Chapter Forty-One

Atense silence stretches out as everyone takes in the treaty I’ve laid out in front of them. Camden, Wyatt, and I have all read it, but we all read it over again in silence. The witches seem engrossed in the words, leaning over the pages and whispering amongst each other periodically.

I read and reread the finely scripted words, searching for any errors there might be even though I’ve spent the last week pouring over these contents. I wasn’t the person to physically write out the pages that are being read now; Wyatt took our final draft to the royal scribe, Oscar—the same shifter who delivered an invitation for dinner to me and Leisel back in Aesara—who then made several copies. The scribe’s writing is much more elegant than mine, which is a plus, but it also makes me nervous that some final errors and edits may have been made while I wasn’t overseeing.

I don’t think people in this castle would undermine me, but then again, the only people in this castle I truly know are Wyatt, Camden, Leisel, Greta, and Cara. That makes me nervous. In fact, everything about this situation makes me nervous, even though I try not to show it; I’ve never been in a position of power like this before, with so many fates and lives depending on my actions.

I have no training in diplomacy, no formal education, really—I’m trying to learn as I go, which is intimidating. The many, many history books and textbooks I’ve read over the years are my only guide, but even so, that makes me feel ridiculously under qualified for the position I’ve put myself in. The fact that shifters don’t deal with foreign relations outside of other shifter factions is even more frightening because I understand I’m the first of my kind, and any mistake I might make could be the end of any attempts at diplomacy and interspecies integration. The work I’m doing is integral for the future; I can’t afford to screw it up.

After twenty minutes, Odelia clears her throat. She glances at Camden, then Wyatt, before settling her gaze on me. “I’m assuming this is your work?”

I motion at Wyatt with a hand. “I took advice, but yes, I did most of the drafting.”

“Obviously,” Reyna says. “Only a witch would be this decent to other witches. If the Beta here had done this on his own, I’m willing to bet there would be a quarter of the provisions and offers for witches and none for humans.”

“If I’d been doing this on my own,” Wyatt says with a toothy smile, “I wouldn’t have gotten past the first draft. I certainly wouldn’t have received authorization to parlay with you. Having a witch in the palace has lent us a great deal of perspective, which is why we’ve finally reached out to you.”

I cast Wyatt a look of surprise. I knew Camden was behind this treaty being my triumph, but also hearing Wyatt admit so frankly that without me, my work, and my perspective we wouldn’t be here is warming. We’ve been growing closer, so I knew we were on better terms than when I first arrived, but I didn’t expect him to acknowledge my part in this so wholly—wolves are proud creatures by nature, so I assumed he’d want to take as much credit for himself as possible.

“After decades of hunting our kind for sport, yes, you’ve decided to try for an alliance,” Claire remarks in the most pleasant yet icily tipped tone. “I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that the dark faye are in similar negotiations with the vampires regarding their own alliance, one that would put you at a massive disadvantage when they formally declare war.”

I’m startled by the news that the faye have already started talks with the vampires—I hadn’t heard anything of the sort. I look to Camden, trying to gauge his reaction, only to find that he appears completely unsurprised. This isn’t new information to him. The fact that he withheld it from me sends a foreign pang of pain through my chest. I frown, annoyed at my own reaction; he had no reason or even means to tell me, as we haven’t seen each other or spoken in the last week. Besides, this is a war-related issue, and outside of the diplomacy I’m heading, war is his department, not mine.

And yet, the knowledge that he didn’t tell me something that pertains to me and my work still hurts, which means our bond is now on steroids. In the past, I would’ve been irritated at a development like this—annoyed at him, not hurt by him. That fact alone frustrates me.

As if he can sense my pain, which at this point he very well could, Camden turns to me. “I just received reports this morning, unconfirmed.”

That’s enough to settle the pain in my chest, which on its own is concerning. Now, after he marked me and we had sex, I seem to be far more susceptible to him than I ever was before. I don’t like that one bit, but it looks like this is something I’ll have to get used to.

“Consider this the confirmation,” Odelia says calmly. “It’s only a matter of time before the dark faye and vampires settle on an agreement.”

“The noble faye will contest it—they still have all the power when it comes to the faye factions,” Wyatt says.

Odelia shakes her head. “Not anymore. The dark faction has been pushing against their monarchy and nobles for quite some time, and joining with the vampires will be a straightforward way to distance themselves from the nobles.”

I took the liberty of reading up on faye history and power structure in the last week, withdrawing several books from the library to help me. As far as I know, like shifters, faye live in a pyramid hierarchy structure that favors power. Noble faye are deemed noble both because their lineages are prone to greater magical power and because their families have been the ruling class for centuries in their own realms. The light faye and dark faye, however, are generally said to be matched with magical power, yet the light faye sit on top of the dark faye in the pyramid structure, mainly because the dark faye are prone to unpredictability and violence.

“Some members of our coven have had…run-ins with dark faye in the past,” Odelia says. “We are by no means on good terms, and they’ve threatened wide-scale war with us before. The only thing holding them back from making good on their threats was the noble faye. If their alliance with the vampires liberates them from allegiance to the rulers, then there’s little to stop them from coming after witches in tandem with shifters.”

Ah.So that’s why the witches were so quick to take this meeting—not only due to my proposal and incentives but because they’re also on the edge of war. If the witches have to fight both vampires and dark faye alone, I imagine they’ll sustain heavy losses. If they team up with us, those losses will likely be fewer for both our kinds. We’ll also have a fighting chance against our opponents.

“What sort of run-ins?” Camden asks.

Odelia and Reyna share a look, communicating silently, before Reyna shrugs and says, “It’s your call if you want to tell them. I’m for the alliance—much as I hate it, we need the wolves. And if that one truly has the black flame,” she nods her head at me, “We all need her if we hope to survive. Plus, wolf shifters have the fealty of dragon and feline shifters—that’s serious manpower we could use.”

I listen to her speak with deepening interest as well as a healthy dose of apprehension. I already knew I’d be desirable for my power with black fire alone, untrained though it is, but hearing Reyna say it’s their hope of survival tells me that there’s some disturbingly powerful magic on the other side. As far as I know, there’s nothing and no one that could withstand my black fire, aside from Camden due to our bond, but it’s quite possible there are powers of equal measure among the dark faye—just ones I don’t know about.

Odelia looks back at us. “Certain members of the dark faye have been breeding with vampires for the last two or three decades. The offspring are hybrids, formidable and extremely powerful. The dual nature of their species increases both their magical and vampiric abilities. Aside from that threat, the dark faye have taken to raiding outlying villages of witches and warlocks.” She pauses to look at me and explains, “Warlocks are the male counterparts of witches, as a whole we’re referred to as sorcerers.” Then looking between Camden, Wyatt, and me. “We’ve lost an entire coven to the hybrids and dark faye, and sustained major losses in other covens. Four members of the Nightshade Coven have also been killed while on missions in foreign territories. They’re a growing threat, and I’m quite sick of losing my witches to their heinous crimes. They kill for sport, and for fun, and they do not give quick or pleasant deaths.”

Shit. I knew hybrids were possible—after all, Claude is one—but I didn’t even think that other species could create them. The way Odelia describes the crossbreeds of vampires and dark faye…I imagine they’d have some magical abilities that could rival my fire. It’s no wonder the witches are seeking alliances and further protection.

Odelia inhales a deep breath. “We will agree to your treaty if you’re willing to add a few amendments.”

I can’t make that call on my own. I look to Camden, who inclines his head in agreement.

I say to Odelia, “Name them.”

Staring at Camden, she replies, “First of all, send pack warriors to our territories. We have magical provisions in place to keep out invaders, but manpower from shifters will present a united front and work as a deterrent. In return, I’ll send some of my girls to ward your territories.” She looks at me. “The wards you constructed around the castle are excellent, very beautiful work, but they could use some improvements to make them entirely foolproof.” Back to Camden, “Next, you will send the two witches in your care to my coven so I can personally help teach and train them.”

Wyatt growls, “No.”

Camden snaps, “Absolutely not.”

Claire gives Wyatt a narrowed-eyed look. “Why do you care so much?”

“Because aside from Sierra being my queen, Leisel happens to be my mate. We’re not just sending either of them off,” Wyatt responds shortly.

The three witches exchange a long, contemplative glance, processing the new tidbit of information.

Finally, Reyna gives a snort. “Wolves and their goddamn possessiveness. My high priestess isn’t saying to give up your mates for long stretches of time, just to send them to us periodically for lessons. They’ve been deprived of their own kind for their entire lives. That will have left their education in the magical arts dismal. Witches should stick with witches—that’s the best way to grow power. Besides, don’t you want them to have a place where they’re accepted entirely for who they are?”

Her words spark a full-body wave of excitement. I’ve been wanting to ask if I can learn from witches, but prioritized these negotiations; hearing that Odelia, who’s obviously an extraordinarily powerful high priestess, wishes to train me is electrifying. I know my magical education is sorely lacking, as is Leisel’s, mainly because we only had a limited number of books to learn from and nobody to properly teach us. My mother could only teach me so much as her magic was latent; Leisel only had me.

Camden inhales a deep, calming breath, then says in a more steady tone, “Your territories are far from the capital—at least a week’s ride by horseback if one rides all day and all night. I’m not comfortable sending my mate away for such long stretches of time.”

Claire waves a dismissive hand. “We’ll open up a portal so transport is instantaneous, the same way we did for your liaison. Take the deal, wolf. Can’t you see your mate’s excitement at the prospect?”

Camden looks at me, eyes running over my expression. I let him see my hope and excitement, and surprisingly, that seems to soften him. I think back to Wyatt’s words in our conversation last night, the tidbit of advice he gave me regarding his older brother; there’s little he won’t do for your happiness.

“Fine,” Camden says to Odelia, “I’ll agree to allow you to train my mate and her sister, as long as you agree to assure their protection above all, and understand that if any harm befalls them, you will be answering to two very strong, very pissed-off wolves.”

“Was that a threat?” Reyna questions with a toothy smile, and she actually sounds excited at the prospect, which makes me speculate more and more that this one’s slaughter-happy when it comes to conflict.

“A fact,” Camden clarifies. “You should know there’s no end to the protective instincts we wolves have toward our mates.”

Odelia nods, unconcerned. “I’ll personally see to their protection. Will you send us warriors?”

Camden inclines his head. “Yes. I’ll arrange the particulars today.”

Looking satisfied, Odelia says, “One more amendment; I want shifters and witches to travel to human villages together and start with humanitarian work. Humans are the most susceptible to attacks, and the dark faye and vampires may end up wiping them all out simply for fun. They’ve suffered enough under the reign of mythics; it’s time we return some of their dignity.”

“Agreed,” I say.

The reason I didn’t ask for more aid for humans in the treaty is because I didn’t think anyone would care enough to go for it; it’s refreshing that the witches seem to care about all life deeply, not just the lives of their own.

“I’ll forewarn you,” Claire adds in, “if the wolves you send us step a toe out of line or get aggressive towards our witches, I’ll drown them in lava.”

There’s a long pause, then Wyatt says in a stunned voice, “Hold on a fucking second, you’re the volcano witch?”

Volcano witch? And what’s that flicker of nervous recognition in Wyatt’s expression as he stares at the redheaded witch? I look at Claire, who’s a tiny harmless-looking thing despite the magical power radiating off of her like a furnace.

I clear my throat. “Can someone fill me in on whatever it is I seem to be missing?”

“If Wyatt’s suspicion is true, Claire once erupted a volcano on a pack of shifters, killing every one of them,” Camden tells me.

“A pack of rogue shifters who pillaged and raped the village where I grew up, killing my parents along with every other witch and warlock there,” Claire says with an icy smile. “I was the sole survivor. Naturally, I saw fit to return the destructive favor. It’s not my fault I’m better at setting homes on fire than they were.”

“You call erupting a volcano that was previously dormant for thousands of years setting a fire?” Wyatt asks.

Claire gives a delicate shrug. “Fire, lava, either way, the result is the same: burning to death. I’m a strong advocate of an eye for an eye. At least the way I did it ensured quick deaths; the rogue shifters took pleasure in the suffering they wrought in my village.”

“I heard of the conflict from my father,” Camden interjects. “It was several decades back, if I recall correctly. The rogue pack was in conflict with the crown, but the Rockwell Pack was fighting rebellions on multiple fronts at the time, so we didn’t have the resources to track a small group of outliers.” He pauses, turning his gaze on Claire. “It’s good you took care of them, less good that they didn’t suffer. Any person who commits crimes of that caliber against any being deserves a lengthy bout of torture before death.”

The conviction with which Camden speaks surprises me. Part of me expected him to defend shifters, regardless of their crimes; apparently, he has a stronger moral compass than I expected. I have to admit, I like that fact a lot. I’m also in complete agreement with him and find myself admiring Claire. I don’t know the entirety of that particular story, as I don’t know Claire’s whole story, but if her response to losing her family and home was to return the favor on her enemies in a truly spectacular magical fashion…well, that’s fucking awesome.

To hear that there are witches with powers such as making a dormant volcano erupt…it’s slightly disconcerting, but mainly, it gives more fuel to the fact that shifters should be allied with them rather than hold them at a distance out of fear.

“Would you have done differently to a group of people who killed everyone you loved and left you for dead?” Reyna asks Wyatt in a dangerous purr.

“If I had that ability, I’d have used it,” Wyatt instantly responds. “As is, I would track the perpetrators, spend a few months enjoying their screams of pain, and then kill them. Please don’t mistake my surprise for condemnation; I agree with my brother that Claire gave them the easy way out.”

Claire shrugs again. “I was weak, half-starved, and didn’t have very good control over my powers. It was vengeance that kept me alive long enough to do what I did.”

“Good thing, too,” Reyna chips in. “That shockwave of magic you let out led us straight to you.”

“Back to the matter at hand,” Odelia interjects. She snaps her fingers, and I feel a small wave of some sort of magic travel over the room, latching onto the papers of the treaty in front of each person.

Curious, I flip through the pages, and find that the amendments and terms we just discussed were added with nothing more than a snap of Odelia’s fingers and a thought. No spoken spell, no ritual…while editing words onto a page seems pretty small in the abstract sense, in reality, there’s a lot of intricacy to it. Creating ink where there was none, matching the script to the writing already on the page…her little trick serves the dual purpose of adding in what we discussed, and showing off how casually she can use magic.

Wyatt and Camden also look surprised as they flip through their papers, reading the new additions. Once we’re done, I say, “Everything appears to be in order. Are we ready to sign?”