Page 39 of Heart of a Dire Wolf
“You are amazing.” He kissed her. “Let’s go wait with Oskar at the portal. Maybe Tinsel will slip us through early.”
They walked hand in hand along the muddy path that took them near the center triad of conifers. The town ghosts seemed to like it there best. They seemed content, though he couldn’t say why he thought that.
Oskar the sleigh sounded bells as it floated to greet them, and gave Nic a nudge. “No, I’m not singing Jingle Bells again.”
Tinsel, still in red armor and standing in her chariot-style sleigh, greeted them with a wide smile. “Congratulations on your new mate bond.”
Skyla beamed. “Your gift was perfect.”
Nic smiled. “To be honest, I didn’t think fairies or elves could see bonds.” In the shifter world, the new mate bond was almost tangible, and the equivalent of writing “just married” on the car windows.
“They can, if they want to.” Tinsel waved dismissively. “They like to pretend they’re above such things.” She tilted her head toward the portal. “As soon as they finish moving the snow tractor out of the Kotoyeesinay glade, I’ll send you and Oskar on through.”
“Thanks. We’ll be ready.” He turned to Skyla and made a grand gesture to invite her into the sleigh. “After you, Alphonse…” He trailed off as he saw the five Fort LeBlanc town elders headed straight for them with a purposeful looks on their faces. “Uh, oh.”
Skyla turned. “Great.”
The elders stopped about two meters from them and focused on Tinsel. “Yours is the last open portal,” said Fuldar, the golden elf. “We are about to uncover the town.”
Tinsel nodded. “It won’t hurt my portal, but we’ll be gone in five minutes if you want to wait.”
“Uncover?” asked Nic, looking to Skyla.
She shook her head. “I don’t…” Her eyes widened with dawning realization. “I know why we’ve been feeling magic everywhere. Complex lamellar illusion. The storehouse is the power hub.” She glanced toward the three conifers. “I bet it powered the stasis chamber, too.” She turned to Tinsel. “When the lightning hit your portal—”
Rorabek spoke over her. “What do you know about the illusion?” He pushed his way to the front of the elders.
Nic’s inner tiger switched his tail at the blend of condescension and suspicion in the polar fairy’s tone. Nic raised an eyebrow.
Skyla hissed impatiently. “It’s my field. My dissertation is on using modern renewable energy generation methods to power persistent multi-layer illusions and their associated magical procedure sets.” She jumped up to balance on the edge of the sleigh, then stepped on the seat.
She turned back to Tinsel, only to be interrupted again by Rorabek. “You can’t leave.” It was clearly an order.
Skyla stilled, then turned to face the elders. “Oh, really.” Her magic sparked. The threat in her voice dropped the temperature by five degrees.
Nic energized the mate bond so she could call on his magic if needed. He flexed his fingers, readying them to become claws.
“Bek.” Tinsel’s exasperation was plain. “Starting one war not enough for you, brother?”
“I don’t have a sister.” Rorabek glared at her. “How is asking for help going to start a war?”
Nic wanted to bite the stupid fairy. “You told my mate, who just escaped a month of captivity, that she can’t leave. How is that asking?”
Rorabek put his fists on his hips. “I was getting to that.”
Skyla’s magic subsided, though not entirely. Nic sensed her normally genial wolf was irritable and close to the surface. His tiger graciously ceded the first bite to her. Would polar fairy taste like snow?
Dirosha stepped in front of Rorabek and spoke quiet words. He gave an aggrieved sigh and turned away.
Dirosha turned to face Nic and Skyla. “To be perfectly frank, we know how to operate the illusions and defenses, but we don’t understand them.”
Ortesse nodded earnestly. “We must update the overlay illusion to a more modern setting. Our dreams showed glimpses of the outside world as it changed.”
Skyla stepped off the seat and sat, arms crossed. “I’ll consider it.” The finality in her tone said she was done talking. Nic decided he’d walk by the sleigh through the portal, in case his tiger was needed.
Fuldar, the golden elf, stepped forward. “We each individually owe you both great debts. Before you go, let us show you the real Fort LeBlanc.” He turned to Tinsel and spoke a word Nic didn’t recognize.
Tinsel nodded.
