75. Auslin

Chapter 75

Auslin

T he deep glow of satisfaction still thrummed through Auslin after an enjoyable time at the waterfalls with his mate. Eager for another chance to experience paradise, he asked, "Can we go back tomorrow?"

"There are many other places I wish to show you, which are equally wondrous," Kitsuki replied. "But we may do anything you wish."

Their quick kiss became more heated. Auslin made himself pull back with a laugh. "We'll never make it to dinner on time at this rate."

With an effort, they restrained themselves as they got ready to join Kalassandria.

When they entered the dining hall, a man Auslin had never seen before sat next to Kalassandria. The griffin shifter had a fearsome appearance Auslin instinctively drew back from as he took a step closer to his mate. His brown hair was cropped short. He looked lethal in his black hunting garb.

"My apologies for not being here yesterday." The man stood up to shake Auslin's hand. "I'm Naifar, Kalassandria's mate."

"Were you successful in your attempts at dissuading your brother from pursuing a course of violence?" Kitsuki asked as they took a seat at the large wooden table.

"I fear it is not good news." Naifar glanced at Kalassandria, who gave him a subtle nod to continue. "Things are getting worse in Kunushi. It is no longer only the human faction uprising against shifters, but now there are shifters who are actively attacking humans and the shifters who take them as mates."

Auslin's heart sank. "Is Nasume behind it?"

Naifar nodded. "Indeed, he is. Not only is he funding both sides of the fight, but he has issued orders that any halflings in his kingdom are to be killed. The anti-shifter humans and the wolf shifters are both all too happy to obey that directive."

The mage thought he would be sick. "But that means Maseo might be killed!"

"I believe it is Nasume's goal," Naifar coldly replied.

"That's—" Auslin protested, but the words wouldn't come to him in his outrage. He knew Maseo and Nasume had a complicated relationship, but he couldn't fathom a father wanting to kill his own son.

Kalassandria gave Auslin a questioning look. "If anyone should be grateful Maseo is getting what he deserves, it should be you." It made sense she was aware of Maseo when she had spent so much time following Kio and Auslin.

Auslin's temper flared. "It's not Maseo's fault he was born half-shifter. Why should he be punished for his father's indiscretions when he's done nothing wrong?"

"As many times as Maseo hurt you, you would still defend him so passionately?" Kalassandria asked in disbelief.

Auslin stood his ground. "No matter what Maseo did because of Kio, no one deserves to be cast out and left to die for something that isn't their fault. He didn't ask to be born a half-shifter."

Kalassandria stared at Auslin in baffled confusion. "How can you say such things with complete sincerity? How can your heart be that forgiving?"

"Because Maseo was being used the same way I was," Auslin defended himself. "He doesn't deserve to die because Kio abused him or because his father is an awful person!"

"Creatures like Maseo do not deserve such pity," Naifar scornfully commented.

"It's not pity. It's compassion!" Auslin heatedly shot back before realizing how rude he was being.

Naifar studied him with the same sense of confusion as Kalassandria.

Kitsuki touched Maseo's pendant before he refocused their attention. "What details did you gather?"

"Most troubling of all is my sources indicate Nasume is secretly training his army," Naifar answered with another frown. "I suspect he will storm Balsimi to pick up allies before invading Valzerna to attack."

Kitsuki's mood darkened. "If he did that, it would put my kingdom and many others in danger."

Naifar nodded his agreement. "If Nasume got that far, the casualties on all sides would be catastrophic. The relations between humans and shifters would probably be irreparably damaged forever."

"I refuse to allow that to happen," Kitsuki swore.

"There have also been troubling rumors that Nasume is seeking an alliance with Ishibiya."

"Ishibiya, the infamous necromancer?" Auslin repeated in confusion. "I thought he was killed during the Necromancer War?"

Naifar shrugged. "All the necromancers were supposedly killed during the war, but if anyone could have outwitted death, it would have been Ishibiya."

"But it has been over two millennia since the war. Why would someone as evil as Ishibiya lie low for so long only to resurface now?" Kalassandria asked. "He surely must be dead."

Naifar shrugged. "I am merely recounting the rumors our scouts picked up during their investigation. Whether they're true is unknown. But if they are, Ishibiya is hiding somewhere in the mountains to the west of Kalindi in northern Kunushi. If he raised an army of the dead through necromancy for Nasume, it would be disastrous for us all."

"Then we must stop Nasume before that can happen," Kitsuki said.

"Does that mean you are willing to take up arms against the movement?" Naifar asked.

"I will do whatever it takes to shut down Nasume's evil intentions, even if I have to invade Kunushi to conquer his lands myself." Kitsuki's resolute determination echoed through their mating bond. "It would be a blessing to rid us of Nasume and his problems once and for all. Eliminating the threat of Ishibiya would be a bonus."

Things sounded like they were moving dangerously close toward all-out war. Auslin's fear spiked when he remembered Kizoshi's warnings that there would be a time when Kitsuki would be drawn into one. He never imagined it would be so soon. It was hard to suppress his panic. "But that would mean war!"

"The alternative of inaction is too dangerous with someone like Nasume," Kitsuki firmly stated. "It would be better to be on the offensive in this situation rather than be on the defensive."

"You would have our full support," Kalassandria offered. "Our combined armies should be enough to crush Nasume and his allies."

Kitsuki thanked his cousin before returning his attention to Naifar once more. "Do you have any sense of a time frame of Nasume's plans?"

"Nasume is months away from being able to attack with his army, but his support of the warring factions will cause plenty of damage in the interim," Naifar replied. His expression was grim.

"I can rally our allies in Arenvale and Morven to take out the factions while Kitsuki readies to attack Nasume directly. If anyone deserves to take Nasume out, it is you, dear cousin."

"I must talk to Kisano and Kizoshi before committing to that course of action, but I agree it sounds like our best option of attack," Kitsuki replied.

Things were heading in a dangerous direction. Auslin could barely clamp down on his rising panic and fear about what the future would bring. He desperately wanted Kizoshi to show up and put a stop to such talk.