20. Rehn

TWENTY

REHN

" S he what?"

The moment Rehn heard that Leila had returned to the academy, his bear roared with agitation.

"She left with her friend who had come here to read the spell work," Yaldred replied. She looked ashamed.

"You couldn't stop her?"

"She was determined to go."

"Shit!" Rehn hissed through his teeth.

His bear was gnawing at him, telling him something was wrong. They had been wrong and now Leila may have just walked straight into danger.

"We have to get her back," he called to Idris.

"Is she in danger?" Yaldred asked, looking confused at the urgency. "I thought you got the man helping Drystan?"

"We don't know. He may have been framed. I've got something he enchanted himself against something he said he didn't enchant. I need the girl to help me see if they are the same."

"She's the one Leila left with."

Rehn was beyond frustrated. He only could guess if he was right or not about Xanthus. But if he was, then…

"Idris, prepare our rides. Yaldred, ready your horse and the others as well. We may need all of you if I'm right."

A short time later, too long in Rehn's mind, he kicked his horse into gear, Idris right on his flank.

As they urged their steeds forward, Rehn hoped he had been wrong. Xanthus was powerful, more than he let on. And Leila was loyal to him. She could be influenced easily if her mentor played the cards right.

He leaned into his horse's mane. The coarse hairs whipped around his face, but he didn't care. He had to get there as soon as possible. He couldn't let his mate down whether she wanted him or not.

Leila needed him and that was all that mattered.

Leaving their horses on the outskirts of the academy grounds, Rehn and Idris quickly made their way inside the magnificently massive school.

"If we have to keep coming to this place, we may need to invest in a map of this layout," Idris muttered, voicing Rehn's thoughts.

He gave a half-hearted chuckle back.

"Yeah. Hopefully, this is the last time."

They head toward Leila's office.

"Isn't that the sorceress that was tracing the magic at the castle?" Rehn asked, spotting a short female with curls crossing the hall.

"Excuse me!" he called, hurrying his pace.

The woman stopped.

When she saw who it was, she gave him a coy smirk. "Why, hello Your Majesty. Are you looking for Leila?"

"Actually, I'm looking for you."

Chaniel raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Me? Did I do something wrong at the castle?"

"No, no. Not at all." Rehn reached into his inside pocket and pulled out the artifact that Altair spelled. Idris had the rock.

"I need you to trace the magic on these objects and tell me if it's from the same sorcerer."

Chaniel was smart enough not to question further, but to do what was asked.

She ran her hands over the wicker object Altair had spelled to prove his innocence. Then, over the stone that held the protection spell around his house.

Her eyebrows scrunched together as her nose wriggled.

"These are definitely spelled by two different magicians."

"So, Altair was right," Idris said. "That means?—"

"That Leila's in trouble." Rehn looked at Chaniel's wide blue eyes. "Where is she?"

"She's…. she's in Professor Xanthus's office. She should be safe there though. I thought you got the man after her?"

"I need you to show us where his office is. Now."

Chaniel looked unsure, but she nodded. "This way."

Rehn's bear was pacing restlessly within him. He wanted to run down the halls, but he would have no idea where he was going. He forced himself to keep pace with Chaniel, but thankfully Idris spoke for him.

"We need to hurry, Miss."

Chaniel bit her lip nervously but quickened her pace.

"Here," she said as they approached a door at the end of a long, empty hallway.

Without thinking, Rehn instantly opened the door.

The room was empty.

"Where are they?" He tried not to roar, but his building anxiety was becoming too much.

"I…I don't know. They were together when I left them. I thought they would be here. Wait…" Seriousness overtook the nervous sorceress as she seemed to be closely examining the room.

Rehn noticed she was looking everything over in the same manner she had back at the castle.

"Are you looking for magic?"

She nodded. Finally, she stood and turned to the two shifters, her face more confused than earlier.

"There's magic here. It's lingering within the walls. Something happened here. Recently." She walked over to one of the far walls and froze.

"Here. The magic is still hanging strongly here."

She went to tap the wall, but her hand went through.

"It's a secret passage," she breathed in shock.

"Altair was right. He was framed," Rehn whispered hoarsely. His insides were turning with thoughts of what had happened to Leila. Even his bear felt helpless.

This would not do.

"Altair was framed? By whom?"

"Xanthus."

"Not possible."

Rehn turned on her, irritated. "It looks as if the beloved sage isn't as innocent and serving as he had everyone believe. Chaniel, I need you to listen to me. Leila is in danger. Who we thought tried to attack her was framed, and as hard as it is to believe, all signs point to Xanthus."

"No. That's?—"

A growl emanated from Rehn. "Do. Not. Argue," he commanded through gritted teeth. "I need you to get Tressa and tell her what I've told you. Bring her here."

"But—"

"Now!" he roared.

Chaniel let out a frightened squeak as she spun on her heel and practically ran out of the room.

Rehn was trying to regulate his emotions and think logically about the next step. But with his mate in danger, his bear was losing control.

"Ready?"

"Let me go first. It's my duty," Idris protested.

Rehn shook his head.

"Not today, friend. We'll go together and bring my mate back." Without another word, Rehn stepped into the glamoured wall.

The other side was dark with descending stairs.

The bear's eyes aren't the strongest, but its nose made up for it.

Once Idris was through, they walked the steps together, going deeper into the darkness sniffing for the fresh break of air or even an opening.

"They must have just been here," Idris whispered. "I can smell the torches along the walls. They were lit only moments ago."

"Would have been nice if they waited for us," Rehn said sarcastically as he stubbed his toe on a jutted rock.

"Wait. Stop." Idris's arm halted Rehn mid-step. They stood in the darkness straining to see.

"What is it?"

"Do you smell that? It smells like… like shifters? Bear shifters."

Rehn took a deep inhale.

There it was. A faint, musky smell that to any shifter was recognizable. Their own kind.

"Why in the hell would bear shifters be here?"

"What a dumb fucking question. I'll never understand how you became king" came a gruff voice from the darkness.

Suddenly, light filled the corridor. There were no more steps, just one torch lit and it showed four of the ugliest faces Rehn could recall.

He scoffed upon seeing the four traitors as they smiled dangerously at him and Idris.

"What are you doing here? You all were banished when Drystan was taken prisoner."

"Yes," said one of the smaller but burlier men, "but this isn't your realm now, is it?"

"Drystan's dead," Rehn stated.

He and Idris had put their backs together the moment the four had begun closing in.

"Yeah? And hardly by your hands from what we heard. That little sow of yours had to damn near make him unconscious for you to get your hands on him. But don't worry," he snickered. "She's in good hands now."

"Where is she?" he bellowed.

Idris had to keep a hand on Rehn to stop him from attacking the other right there. It wasn't the smart thing and they'd be easily overthrown. Rehn had to think, but his bear wasn't allowing it.

He felt himself begin to shift, but if he did, Idris and Leila would be finished.

"What's in this for you?" Idris asked. He had slowly been rotating his and Rehn's movements with Drystan's followers.

Rehn caught on.

"Not having you as king is good enough for me," the one closest to Rehn brayed.

"Enough talking!" the first one shouted.

Before the four could unionize, Rehn and Idris had already shifted and lashed out at the two closest to them.

When the other two had finally shifted, they were an even match.

Rehn and Idris had fought so long together that no glances or second thoughts were needed. Idris's massive black bear barreled into the blonde bear straight ahead, slamming him into the rock wall.

The other bear tried to get the jump on Rehn, but he wasn't quick enough.

The king was practiced and had remained king against many challengers. One of Drystan's cronies was nothing.

The red bear ducked, watching the assailant jump over him. When the bear landed, he couldn't get grounded quickly enough.

Rehn was on top of him sinking his teeth into the traitor's scruffy neck.

The corridor was filled with growls and raging roars as the bears clashed with each other in a death match.

Finally, Rehn's jaws found his opponent's windpipe. He crunched down hard, shaking his head and digging his claws into the shoulders.

Gargled protests stopped but his prey was still struggling with life.

Rehn quickly readjusted his jaws and jerked his head. The other bear's neck snapped and his body went limp.

The bloody bear began to shift back to the vile human when Rehn heard an agonizing growl.

Idris had been slammed against the wall hard enough that a rock had come down and crushed his paw.

The blonde bear was going in for a kill strike.

Rehn charged the bear straight into the wall, one that had the perfect jagged rock.

A grunt came when his body impaled itself on the sharp edges.

Rehn shifted back and ran to Idris to lift the rock.

The black bear yelped when his paw was free. He limped away for a moment before shifting back.

"You good?" Rehn asked.

Idris held his right hand and slowly wiggled his fingers.

"Yeah, I'm good. Now let's go get your girl."