Connor stood and growled low. This time all turned in his direction. He was a man dedicated to peace, yet capable of calling upon his darker side. He was not a man to cross. His voice turned low and deadly. “The magical community will not condone these kills. This council of leaders was created to help humanity, not murder innocents. Further, we demand the Grey Council fill the position left vacant by the death of Caitlin, the leader of the female Water Wizards. Although many of the female Wizards have fled, there are several of them still on the island. I recommend we ask them if they could vote for someone to represent them here. A balance must be maintained in the world, and it begins at this table. Our first order of business can’t be to declare war. It must be to discuss why the female Wizards left, taking our future with them.”
Low murmurs rippled around the chamber. Other voices joined Connor’s, shifting from Constantine’s proposal to the debate on restoring the female Wizards’ position on the board with the theory that the gesture might entice those missing to return.
Vlad and Constantine exchanged glances. Vlad ground his teeth together. The meeting was getting out of control. Connor was stirring up trouble and would need to be eliminated.
Always the diplomat, Constantine rose, raising his hand to silence the heated words. “We agreed that it was the right decision to keep the female Water Wizard position vacant until our women returned. It was further discussed that perhaps we should take the burden of board responsibility from their shoulders, to lessen their stress. At the time, Connor agreed with our assessment. We also considered the possibility that our female Wizards left of their own accord but dismissed the theory. Why would they? They were revered and given all afemale could desire. We must consider the possibility that one of our enemies kidnapped them.”
Vlad nodded at each remark Constantine made, marveling at the man’s ease in turning around this potentially volatile situation. Deflecting the blame to someone else was Constantine’s specialty. Constantine had presented the opportunity to openly wage war against an enemy of their choosing. The man was a genius.
Old Man, with a gray beard that hung past his waist, and wearing a midnight-blue tunic, spoke in a voice brittle and cracking with age. “Perhaps, esteemed President Constantine—perhaps. But even if one of our enemies kidnapped the female Wizards and our Wizardlings, we must entertain Connor’s suggestion. Our ancient texts speak of how female Wizards are capable of flourishing without us. These same texts, state, bluntly, that without them to temper our violent nature, we will kill each other and vanish as though we never existed. I am not suggesting that we discount the possibility that they might have been kidnapped by our enemies, but neither rule out that they left on their own accord for reasons known only to them.”
Frustrated with Old Man’s interference, when Constantine had so expertly given them a reason to quell the heated discussion, Vlad pounded his fist on the table, with the desired results. All eyes turned from Old Man to him.
“I respectfully disagree, Old Man. Neither one of our kind will survive without the other. Female Wizards need our protection. President Constantine offered a reasonable explanation for the female Wizards’ disappearance, and we have to heed his wise words.”
A murmured discussion traveled around the table. Old Man had spoken of an ancient text that dated back to the time of Atlantis. It had never sat well with male Wizards. They did not want to believe that female Wizards could survive without them.
Old Man had gone too far, and that pleased Vlad very much.
Vlad smiled to himself as he developed an idea that might appeal to any who did not agree with Constantine’s plan. One that could solve all his problems, bringing the female Wizards and the Wizardlings back to the island and Morgan within his grasp. Zephra, one of the female Wizards who had stayed on the island, had let it slip that Morgan had been appointed leader after Caitlin’s death. She had said it with pride, and a touch of warning in her voice. At the time, Vlad had kept silent, guarding his reaction, but that was before he realized that the female Wizards were more organized than he had first thought.
He raised his hand to still the murmurs of unrest. “Old Man is wise, and his words have given me a possible solution. I don’t know if the women left of their own accord, but I have an idea that might prove once and for all if they are able to return of their own free will. If they do not return, then it supports President Constantine’s theory that they were kidnapped, and we must prepare accordingly. With your approval, I propose we fill the vacant position.” He paused just long enough to let his words settle over the Talons and the Grey Council. The tension in the chamber eased, proving how right he’d been that he and the president were in danger of losing their hard-won control.
With a great effort, he forced a smile onto his lips and a gentleness in his voice. “Zephra, one of the female Wizards who remained on the island, shows leadership skills. I propose we nominate her to fill the vacancy. The nomination will have to be confirmed by the female Wizards on the island, of course, but I’m sure they will agree. Female Wizards always have ceremonies to celebrate such things. I propose, as an offer of good will, we invite Morgan, who we know took over leadership after Caitlin’s death.”
Connor’s voice was measured and his eyes cold. “I have met Zephra. She is respected and devoted to her sister Wizards. Afine choice. I second the nomination. I also approve of inviting Morgan, but this feels like an empty gesture. How do you propose we get this message to her, and what makes you think she would return? I share Old Man’s concern that the female Wizards had strong reasons for leaving.”
Vlad held onto a tight smile. “Female Wizards are known for their ability to compromise and seek peaceful solutions. I am confident they will consider Zephra’s nomination as an olive branch and the beginning of a new and better relationship. We will enlist the help of the Air Wizards and the magical community to spread the word of our decision. This serves another purpose. If the female Wizards are free to come and go as they please, we will know they left of their own accord. If not, then we must seek out their kidnappers.”
Vlad broke eye contact with Connor as they voted. He was certain Connor had seen through Vlad’s deception, but it didn’t matter. By the time Connor had proof that Vlad used nominating Zephra to a position on the board as a ruse to learn where Morgan and the other female Wizards were hiding, it would be too late. With Morgan under his control, he would deal with her treason and anyone else he considered a threat.
Chapter Thirty-One
Under a crescent moon, beneath a Seattle viaduct, sandwiched between Zacharias’s warehouse and the ferry terminal, Rowan waited for Morgan to arrive. He was early. According to AJ, they needed to wait until after midnight, when the guards on duty became lightest.
They’d asked AJ to stay behind. This was no place for a human if their plan went sideways.
It should be easy. They’d break into Zacharias’s office and search for incriminating evidence. A non-issue if the man was an ordinary businessman importing his product from the same approximate location as Atlantis. It would be nothing more than an unfortunate coincidence. Which meant the location of those harvesting Oculist power would remain unknown.
But if Zacharias was connected to a rogue element of the Talons, the Grey Council, or an unknown enemy, Rowan should have asked for more backup. In any one of those scenarios, the men guarding the warehouse wouldn’t be your garden-variety security guards. Like Rowan, they’d possess paranormal powers.
Too late now for “what if.”
He felt Morgan arrive before she came into view. The brand over his heart reacted like an overexcited puppy when its owner arrives home from work. Rowan’s blood began to simmer as Morgan headed toward him at a brisk pace from the direction of a dock on the far side of Zacharias’s warehouse. The raincoat she wore instead of adding more substance to her only made her appear more fragile, vulnerable. He should never have allowed her to come along. Female Wizards had power over water, but the fight they faced was on land. If anything happened to her, he didn’t know what he would do.
He waited until she was close enough to touch, then clenched his hands at his side, fearful he’d give in to the impulse. “I’vechanged my mind. I can’t solve this case if every time we’re together I’m—”
“Turned on?”
Rowan frowned. The woman was driving him crazy. “Distracted,” he corrected.
She turned her gaze toward the docks. “You are not the only one who suffers. I feel it too.”
The dark shadows lengthening below the viaduct couldn’t hide the conflicting emotions passing over Morgan’s expression. Regret. Sadness. Fear. When she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze, the fear in her eyes remained.
Morgan placed her hand on the brand over his heart. Her voice was so low it sounded like the waves as they gently lapped against the pier at the nearby ferry terminal across the street. “You have asked that I remove my brand’s symbol, and according to our laws, I agree.” Again, those beautiful eyes filled with deep sadness. “But there is no guarantee it will work after this length of time. I will need to consult the elders.”
Rowan fought the urge to place his hand over hers, draw her into his arms, and tell her he’d changed his mind. As aggravating as it was to know that she was near, it would be worse not knowing if she was okay. Being this close to her without touching her tested his resolve, which proved his point. He needed a clear head to fight what lay ahead, but it didn’t sound like removing the brand was as easy as he’d hoped.
