Piper

 

We’d walked the length of the gardens behind the house and were now making our way through a thick grove of trees. Here a small path was laid out, lined with conch shells and winding back and forth. In the distance, you could hear the sea and the hush of wind.

But beyond that, it was silent. A still and deep silence, one that brooded and did not want its concentration interrupted. After the meeting with the Decem this morning – at least after they’d made their request – the women had relaxed, laughed, and told stories. The children had become cheery and loud, talking over one another. In that brief moment, the Kazan family seemed whole and happy. No grim curse dogged their days.

Now, walking along, I saw no one and the oppressiveness of the place pressed on me. From what the Decem had said, there were spies of Kyría Kazan everywhere. Though the numbers who agreed with Kyría and the use of the talisman had dwindled, very few ever spoke out of turn. To do so could mean instant exile and the possibility of never seeing your loved ones again.

It had made me realize I’d never appreciated the depth of Kyros’s sacrifice. And I hated that Balt’s grandmother had tried to turn him against his uncle.

Soon, I reassured myself. Soon, he’ll know the truth and all will be well.

The Kazan family will be free.

And my hand will be the one to shatter those chains.

“Piper, look,” Balt said, nudging me and I blinked, coming back to reality.

Ahead of us, carved into a green hill, were training grounds. Hurrying forward, I surveyed it with great interest. Heavy and dark wood surrounded the perimeter, with buildings and stables on the far side. Balt was staring at it as though trying to place it.

“Do you remember this place?” I asked.

“No,” he said reluctantly. “Not at all.”

My heart was leaping around in my chest as we got closer. One area was set up as though for combat, with an obstacle course of see-saws, beams, and boulders. Bouncing on my feet, I peered over the fence and that's when a laugh was carried down the breeze.

Both of us turned to see Ritsa standing by the stable, hands on her hips and feet planted wide. Squinting at us, she jerked her head and we walked over.

“Baltsaros,” Ritsa said, eyes twinkling. “Good to know you’ve done the Kazan family credit in more ways than one. Not many hit the five-six jackpot, never mind the six-six.”

“Great-Aunt Ritsa!” Balt exclaimed, a smile breaking over his face and he embraced her so tightly he lifted the old woman off the ground and she swatted him as he put her down. “I’m sorry. It’s just so good to see you.” He paused. “And I didn’t know you spoke English.”

“Hmph. There’s a lot of things you don’t know, nephew, I can tell you that,” Ritsa retorted.

He grinned and they began to talk, with Ritsa peppering him with questions about America, Shifters of Anubis and if he was eating enough spinach. Watching them, I wished that Ritsa was Kyría. She was tough yet had a good heart and cared deeply for her family.

Suddenly Altair emerged from the stable and my face pulled into a scowl. He was wearing light gear and his eyes swept over the three of us. Ritsa fell silent, raising an eyebrow at him.

From all accounts, Altair was completely in Kyría’s sway. Not only that, but he was her favorite and enjoyed that position immensely. The irony of the secret behind that favoritism, one Altair did not suspect but Kali had told me, made my blood simmer in my veins.

Nor did Altair suspect his two sisters only worked with him to keep an eye on him. I bit my lip as I looked away, wondering how painful it would be to be in a family so crisscrossed. To have a brother so obsessed with status, he only shrugged when Angele told him about Electra’s tattoo.

At least with Kai and me, even our ugliest fights couldn’t tear us apart. Even the tension of the last seven years seemed like child’s play compared to the Greek tragedy of the Kazans’.

Again, unreasonably, I missed my younger brother. Maybe it was because after not seeing him for far too long, I’d seen him multiple times in the last few months. Now it felt odd not to see him. Or maybe I needed someone else who knew Balt. Who could help me.

But Isla cannot be anywhere near the Kazans. Nor should Kai.

Altair strode by, barely giving me a glance, followed by Angele and Athena in dark gear. They nodded coldly to us and Balt bristled.

“How rude,” he muttered.

Ritsa seemed highly amused. “Do not trouble yourself, Balt.” Then she glanced at me. “If you like, there’s extra gear and equipment inside. You look hungry to train, girlie.”

“Oh, forgive me. Great-Aunt Ritsa, this is Piper Weslark. She’s uh…” He hesitated, looking at me with bewildered worry and it made my chest hurt.

“Best friend. Girlfriend,” I said with a forced laugh. “Hard to know which comes first.”

Ritsa’s eyes went wide. While the Decem had tried to ascertain our relationship at the breakfast meeting, I’d sidestepped those questions. At the time, I was worried it might get back to Kyría somehow. Or that they’d change their mind about asking me, even though I knew they’d suspected as much.

“Well, it’s so nice to meet you, Piper,” Ritsa said, recovering quickly, her smile wide and sly. “You look like the kind of woman who can keep a Kazan man in line, too.”

I grinned and shrugged. “I do my best.”

“So, you want to just look at the grounds or use ‘em?” Ritsa asked.

Looking from her to Balt, I said, “I’d love to train. How about it?”

Balt was giving me a soft, happy look and my cheeks flushed. “Anything you want.”

Ritsa brought us inside, gathering up the gear and bringing us to rooms where we could change. The whole place smelled of wood chips and rubber. It was well-maintained, everything shined to a polish and not a speck of dust in sight.

Once back outside, we set up away from the twins and Altair. First, we warmed up, then went through a series of drills and some light weight-lifting. By the end of it, my skin was soaked with sweat and I was grinning widely. So was Balt, filled with the same exhilaration.

More people had appeared, mostly women with a few children, hanging along the fence. Then I started, seeing a familiar black scarf. Kyría Kazan.

She was looking directly at me and gave me a cold smile, which I returned.

Balt saw her at the same moment and I sensed the sharp pain that flared in his chest. "I think we're done," he said testily. "Come on."

Walking away, Altair suddenly shouted, “Baltsaros!” We turned to see him standing on the fence board, perfectly balanced and he crooked a finger. “Come here a moment, cousin.”

Warily, we approached him and he leaped down. Scowling, Balt asked, “What?”

“It’s not often we have members of Shifters of Anubis here – or ever really.” A soft laugh came from a few people standing along the fence. “How about a demonstration?”

“Demonstration?” Balt echoed.

“A pankration,” Kyría suddenly called out and Balt went rigid. “You and Piper against the twins and Altair.”

“No,” Balt said flatly. “That practice is frowned about by Shifters of Anubis.”

“Ah, but you use those techniques to train, do you not? Shifting back and forth between forms, trying to use both your strength and your wits.” Altair grinned. “We know you’re strong, cousin, but how are those wits?”

Annoyance at Altair crackled under my skin. “Balt is an expert fighter. We cannot go up against you because it wouldn’t be fair. We’ve been training since we were children.”

“So have we,” Altair responded smugly.

The look on his face had my lips pulling into a flat kind of snarl, but I refused to let him bait me. Even if he dared to suggest Balt wasn’t up to the challenge. Staring straight at him, I thought, Balt and I would flatten you, Altair. You wouldn’t even know what hit you.

Glancing at one another, we moved to step away when Kyría’s voice rang out again. “The warrior left standing will get anything they want from me.” Her eyes gleamed. “Perhaps the answer to a burning question or location of something long thought lost…”

At the latter words, Angele and Athena both straightened, glancing over at Kyría and then at each other. There was a steeliness to their gaze as they turned back I had not seen before.

And as much as I did not want to give Kyría or Altair the satisfaction, I swung past Altair and vaulted up over the fence. Balt followed me and grabbed my arm.

“No, what are you doing?” he asked in a whisper. “I don’t want to do this.”

“Then don’t. I’m more than capable of taking on your cousins,” I said.

A sigh hissed between Balt’s clenched teeth. “Piper, you are trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

Ignoring him, I turned to Altair, who was climbing up and over, looking eager. “What are your rules?”

“There are none,” he said with a laugh.

“Altair,” Athena said in a warning voice and he shrugged his big shoulders.

"Fine, no fighting dirty. Though I feel that goes without saying," Altair said with a dramatic eye roll. “The bout lasts as long as possible – claw, tooth, and fist.” He nodded at us with affected exaggeration. “Weapons if you’d like – there’s plenty along the fence. And may the best team win.”

“Should it not be two on two?” asked Ritsa.

“Piper and Baltsaros are Shifters of Anubis legends. I’m sure they can hold their own,” Kyría responded, looking satisfied. “We will commence in one minute.”

“How do we wind up in these situations?” Balt muttered under his breath as he stood next to me. “A pankration against my cousins. Honestly.”

“Relax,” I said, letting the adrenaline course through my body as I shook back my ponytail and grinned widely. “This is no worse than that time in Bavaria as rookies with that wolf gang.”

“Oh my god,” Balt groaned under his breath. “You had to bring that up.”

“They had machetes, too, remember?” I asked with a small chuckle. “Outnumbered by ten.”

“Only you would find that funny, Piper,” Balt shot at me.

From across the yard came a loud clap and Kyría announced, “Begin!”

The twins exploded left and right, mere blurs of dark gold as they shifted. Meanwhile, Altair reared up and fell down, snarling, a giant black lion. A flash of surprise went through me, but I ignored it and sprang into action.

Twisting towards Balt, I heard him let out a soft chuckle into my hair as he took my hands, lifting his knee, which my feet landed on. He drove it up and I used him to launch myself into the air, shifting as I soared overhead. Our eyes met briefly and Balt winked.

For a moment, I could pretend that this was the old days, but then I landed behind Altair as a jaguar. Balt now shifted and crouched, ready for the twins. As Angele and Athena came towards him, he turned and kicked, knocking both of them to the ground.

Before Altair could turn, I’d leaped onto his back and used my weight to push him forward into the ground, using the momentum to go to Balt’s aid. As we stood back to back, Angele came at me, abruptly shifting back and swinging a fist at my face.

Easily I caught it and twisted her arm, forcing her to her knees. But then Altair was there, his fist inches from my cheek as he swung wildly. His face was smeared with dirt and his forehead was bruised, eyes darting fire.

Too easy. I thought.

Crouching low, I swung my leg out, knocking both of them to the ground and then I flipped over Balt’s back, my hand brushing along his warm fur as I did so. We switched places and both shifted. I went after Athena, who was fast and cunning, while Balt fended off Altair. 

As Athena and I circled, I glanced at Balt who'd knocked back Altair and Angele was apparently out cold. I frowned as he hesitated, glancing at her.

No! I screamed in my head at him. It’s a feint, don’t be fooled!

Balt glanced at me as though he’d heard my thoughts and suddenly fell back further as Angele leaped up at him, a second too late.

At the same moment, Athena came towards me and I took off in a burst of speed at her. Ducking under her outstretched paw, claws gleaming, I threw my shoulder into her chest and drove her backward. Strength and fury pounded through me, her weight nothing as I drove forward. She sailed through the air and rolled over and over, before coming to rest a foot away.

For a moment, I stared at her, perplexed and a little guilty. Where had that strength come from? That was something Balt was able to do, but not me.

Turning, I saw him dart out of the way of Athena with incredible speed and my jaw dropped. Balt’s not that fast! My right lower leg was tingling and I looked down, eyes widening in shock.

The fesootai had appeared in my shifted form. Not as a tattoo, but as a pattern of spots just above my foot. It was unmistakable. Buzzing filled my ears.

What the hell? I wondered.

Piper, behind you! I heard a shout in my mind and I spun out of the way as Altair came at me, swiping and snarling. Backing up, I watched him warily. He seemed to be desperate to win, striking without thought and leaving himself open.

And while Altair wasn’t going to win, he also wasn’t giving me a chance to counterattack. But I sensed Balt coming to my aid and sure enough, I saw a flash of gold beyond Altair.

Balt’s cousin swallowed and ran left, sliding and shifting. Rising, he brandished a sword and shield at us he’d retrieved from against the fence.

Balt shifted back and gave him a dubious look. “Swords?”

There was a wild light in Altair’s eyes. “No rules, remember? And any weapon.”

With a sigh, Balt edged backward and seized up a blade. His hair was lank with sweat and I noticed he was favoring his right leg. Looking over my shoulders, I saw both twins were now out.

Flanking his right, I snarled at Altair who threw back his head and laughed.

“My sisters only got in the way,” he spat.

I drew back in disgust and glanced back again. I saw Athena helping Angele to her feet. Both of them cast Altair a cold look and then gave me a glittering one.

Defeat him, they seemed to say.

With pleasure, I vowed. Racing towards him, I focused on his knees, but he chopped down wildly, almost taking off my tail and I had to roll out of the way. Balt came after me, his sword ringing loudly on Altair’s shield as it absorbed the blow.

Then their swords clashed and I stood back, waiting for an opening.

“No shield?” Altair snarled. “You’re more arrogant than I thought.”

Balt gave his cousin a fierce smile and said nothing.

Piper is my shield.

The words flowed through my mind, cool and strong. I blinked, swearing for a moment that they were Balt’s, not mine. Then I shook my head, forcing myself to focus as Altair swung low.

In a flash, I was there, forcing him to retreat and he fell on his back. I shifted and caught the sword Balt threw me. Spinning it in a lazy circle, I grinned at Altair.

"Would you like to cry ‘uncle?'"

“What?” Altair asked, baffled as he got to his feet.

“Oh, that’s an American saying, isn’t it?” I made a face. “Give up, I mean. Are you done?”

His sword whistled through the air and my knees buckled slightly as I caught it. Altair was driving down, snarling and throwing his whole body behind it. Suddenly he brought his shield up as well and I had to stumble back to evade it smashing into my chin.

But then Balt was there, driving him back with blow after blow. He was focused and furious.

Finally, Altair's sword spun away and he was on the ground, the point of Balt's blade at his chin. “I yield,” he bit out, glaring up at his younger cousin.

Chest heaving, Balt stepped back and looked at me, his eyes searching me as though to make sure I was okay. I smiled and then watched as Altair stalked off, hurling his shield to the side. Walking over, Balt and I stood face to face. I was about to tell him how amazing he’d been, how much I–

“Well, that was impressive,” Kyría said in a soft voice and my skin crawled.

I’d almost forgotten she was there.

We both looked over at her and she smiled. “Well?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Balt’s eyebrows contract and I subtly shook my head at him. I wanted to wait and discuss what we should ask her.

“Are you going to finish?” she asked.

An uneasy sort of silence fell over the rest of the aunts and children, Ritsa was suddenly glaring at her sister-in-law as Kyría leaned forward, grinning like a skull.

“Finish?” I asked, my breath coming in hard pants. “We just did.”

“I see two warriors left standing,” Kyría’s smile grew. “Come now, don’t be foolish. You’re not finished – not if you’d like me to answer your burning question.” She laughed. “Let’s see who would win. Piper Weslark or Baltsaros Kazan…”