Page 44 of Alan

16

Emelie

The craziest thing in a long list of completely crazy things was facing all of them—dragons and witches—knowing they knew what we just did. They had to, unless they were deaf.

Or blind, since I couldn’t stop smiling like a nerd.

Alan cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. The room quieted immediately. I wondered if he knew what a natural-born leader he was. He didn’t need to say a word to demand attention. Selene was like that, too, but I got the feeling her powers had something to do with it.

“As you are more than likely already aware, the Blood Moon Priestesses have graciously agreed to share our home with us,” he began, scanning the room as he spoke.

All eyes were on him—and, I was glad to see, nobody looked angry or resentful over him making a decision without consulting them first.

“You may be questioning the motives behind my extension of hospitality,” he continued. “And it is for the best that we are all on the same page, so to speak. The Order of Gwydion poses a threat to the Blood Moon Priestesses without the benefit of our protection, and it would appear as though the Gwydions played a part in revealing our location to our captors.”

A murmur rose over the group. “How can you be certain of this, Alan?” one of them asked.

“To be quite frank with ye, I’m not entirely certain. I will never be certain until we meet the Gwydions ourselves and ask them flat-out—naturally, even then they could easily lie and claim ignorance.”

“They could not lie to me,” Callie piped up from the back.

“Nor to me,” Selene added.

“Indeed, but there would be no hope of meeting the Gwydions face-to-face without our presence,” Alan concluded, looking over the faces of his clan members. “So, once again, our union is key to both the protection of the Priestesses and of our clan. The enchantments around the woods and mountain would regain their original potency, strengthening our security, and we could provide the protection the Priestesses have been without since our falling out.”

I looked around again, trying to get a feeling for what everyone was thinking. They seemed to be in agreement. Anybody could see the sense in Alan’s plan. Even me, and I had nothing to do with any of their history.

I exchanged a look with Keira, who winked. At least I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been around from the beginning. We shared that much, just like we had always shared something no one else had. A closeness we’d felt from the beginning, on the day we met. Like we were meant to be friends.

Alan looked across the room. “Do you have things in order?” he asked Selene.

“It would appear so.”

He took a deep breath. “If anyone has anything to say in opposition to this course of action, let them speak now. I do wish to hear it. Truly.”

Silence, and a lot of shaking heads. I couldn’t help my proud smile when I looked up at Alan.

“Let us start out, then.” He assigned two dragons to every witch, just in case there was anything—or anyone—lurking out in the woods. I would feel much safer once Selene and her ladies worked on upping the protection.

The Gwydions did not sound like a group I wanted to meet.

“I’ll tell you all about them one day,” Alan promised as we lead the way through the tunnel, reaching for my hand.

“I’m not sure I want to know,” I had to admit with a chuckle.

“Unfortunately, you must. What we do not know—either because we’ve deliberately cast it away from us, or because we were kept in the dark, can ultimately come back to hurt us. I would not wish that for you. I’ve seen what the results can be.”

“I understand. And I was only kidding, anyway—half-kidding,” I amended when he shot me a look from the corner of his eye. Boy, he was tough, and the whole “being able to feel each other’s thoughts and moods” thing didn’t make it easier.

To think, the last time I’d been down the length of the tunnel leading out into the woods, I was running away from him. From everything, all that I had just learned.

Now, I was walking with his hand in mine, walking toward my future.

Bizarre.

“Might I ask you something?”

I nodded. “No, I don’t think I snore. I don’t care which side of the bed I sleep on. Toilet paper should feed from under the roll, not over it. I don’t hog the covers. Random whistling drives me insane. I bite my nails, but I am trying to break the habit.”

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