Chapter Twenty-Four – Jack

A war raged in Jack’s head all through the long night. Helena had given her room up so that Jack could sleep by Eva’s side. Sleep never came. Instead he went over what had happened, all of it, blow by blow on a loop in his head.

The words of the Grimmwold kept coming back to him. The Dragon’s Tear had to be returned to the dragon it belonged to. No one had seen one for centuries. He looked down at Eva, his heart aching for her. He had sworn to protect her, to never hurt her, and he had broken both those promises.

She stirred, her eyes opening, and he swore he saw a bear flash before them. Lack of sleep had fired up his imagination, or maybe he was hallucinating. Turning in his arms, she looked up at him, a frown creasing her forehead. “Have you slept?”

“A little.”

“I thought you couldn’t lie to me?”

He shook his head. “Not convincingly, it seems.” He brushed her hair from her cheek, and then kissed the frown away. “I’m so sorry.”

“You have to stop that,” she said firmly. “It’s done.”

“You should have had a choice,” Jack said. “No one should be turned by force.”

“It wasn’t by force, I agreed to it, remember.” Jack opened his mouth to protest, but she put a finger over his lips and said, “It’s what I would have chosen. If I had a choice.”

“Would you?” he asked. “Or are you trying to make me feel better?”

“No. I would have chosen to be the same as you, the same as our children.” She sighed, and nestled into him. “I would have felt left out, when we have children. Imagine you all running through the forest on four paws, while I was on two legs. Not quite the same, is it?”

“No, and a human rolling in the mud would look weird.”

“Bears do that?” she asked.

“That and so much more.” He smiled. “I have so much to show you, so much to teach you.”

She sat up and groaned, putting her hand to her head. “As soon as I feel up to it, you can teach me how to … shift. Is that what you call it?”

“Yes.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed. “The others are already up. Breakfast and coffee, you’ll soon feel like a new woman.”

“I already feel like a new woman. An old and achy woman.”

“It will pass.”

“You’re right, food is what I need.” Eva got out of bed and they made their way downstairs, after she had visited the bathroom. Jack had waited outside, like a sentry, trying to figure out if the need to watch over Eva was ever going to go away.

“How are you feeling today?” Kurt asked, passing them each a hot mug of coffee.

“Better,” Eva said.

“Sit down, and eat,” Helena instructed, placing a plate of pancakes in front of Eva. “Locke said you need a sugar rush.” The witch pointed to the syrup.

“I am not going to complain,” Eva said, and helped herself to pancakes, and smothered them with syrup.

“Where is Locke?” Jack asked, picking a pancake up with his fingers and eating it.

“He likes to run early in the morning, I don’t think he sleeps well… if at all.” Helena leaned on the counter, looking out of the window. “I have persuaded him to stay. We talked last night, after you had gone to bed.”

“About hunting down the Templars?” Jack asked.

“It has to be done. And it gives him a purpose. Without one, I think he would lay down and die. He doesn’t eat well…”

“And you don’t mind the company?” Kurt asked.

“No. He’s quiet. It’s not like having you bears under my feet. He’s a good man.”

“We need to go soon,” Jack said, looking at his watch. “We can’t afford to be late.” He looked around the room. “Did Lucas go home?”

“He left around midnight.” Helena helped herself to another pancake, and put a couple more on Eva’s plate. Jack had never seen her look so maternal. “I can give you something to perk you up if you need it.”

“I’m all right,” Eva said. The coffee and pancakes were working.

“Good, this might be a rough morning,” Helena warned.

“It can’t be any worse than yesterday,” Eva said, and then looked up. “Can it?”

“Depends if they believe our story,” Liam said. “If they don’t, they may question us individually.”

“That sounds unpleasant,” Eva said.

“It won’t come to that,” Jack said adamantly. “Maybe it’s time the Council realize they need us, and we’re not just animals who do their grunt work.”

“Quoting Thaddeus,” Kurt said. “Master Get-Others-to-do-your-Dirty-Work.”

“Which is why I think we need to do our best to lend our support to Lucas,” Jack said. The others all stopped and looked at him.

“He’s serious about being the leader of the Council?” Liam asked.

“He is. And if it’s between him and Gareth, we need to make sure that the next leadership battle is won by someone who has some respect for us.”

“Respect. Lucas?” Helena scoffed.

“I said, some, which is more than Gareth has.”

“True,” Kurt agreed. He washed his cup under the faucet and then put it on the drainer. “We should get going.”

“Let’s get it over with,” Eva agreed. She got up, a little unsteady at first. “One day my legs are going to feel as if they belong to me again, right?”

“From what Locke said, it takes three or four days for your brain to get used to the change. It messes with your DNA,” Helena said.

“Sounds as though you and Locke are good friends,” Kurt teased.

“And only friends,” Helena said. “He’s just lost his mate. There is nothing more between us.”

“Sorry,” Kurt said, bowing his head. “That was out of line.”

“Yes, it was. I know I have a reputation, but I also have a sense of decency.”

It wasn’t often Helena got offended, but this was one of those times. Jack wondered if there was more to it, but he let it go. What she did in her own time was up to her. “Let’s head over to the Council Chambers and get this done. We have work to do today.”

“Yes, I’m supposed to be delivering that table and chairs to Mrs. Snelling today,” Kurt said as he picked up his jacket off the back of the sofa.

“And there’s an order of timber due this afternoon,” Liam said.

“That’s what we need to focus on,” Jack said, putting his arm around Eva. “Life. Normal life. Let’s go put this thing to bed, and get back to work.”

“Yes, I have a potion to mix later for hemorrhoids,” Helena said. “I can’t wait to get back to normal life.”

“Nothing about your life is normal, Helena,” Liam said, giving her a hug. “It’s why we love you so much.”

“OK, enough with the loving. The hugging is fine, but that wishy-washy stuff, yuck.” Helena brushed Liam off, but hid a smile.

“It’s more like the love you have for an aunty. A naughty aunty who gives you alcohol when you are under age and lets you watch age inappropriate movies,” Liam assured her.

“That makes me feel a whole lot better,” Helena said. “Aunty…”

Jack laughed, and told Eva, “This is what our life is usually like. Call-outs for the Council are few.”

“I’m pleased to hear it,” Eva said, and then turned to him, her hands resting on his chest. “But we made a promise to Locke.”

“I know, and we will hunt down the Templars. But first we need to deal with the Council and the Dragon’s Tear. I’m hoping the Grimmwold has persuaded Master Donavon that interring it is the best thing to do. If they ask you, will you agree?”

“Agree? You think they give a damn about what I want?” Eva asked.

“By rights it was yours. Before you went and got it, no one else could find it.” He sighed and looked away. “I have this idea.”

“Tell me.”

“That you could let your father speak directly to the Council. If he could explain why he hid it, then it could give us some leverage. Thaddeus will argue that they should use it for their own experiments, that they should find out what it does.”

“And the Grimmwold wants it returned to the last dragon, but no one knows where it is.”

“You don’t think the Grimmwold will know exactly where he is? But he is not going to want to part with that information. Not unless it is to one he trusts implicitly.”

“That’s why you think he will want it interred?”

“Yes. The dragon has waited centuries. The Grimmwold will happily wait; another few decades or more won’t matter.”

“What is he?” Eva asked, the others were getting in the car, and they turned to follow.

“He is knowledge, that’s all anyone knows, he’s been around since forever, and will be here when we all have turned to dust.”

“Good to know someone is in charge.”

“In charge?” Jack asked.

“The one with all the knowledge is the one who holds the real power. The Council members are just pawns. The Council leader is the mouthpiece.” Eva stopped. “Not sure where that came from.”

“Eva?” Jack asked, his hand on her arm, spinning her around. “This voice in your head. The Night Hunters.”

“Yes. Although I’m sure it’s only my dad left. After…”

“Are they alone? Is it just your ancestors, or are the connected to some kind of collective consciousness?”

“You mean am I a spy?” Eva’s face was ashen. All the color and vigor that had been restored since he’d turned her gone. “I don’t know.”

“We need to find out.”

“Whatever you need to find out, now is not the time,” Liam called. “Lucas just messaged me, there’s trouble. We need to go.”

“What kind of trouble?” Jack asked, running to the car.

“The kind that means we have to stop at our place and pick up the Land Rover,” Kurt said. He drove Eva’s car, tires flicking up stones as he hurtled down the forest trail and out on to the road.

In minutes, they reached the enclave, where Roman was waiting for them. “You’ve heard?”

Jack nodded. “From Lucas.”

“Me too. The Council is under some kind of siege.”

“A siege?” Liam asked. “Other druids?” That had never happened. The Supreme Council had been set up to keep order between the differing druid factions that existed centuries ago. There were smaller, local Councils spread throughout the country. They dealt with smaller grievances and were charged with keeping the Others in the area safe. It had stopped them wiping themselves out, although discontent and jealousy often rumbled on behind closed Council Chamber doors.

“No. Not magic makers. But they have come to shut the druids down.”

“Shit. Did you say shut them down?” Jack asked.

Roman shrugged. “Lucas didn’t say. He sounded like he was going to pee his pants.”

“Let’s hope he keeps it together, we’re going to need him.” Jack checked the weapons in the Land Rover. “Where is Lucas?”

“Here.” A breathless Lucas stood before them. “I didn’t want to be seen, so I thought I’d meet you here.”

“Who are they, Lucas?” Jack snapped.

Lucas, his face white, looked to Eva, and said, “Night Hunters. They’ve come for Eva and the Dragon’s Tear.”

“For Eva?” Jack asked.

“Yes. They want what is theirs and according to them, that is Eva and the stone. And they mean business. They have the Council locked in.”

“Do you know how? The Council are strong, why don’t they fight?” Jack asked. Lucas looked sideways at Jack, and then looked away. “Lucas. Tell me.”

“When the Council convenes, they are forbidden to use magic within the Chamber. But we’re also forbidden to talk about it. So that no one takes advantage of it.”

“And the Night Hunters knew this and shut them in the Chamber?” Kurt asked, strapping a knife to his belt. “Damn, we could do with some better weapons right now. Automatic weapons don’t work on degetty and trolls, but they sure would work on Night Hunters.”

“We can’t kill them all,” Eva insisted. “They are people.”

“Eva’s right, we aren’t murderers.” Jack yanked Lucas around to face him. “Are they all in there? All the druids?”

“Yes. It seems I wasn’t invited because of my association with you and your squad.”

“Well, if you had swapped the Dragon’s Tear like you were supposed to, none of this would have happened.” Liam squared up to Lucas.

“This is not my fault,” Lucas insisted.

“Typical druid, never taking the blame,” Liam muttered.

“No fighting between us. We have to work together.” Jack thought for a moment. “How many of them?”

“Twenty, more or less.”

“Twenty. Crap, they came in force,” Kurt said.

“They want the Tear and Eva,” Lucas said.

Jack said. “They aren’t getting either.”

“They won’t want me.” Eva’s voice was quiet, but confident. “Not when they know I’ve been turned. They will see me as tainted. Just as the voices in my head did.”

“That’s fine by me,” Jack said relieved. “Eva?”

Eva paced back and forth, agitated, and then came back to him, her face set. “I’m going to be the decoy.”

“No.”

“My father wants to talk to them. He said they will listen to him. He has information they will want to hear.” She lowered her voice focusing on Jack. “It will give you time.”

“Time for…?” Jack began, but Eva shook her head and placed her hands over her ears. Jack’s idea of a collective consciousness came back to him and he nodded. “OK.”

“Let’s get the party started!” Kurt called and they all got into the Land Rover.

“What the hell have you all been up to these last few days?” Roman asked as he took his seat in the back.

“You don’t want to know,” Liam said.

“No, really, I do.” His mouth was set firm, and then he added, “Because I thought I was part of this squad. So when I find out you left me behind, I have to wonder if you don’t trust me.” He looked at Eva.

“No, man, that was not about you.” Jack frowned and shook his head. “I’ll explain later. We do trust you, but we didn’t want you to get caught up in this.”

“Still should have been my choice,” Roman said. “I would cover your backs, the same way as you would cover mine.”

“Understood,” Jack said with a nod. “What the fuck!” The big gates leading to the Council Chambers were still intact, but open. “Did someone let them in?”

“An inside job? Maybe Thaddeus sold them out after what happened yesterday,” Kurt said.

“You should drop me off here, I’ll walk the rest of the way,” Eva said as they neared the end of the driveway leading to the Council Chambers. “Wait until I have their attention.”

“Your dad with you now?” Jack asked.

She gave him a half smile. “He is. He’s blocking the others. He says it will be OK. You go do your thing.”

“Our thing. We can do that,” Jack said. However, as she left the Land Rover and walked away from him, toward the Council Chambers, he felt the thread between them stretching, and he prayed to the goddess he would not end up like Locke. He’d only just met his mate, and he was not ready to lose her again.