8. Frankie

Chapter 8

Frankie

Weeks Later…

The eucalyptus-scented steam coils around me like a living thing, its tendrils caressing my skin as I sink deeper into the hot spring. Mineral rich water laps at my shoulders, the heat seeping into my muscles and unknotting tension I didn’t even realize I was carrying. I close my eyes, letting my head fall back against the smooth stone edge of the pool.

For a moment, I can almost pretend I’m back at Shadow Locke. If I concentrate, I can hear Leo’s voice sharing some terrible coffee pun. “Hey, Frankie, this situation is pretty steamy, huh? Bet you wish you could es-presso your feelings!” I can see Matteo’s furrowed brow as he contemplates his next chess move, his fingers hovering over the board with calculated precision. I feel the weight of Dorian’s intense gaze across a crowded room, his dark eyes holding secrets I’m only just beginning to unravel.

And Bishop…

My eyes snap open, my peaceful reverie shattered. The absence of his steady presence is a physical ache, a hollow space in my chest that even the soothing waters can’t fill. I remember the calm authority in his voice as he explained shadow shifter lore, and the patient way he guided me through my first attempts at controlling my powers. Weeks have passed since I told him I needed space, and I walked away from Shadow Locke and the guys. Weeks of silence, of wondering, of…

A splash of water hits my face, startling me out of my thoughts. I sputter, wiping my eyes to see Tori grinning at me from the edge of the pool, her hand poised to send another volley my way.

“Earth to Frankie,” she says, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’re doing it again. That whole broody, thousand-yard stare thing.”

I roll my eyes but can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “I wasn’t brooding,” I protest weakly.

Tori snorts, sliding into the water beside me. The ripples from her entrance send little waves lapping against my skin. “Please. I could practically see the storm clouds gathering over your head.” Her expression softens. “Thinking about them again?”

I don’t answer immediately, instead watching as a shadow tendril curls around my fingertips, responding to my turbulent emotions. It’s beautiful and terrifying all at once, a constant reminder of everything that’s changed.

Before I can respond, I feel a strange tingling in my fingertips. I look down to see shadows swirling around my hands, responding to my turbulent emotions. Tori’s eyes widen as she notices.

“Frankie,” Tori murmurs, her eyes wide. “Your powers…”

I glance down, my heart skipping a beat as I see the shadows writhing around my hands. Panic rises in my throat as I try to rein them in, but they only grow more agitated, darkness seeping into the water around us.

A nearby spa attendant notices, her brow furrowing as she approaches. “Is everything alright, ladies?” Her voice is neutral, but I catch the wariness in her eyes as she glances at the darkening water.

Tori jumps in, her voice a touch too high. “Oh, we’re just fine!” She lets out a forced laugh, placing a hand on my arm. I feel her fingers squeeze slightly in a silent warning. “My friend here is, uh, trying out a new shadow manipulation technique. Very advanced stuff, you know?”

I nod along, trying to look nonchalant while my insides churn with anxiety. The shadows pulse in response, and I clench my fists under the water, willing them to disappear.

The attendant nods uncertainly and moves away. Tori turns back to me, her expression a mix of excitement and worry.

“That was close,” she says, “but Frankie, do you realize what this means? Your powers are growing stronger. You’re tapping into abilities that most of us can only dream of.”

I stare at my hands, watching as the shadows slowly recede. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this, Tori. It’s all happening so fast.”

With every passing day, I’m learning more about myself. I thought I knew what it meant to be me.

Turns out, I had absolutely no idea.

“Come on,” Tori says, tugging my arm. “Let’s hit the lazy river. Maybe the current will wash away some of those broody thoughts.”

As we make our way to the lazy river, I can’t help but marvel at the Shadow Shifter Spa. Hidden from the human world, it’s a paradise of shadow and light, where shifters can relax without hiding their true nature. Darkness dances at the edges of my vision, and the air itself seems to shimmer with barely contained power.

We settle into our tubes, the cool rubber a stark contrast to the warm water. For a while, we float in comfortable silence, the gentle current carrying us along. The only sounds are the soft lapping of water against the sides of the river and the distant murmur of other spa-goers.

I trail my fingers through the water, and shadows follow like curious fish. They swirl and dart, sometimes obeying my thoughts, and sometimes taking shapes of their own. It’s beautiful and terrifying, and I still can’t quite believe I’m doing this.

“I miss them,” I finally admit, my voice barely above a whisper. The words feel like they are being torn from my chest, a truth I’ve been trying to deny. “Even though I’m still mad, I miss them. Is that crazy?”

Tori reaches out, her hand finding mine in the water. Her grip is firm and grounding. “Not crazy at all. They are your friends, Frankie. Your future pack” —she waggles her brows at that— “even if you haven’t made it official yet. It’s okay to miss them and be angry at the same time.”

I’m not sure about this whole pack thing either, but that’s a problem for future Frankie.

I nod, grateful for her understanding. The anger is still there, a hot coal in my gut, but it’s tempered by longing and the ache of absence. “It’s just… they kept this whole world from me, Tori. This amazing, terrifying world that I was always a part of, and they never said a word. How am I supposed to forgive that?”

Let alone knowing about Valerie. That is what I’m truly struggling with, knowing that they knew… It makes my chest ache with a phantom pain I can’t ease.

As I speak, the shadows in the water around us darken and churn, responding to my agitation. Tori eyes them warily but doesn’t let go of my hand.

That’s another thing that makes me stand out—my shadows. No one else has the power I have, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. Not one single shadow shifter in this spa can manipulate them like me.

Good thing I’m keeping the wolves in my pack pocket.

“One day at a time,” she says softly, her thumb tracing soothing circles on my skin. “They thought they were protecting you. It doesn’t make it right, but it makes it understandable.”

I’m about to respond when a burst of laughter catches my attention. Ahead of us, floating in their own tubes, are Andy and Abbi, who are deep in conversation with hefty drinks in their hands. The sounds of their voices, familiar and comforting, momentarily drowns out the turmoil in my head.

“Did you hear about the high council’s latest decision?” Andy’s voice drifts back to us, clear despite the gentle rush of water. “They are talking about changing the laws around human-shifter interactions. It’s about time, if you ask me.”

“Oh, come on, Andy,” Abbi interrupts with a chuckle. “You know the council moves slower than a shadow on a cloudy day. Remember the Great Catnip Debate of ‘98?”

Andy snorts into her drink. “Don’t remind me. But seriously…”

My ears perk up at the mention of the high council. I’ve heard whispers about them since arriving at the spa, but nobody’s really explained who they are or what they do.

Abbi nods, her expression sobering. “It’s a start, but we have a long way to go. The regional councils are in chaos with two of the elders missing. No one knows if it’s connected to the shadow realm’s decay or something worse.”

Andy’s voice drops lower, but I can still make out her words. “I heard the eastern elder vanished right in the middle of a council meeting. Just… poof. Gone. The guardian commander is pushing for stricter measures, but with the high council down to five members…”

Their voices fade as they round a bend, leaving Tori and me to exchange wide-eyed glances. The peaceful atmosphere of the spa suddenly feels fragile, like a bubble that could burst at any moment.

“Tori,” I whisper, leaning in close, “what’s this high council they are talking about? And regional councils? Guardians? What’s this about missing elders?”

Tori’s eyes widen in surprise. “You don’t know? I thought… Well, I guess with everything that happened, nobody’s really had a chance to explain the political structure to you.”

I shake my head, feeling that familiar frustration rise again. It’s yet another thing everyone seems to know but me.

“Well,” Tori begins, her voice low, “you know how humans have governments?” She waits for my nod before continuing, “We have something similar. It’s called the High Council of Shadows.”

“High council?” I repeat, raising an eyebrow. “Sounds pretty fancy.”

Tori chuckles. “Yeah, they like their dramatic names. Anyway, it’s made up of seven elders—or at least, it used to be.”

The way her voice drops at the end makes me lean closer. “Used to be? What happened?”

Tori glances around, as if checking for eavesdroppers. “Two of the elders disappeared in the past few months. No one knows why or how, but some think it’s connected to the shadow realm’s decay. It has everyone on edge.”

“And the regional councils?” I prompt, fascinated and frightened in equal measure.

“They are like local governments. Each region has its own council to handle day-to-day stuff, but with some of the elders missing, things are in disarray. And the guardians? They are our protectors, elite shadow shifters who keep us safe and enforce the laws. They are working overtime, trying to figure out what’s happening.”

My head spins as I try to process all this. A secret world with its own government in crisis. How long has this been going on, and why am I only finding out now? The questions pile up faster than I can voice them, each one bringing a fresh wave of frustration and curiosity. “And they are debating human-shifter interactions in the middle of all this? Why?”

Tori shrugs. “It’s always been a contentious issue. Some think we should be more open with humans, while others want to maintain strict secrecy. With everything that’s been happening lately—the missing elders, the decay of the shadow realm, and the appearance of the eredar beast—some think we might need human allies, like their military. Others think it’s too dangerous.”

She trails off, but I can fill in the blanks. The world is changing, and the shadow shifters are trying to adapt—or maybe just survive.

“The human military?” I frown. “Against shadow shifters where a bullet would pass right through them?” I laugh at the absurdity.

“Well, I never said they were geniuses.” Tori tries to laugh it off, but it’s strained.

“There is so much I need to learn and yet…” I trail off, my mind already racing. “I wonder if there’s a way to track the last known locations of those missing elders. Maybe we could piece together what happened. It can’t be a coincidence that they vanished just as all this other stuff started happening, right?”

Tori looks at me, a mix of admiration and concern in her eyes. “Look at you, already thinking like a detective, but Frankie, this is dangerous territory. We can’t just go poking around in high council business.”

I nod, acknowledging her point, but I can’t shake the feeling that this is important. “I know, but we can’t just sit back and do nothing either. Everything is changing, even here,” I murmur, echoing her earlier words.

Tori’s grip on my hand tightens slightly. “You’re right, and we’re in the middle of it all.” She pauses, then adds, “Okay, here’s what we’ll do. When we get back, I’ll dig up some old shadow shifter history books. We can start piecing together what’s really going on. Maybe we’ll find some clues about what happened to the elders.”

As we continue to float, I feel some of the tension leaving my body, replaced by a burning curiosity and a growing sense of purpose. The anger is still there, simmering beneath the surface, but it’s softer now, less all-consuming—all except for the anger toward Bishop. That still burns hot and bright, a flame I’m not sure I’m ready to extinguish just yet.

In my mind’s eye, I see the hurt in his eyes when I told him I needed space. Did he know about all this political stuff too? About the missing elders and the decay? How much has he kept from me? I remember the way he’d always have an answer for everything, his calm confidence in the face of my questions. Now I wonder how much of that was real and how much was just another layer of secrecy.

The memory sends a fresh surge of shadows spiraling around our tubes, but this time, I try to focus on controlling them, channeling my emotions into something productive. If I’m going to unravel this mystery, then I’ll need every ounce of control I can muster.

For now, while floating in a river of shadows with my best friend by my side, I allow myself to simply be. The world, with all its complications, dangers, and complex and crumbling political structures, can wait.

At least for a little while longer. I know that soon, though, I’ll need to start asking more questions and dig deeper into this world I’m now a part of. There’s so much I still don’t understand, and it seems like that world might be in even more danger than I realized. Whatever’s coming, I’m determined to face it head-on. After all, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this, it’s that I’m stronger than I ever knew.

As we round the final bend of the lazy river, I take a deep breath, and the shadows dance around my fingers, no longer just a sign of how agitated I feel, but a reminder of the power I hold—power I’m only beginning to understand, but power I’m determined to master.

“Ready to head back?” Tori asks, nudging my tube with hers.

I nod, a small smile playing on my lips. “Yeah. I think it’s time.”