Andrei

 

Hear me now! I have tested the best among you Shifters of Anubis and found you wanting.

For a good ten minutes, listening in horror, restraining Roy, while Balt and Dez held onto Kai, I wasn't sure whether to retreat or confront Frost and Mirois. We'd managed to hide on a distant rooftop, listening as Frost wove a story about the Order that I almost believed.

She played on our fears and hopes, the fear of betrayal and the hope of peace. The fine line between glory for the Order and the selfless sacrifices it demanded. The uneasy price of keeping secrets. And the loyalty each Shifter of Anubis must have to another.

After Mirois’s little play about me, Kesari had shaken her head. “Andrei, you should leave.”

Even Roy looked inclined to agree.

“I do not think anyone would attack me,” I said, my heart beating fast.

Then Frost had started in with her empty promises about sharing the power of shifters. Using Kai as an example. He’d started to shake with fury, moving forward and Balt had stopped him. But as he continued, Dez had to step in, both of them keeping him calm.

“Thus, the TLO was born and our science is not to harm shifters, but elevate them!” Frost was shouting. “Why should only a few have the gifts of lion, wolf, and bear? Why do we allow the inanis to rule the world, with their wars, pollution, and hatred? Hearken to me – my mother solved this. If we give the gifts of shifters to the world, no longer will we have to hide. No longer will there be these borders and threat of ecological catastrophe… No longer will there be fear!”

The crowd of shifters was no longer making any sound, but Isla made a choking one. Kai suddenly stopped fighting Balt and Dez, turning to her and crushing her against him.

“What if they believe her?” she whispered. “Do they know how rare it is for it to work…? How lucky we were – a Weslark and a Kazan…?”

“They won’t,” Kai said, but his eyes were troubled.

“This is why so little of the information about the TLO was released to the Order,” Balt said, sounding sickened. “They’d always planned to find a way to try to lure shifters over…”

Frost was continuing, “So long as we are divided, men and lions, inanis and shifters, hate will rule.” Her voice became sorrowful. “Andrei Zima’s actions proved that. He murdered one of your own in the name of his own glory and to uphold his family name.”

“So glad I could be of service,” I said sarcastically. Everyone was looking at me in sorrow and I saw Dez and Balt exchange a glance. They thought I should turn tail and run. “I’m not interested in saving my own skin so the TLO can continue to abuse…”

My words were cut short because another voice had joined the commotion.

Faye.

“Lies!” she said, her voice shaking with rage. “Mirois never sent Andrei to the Foundry to kill me, but to try to cover her own tracks! She set up agents there to appear like traitors.”

Running forward, I found my way up to a roof and began to leap across until I came to an empty one with a view of the square. It had taken me seconds and I looked down to see her, hair tossing the wind like a warrior, hands on her hips and atop a huge bear statue.

“And as you can see, I’m alive because of Andrei Zima.” Faye was staring straight at Mirois. “You were right, Mirois. He always does the right thing. He knew I was innocent and he believed me when I told him how you betrayed the Order for power and glory. He is a good man – the best of us!”

My heart was glowing as the rest of them caught up with me. I grinned as I looked at Faye.

“Even now, they take our families and we are here! You are here to save them. You do what you have always done – what my parents did.” I wasn’t the only shifter who started at those words and felt a rush of power. “As a Shifter of Anubis, we are not perfect, but in the main, we are selfless and brave. I know you all and I know this to be true! We are a family! We love, honor, and protect each other. No one can end a thousand years of that. Not even a traitor!”

She turned to the crowd. “Rise up and fight, Shifters of Anubis! Your families are in danger from these power-hungry murderers! Our world is threatened! Fight!”

Faye’s voice lit a match in my blood.

But then I saw Frost’s hand drifting to her side, pulling out a gun and my heart stopped. Faye was still looking out at the crowd, she hadn’t realized what Frost was doing. And I was leaping down at her, shifting and the bullet tore across my side as I blocked her body with mine.

Shifting back, I ignored the fiery pain, grabbed the astonished Faye and kissed her swiftly in front of everyone. Then I turned and bowed to the infuriated Frost.

“You can go straight to hell, Lilian,” I said. “You and Helene.”

A roar of approval came from the crowd. Dimly, I heard them rallying, shifting and taking on the savage Electi. There were only four, but they had been bred as the predator of shifters and it would take teamwork to take them down. Plus, there were the traitors and TLO guards. I glanced back and saw that some shifters had broken off from the crowd, surging onto the roofs.

Frost raised her gun again, but Faye shifted and leaped over me, knocking the gun away, as Frost went sprawling. Mirois backed up. Masked TLO muscle was flanking her, along with traitors, and I was about to suggest to Faye that we retreat when a black jaguar, a golden lioness, a lion, cheetah, and a clouded leopard appeared in front of us, one by one. Our friends protected us as Kesari ran to my side, an arm around my waist as the pain in my side flared.

Buckling, I tried not to lean on her, when Piper appeared. “I can help,” she said.

When I looked up, Faye had vanished. “Faye!” I shouted. “Faye!”

Kesari ignored my cries, looking furious. “You’re already badly hurt! What were you thinking?”

“Faye’s life is more important than anything else,” I groaned, sagging to the ground. “Where is she?” I tried to spot her in the crowd, but the fighting had driven us apart.

“You were lucky, it grazed you, but this is poorly protected area of the body…” Piper’s hands were on my side and icy-hot tendrils were licking up. I bit back a cry as the muscles shuddered and reknit. I’d heard Piper’s healing was a bit like her – uncompromising and efficient.

Meanwhile, Kesari had her hand on my shoulder, giving me a boost of energy. Her touch was gentler and more patient. I smiled at both of them.

“Nice to be taken care of by the ladies,” I said, winking at them. “Now I have to find Faye–”

Suddenly more masked guards, traitors and TLO alike were swarming up the dais, coming to the aid of Frost and Mirois, who were both fighting back as hard as they could. I still couldn’t spot the pale gold leopard who was Faye and my uneasiness increased.

“We have to go,” Piper said, hauling me to my feet and Svetlana appeared, grinning.

“Hello, brother, you look like hell,” she said, knocking back a bear shifter with ease.

A huge gray timber wolf reared up, driving more traitorous shifters back and then shifted into Drax. “Zima, glad you’re alive. Get him out of here and go help – there are plenty more wounded who need to be taken care of.” Kesari and Piper looked at each other. “Alvie’s on the west flank, behind our people, doing all he can. Zima can hang out there.”

“No, I’m not leaving without Faye! Where is she?” I asked, struggling against Piper’s strong grip. “Faye!”

“I don’t know where Soraya went either,” Enele said, appearing by us and clutching his arm.

Suddenly there was a terrible scream. The masks of the TLO fell back, heads whipping around as they stared around for the source. I’d already found it.

Frost was screaming in rage, her mouth splitting wider and wider, as her limbs became humped and distorted. She scrabbled at her jacket, pulling out a syringe and plunging it into her leg. But it did nothing – instead, it seemed to make it worse.

“Oh no,” Kesari said, staring at her. “The instability – it’s gotten out of hand…”

Mirois was backing away when one of Frost's arms shot out and a clawed hand went around her neck.

“No! I’ve done everything for you,” Mirois gasped.

“And I thank you for your help,” Frost sneered and snapped her neck. Shock rippled across the dais as the body crumpled at her feet. “Who’s next?”

Several of the shifters, both friend and foe, who’d surrounded Frost began to back up. I saw Frost’s eyes darting around and then I saw them land on Kesari. I barely had time to shove her down as Frost’s deformed hand snatched on empty air.

Balt roared, attacking her left flank, while Dez darted at the right. Kai was trying to come up from behind, but Frost was too fast.

Not instability, I thought dully. There are Seven Electi in all. Frost made herself one…

“She’s… made herself one of them,” Kesari said, saying what I was thinking, tossing aside her broken glasses. “But… the dangers involved in that, I cannot believe she would risk it…”

“Frost would risk about anything to take over the world,” I said grimly, then I bellowed, “Roy!” But he was already right there and he embraced Kesari, his eyes filled with gratitude.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Oh, right. Yeah, thanks,” Kesari said weakly, rubbing her side.

“Get her out of here!” I barked. “Kai, Isla, you as well!”

Balt and Dez were trying to drive back Frost with no success. Drax had joined in, then I saw a bear shifter appear out of nowhere, fighting hard as well. Then a puma.

Lhambo and Stalissa had joined the fray. I saw more shifters swarm up, knocking down the guards around Frost. My heart leaped. We were winning.

Frost suddenly gathered herself and leaped over our heads, landing in the square and swinging her arms out. Shifters went sprawling and when she lifted her hands, they were red with blood. And clutching a remote I recognized.

“You cannot stop me!” Frost screamed in that terrible voice. “I have been planning this for years! I can smell your weakness – your loyalty and your hopes. And if you continue to fight me, I will murder all your children – one by the one in front of you.” She waved the hand holding the remote. “One press of this and they will all perish – submit to me or your families die!”

For a moment, everyone went still. It was true, no one knew where the families were and Frost still had the means to destroy them if they were collared…

“Make a choice Shifters of Anubis or I will kill every last one of them!” Frost screamed.

She’s won, I thought dully, as shifters drew back and her smile curved up. I eyed that remote, knowing full well the shifter who took her on would die in the attempt.

I took a deep breath and prepared myself, focusing on the remote.

Thankful I kissed Faye one last time, I crouched to leap.

“I have won!” Frost screamed, throwing her head back and laughing.

“You have not,” said a strong, clear voice.