No, don’t look. She would have thought Rogue was wolven, the way she marked up her mate.

Eventine waited for Crew to look at her. He finally did. “You know the young will fight, too, right?” she said. “If there’s still a fight, they’ll be called to it as surely as the rest of us are.”

Crew looked out the window then back. “Yeah, I know. Let’s get this over with. What do we have to do?”

***

Eventine and Dahlia lay side by side on the big bed in Cerise and Beckett’s bedroom, on top of the covers, fully dressed with their shoes on. It was Eventine’s first indication to Rhen that she was done playing. She knew Rhen didn’t like shoes in the meadow, and if the shoes were stripped from the two of them when they arrived, that was fine, they were still coming in with them on.

“Ready?” Dahlia said. She sounded exhilarated. Crew had worked earnestly with her, from Evie’s point of view, not holding anything back from her, feeding her detail after detail until Dahlia seemed overloaded. Eventine had declared they were going. The moon didn’t seem to be moving. The night didn’t seem to be progressing at a normal speed, and she had a feeling that the longer Jaggar and Leilani were caught up in whatever they were going through, the longer the night would last.

“Ready,” Eventine said and closed her eyes. Her only instructions were to relax fully. Dahlia had to do everything else. Dahlia took her hand. Evie held on tight.

Almost immediately, Eventine felt a jerk through her body, and when she opened her eyes, they were standing up on the Path of the Catamount, shoeless. The place seemed empty and the colors had leaked out of everything.

Dahlia almost squealed. “I did it!” she cried. She dropped Eventine’s hand and turned in a little circle, excitement shining on her face.

“You did,” Eventine said. “I had no doubt.”

But now what?