Chapter 11
"Malachi, wake up."
His Master's voice was soft and free of anger, but Malachi flinched anyway, a residual response to the reason his head still hurt.
For a long moment he could not comprehend why he heard his Master with human ears and not the ears of a Hound. Or where he lay, or why he felt cold stone beneath him and not the sandy comfort of the cave.
He groaned and opened his eyes, wincing away from the dim light.
Gabriel stood above him, his face--his face was not blank. It wasn't quite concerned, either, but almost--almost worried.
"I--I decided to allow you your sleep, for a little while," he said, his voice low. "Emle is asleep. And I sent Nathaniel away."
Malachi's heart sank. "My lord, I swear I didn't see or sense him--" He wished--just once--that he could defend himself against his Master's anger. Not that he could win free of Gabriel in a fight, of course. But it would be nice to have some sort of ability for defense.
"Hush," Gabriel said. "Hear me out. I do not intend to punish you for this again." He held out his hand, and for a moment, Malachi couldn't imagine what his Master wanted him to do.
"Let me help you stand," Gabriel said gently.
Malachi blinked and took his hand, but his legs threatened to collapse when he tried to stand on his own. He did not protest when his Master half-dragged him to the kitchen and lowered him down in a chair.
There was--food on the table. Apples, and pears, and cans of chicken and tuna and beans. A cooked chicken in a plastic case. A package of hot dogs. A loaf of bread.
"Eat," Gabriel said. "It will help."
Malachi picked up an apple, but his throat locked with the first bite. He hunched over the table and forced himself to swallow. By the time he took a second bite, he was crying too hard to chew.
He did not understand such kindness. Fury was familiar--at least now, after Josiah's disappearance had changed everything--but kindness reminded him of the days Before, when he would not have hesitated to approach his Master with a request.
He had even dared to argue with him once or twice back then, and had lived to tell the tale.
"Malachi--" Gabriel sighed, as if he wished to say more, but couldn't bring himself to say the words. "I--I am at fault for your pain. I did not trust you, and I am sorry for that."
The apple dropped from Malachi's hand and rolled off the edge of the table. "I--My lord, I am your Hound. But I would rather be a Hound, than have this--" He motioned to the room around him, the food, the clothes he wore. "Than have this taken away from me again." He closed his eyes, certain that his Master would resort to fury again to punish him for his insolence.
Instead, he heard a strange hissing sound, and a moment later, smelled hot tea and honey and milk.
"Drink this," Gabriel said, and pushed a mug into his hands.
The tea did help to loosen the tension a tiny bit. Malachi breathed in sweet steam, sipped the hot brew, and opened his eyes.
Gabriel sat across from him now, cutting up the chicken with an ancient knife. It was such a strange sight that Malachi almost dropped his mug of tea, but he rescued it at the last second with only a small amount spilled.
"You will eat this," Gabriel said, and pushed a plate of bite-sized chunks of chicken across the table.
Malachi's stomach growled. "I--"
For the first time since Malachi awoke, his Master showed some signs of impatience. "Malachi, eat. Don't make me force you."
With shaking fingers, Malachi took a piece of chicken and popped it into his mouth. He ate steadily for a little while, only choking on a piece or two when the panic tried to clog his throat.
When the plate was empty and his tea grown cold, Gabriel poured him a new cup of tea and cut up an apple. By that time, Malachi's headache had faded and he no longer felt in danger of falling over if he tried to stand.
"Dawn is an hour away," Gabriel said quietly. "I believe you made a promise to Jordan to return by then?"
Malachi gaped at him. "But--my lord--"
"Emle was right," Gabriel said. "And I was wrong. A ten-year-old child should not live alone in this forest." Before Malachi could speak, he continued, his voice still calm. "I give you leave to tell him what you deem necessary. If he refuses to come, then all I ask is that you inform him that he will be placed under our protection--whether he likes it or not."
"Yes, my lord." Malachi tried not to smile. If Jordan refused to come back with him, he could just imagine what the child would have to say about being watched over by the Wild Hunt.
"I will leave you in peace to speak to him," Gabriel said, and stood. "But if you are in need of my aid--"
"I will use the bond," Malachi said, and pushed back his chair. "Thank you, my lord."
"Thank Emle," Gabriel said, turning away from his Hound. "She was the one who made me see reason. She was the one who changed my mind."
"My lord, may I take some fruit for Jordan?" The boy's stores had been meager enough, without fresh fruits or vegetables.
"Take as much as you wish," Gabriel replied. "And do not delay. Dawn will come soon enough, and if you have to track him through the forest, I fear you may not find him."
Malachi took an apple, which was enough, he thought, for an offering of peace. When he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, his legs were only a little weak and the headache only a memory.
Nathaniel--in Hound form--was asleep in the cave but he awoke and shifted shape as soon as Malachi appeared.
"You are well?"
"I am to bring Jordan back if he will come," Malachi said, not at all certain how Nathaniel would respond to that news.
Nathaniel growled. "That's not what I asked! Malachi--"
"I am well," Malachi said, relenting. "Our Master's Lady convinced him that he was wrong and she was right."
Nathaniel blinked in surprise. "He--He said he was wrong?"
"He apologized, too," Malachi said, and shivered. "I told him--I said that I would rather stay a Hound than have all of this taken away again." He plucked at his shirt and stared down at his bare feet. "And I'm alive. Still."
"And what did he say?" Nathaniel asked.
"About what?"
"About--" Nathaniel leaned against the wall of the cave and folded his arms. "About staying human. And what about the others?"
"He didn't say." Malachi glanced out at the forest. Perhaps it was cruel for Gabriel not to have answered that question, but at least Malachi could hold onto hope for a little while longer. "I have to go. I promised Jordan I'd be back by dawn."
"Hurry back," Nathaniel said, and sat down on the sand. "Be careful."
"I will," Malachi said, and stepped out of the cave into the dark forest.
It would have been faster, of course, to be in Hound form for the journey, but his Master had not specified and Malachi wanted to treasure every moment he spent as a human this time, just in case--just in case something happened again that changed his Master's mind.
He did not smell the smoke until he was almost to the clearing, but the strobing lights from the fire trucks and the roaring flames were hard to miss.
Malachi stopped at the edge of the trees and stared at the burning mass of what had been a house mere hours before. There must have been a driveway off the road somewhere, because the firemen and women had managed to get two trucks into the clearing. He dropped the apple and froze in place, staring.
He saw a small blue car, too, and Lucas Lane, standing off to one side talking to Sennet.
It had been years since Malachi had seen Lucas. The Council Historian was still an old man, even older now, his dependence on the gnarled cane he still carried growing stronger every year.
There were no other Council members in evidence, but that didn't mean they weren't around. With the utmost of care, he inched back into the trees and opened the bond.
My Lord, there has been a--a complication. Gabriel could look out of his eyes if he wished, but his Master chose to rely on Malachi's word.
Lucas just called me, he said through the bond. To search for any sign of Jordan, since he fears that he was in the house when it started on fire.
It wasn't on fire when we left, Malachi said, staring at the flames from the safety of the forest.
I know, Gabriel said. Wait for me there. Keep yourself hidden; there could be searchers in the forest even now.
Even though the house was made of stone, when the supports to the upper floors gave way, a portion of the wall crumbled, throwing up a wall of flame that the water from the fire hoses could not touch.
Malachi stepped forward before he realized he had moved, trying not to imagine Jordan lying dead--burned beyond recognition.
"Friend or foe?" a voice asked behind him. "And let me warn you if you say foe, I am a member of the Council."
Careful, Malachi, Gabriel cautioned through the bond. Speak only as much as you need.
Malachi turned slowly, his hands outstretched in front of him. "Friend, of course," he said, struggling to mask his sudden fear. "I saw the lights and smelled the smoke."
"And came to investigate?" The young man--human--behind him had red hair and pale, freckled skin. Malachi had seem him once or twice, but he did not know his name. "May I have your name?"
My lord?
Tell him, Gabriel replied. He will be suspicious if you do not.
"My name is Malachi." All at once, he was glad of Sennet's presence. "Sennet knows me--I visited her house this morning."
My lord--Lucas knows I am a Hound. He knows my name. What would happen if Michael told Lucas of his presence, and Lucas then unmasked him as a Hound?
Gabriel hesitated. I know. But he gave Malachi no suggestions.
"Would you mind if I checked that out before I allow you to leave?" Michael asked, his voice still pleasant. "You're not in any trouble, but there was someone living in that house, and we can't seem to find any sign of him."
"Of course I don't mind," Malachi said, and was certain that he heard his voice shake. "But I--I would prefer to stay here, if I may. I give you my word I will not run away."
Michael looked as if he wanted to argue, but he nodded instead and started across the clearing to where Lucas and Sennet watched the flames.
They were too far away, and the roar of the flames too loud for Malachi to hear what Michael said, but Sennet immediately turned to stare into the trees when Michael motioned to where Malachi waited.
After a short discussion--in which Malachi had the impression that both Lucas and Michael had been outvoted--Sennet walked away from the fire and towards the trees. Alone, although Lucas was staring into the trees now, the expression on his face both curious and apprehensive.
Be cautious, Gabriel said through the bond. I am close.
Malachi did not want to meet his Master while in human form and pretend not to know him. There would be no possible way for him to succeed in that sort of deception.
"Malachi?" Sennet stopped twenty feet away, still in the clearing. "Do you know anything about this fire?"
What should I tell her, my lord? The dark sky grew lighter, now, as the sun's light touched the destruction. Had Jordan waited? Or had he fled as soon as he saw them vanish into the forest? Where would he have gone?
The truth, Gabriel said.
"No. The house wasn't on fire when we left." He hesitated, then stepped out of the trees. "But we--we met Jordan." There should have been a trail, somewhere, if he had left the house. Unless he had other talents in addition to his telepathy.
"So he was here," Sennet said. "He must have a talent to conceal himself, because I didn't sense him at all this morning."
"My lady Emle wanted him to come back with us, but we had to ask permission first," Malachi said, tensing as Gabriel stepped out into the clearing near Lucas and Michael.
My lord, I cannot work such a deception!
No one is asking you to, Gabriel said. Tell Sennet what you know, and leave. The others are already searching for Jordan.
All of the others, my lord?
I left Thomas with Emle and Eri, Gabriel said. You can return home and guard them as well.
"You had to ask permission from your Master," Sennet said, following his gaze. "What did he say?"
Malachi tore his gaze away from Gabriel. He did not want Sennet to get suspicious, even if she was a Healer, and neutral. "That is why I'm here," he said. "I came to see if Jordan wished to have a safe place to sleep."
"That was very noble of your Master, to offer to take him in," Sennet said. "I didn't believe Lucas at first when he told me he had allowed a ten-year-old boy to live in the forest alone. I think he would be interested in what you have to say, though. Will you speak with him?"
"No!" Malachi took a step back, towards the trees. "I--I can't. I have to go."
"This is a matter of life or death, Malachi," Sennet said. "I can't sense a thing inside that house. If he's in there, we'll never know. If he's not--" She sighed. "Gabriel's Hounds will be looking for him."
"They already are," Malachi whispered, then froze as he realized what he had said. "At least--I assume so, since they're not with their--"
"Their Master?" Sennet said when he could not finish his sentence.
Malachi dropped his gaze to the ground. "Yes."
Careful, Gabriel cautioned through the bond.
Does it truly matter? Malachi asked before he could stop himself. Since she will know when your daughter is born?
"Healers are wholly neutral," Sennet said quietly. "I would not betray your trust if you give it to me."
Behind her, the fire raged higher as another wall toppled, bereft of any supports. One of the chimneys had already fallen, but another one still stood tall, despite the flames.
Not here, Gabriel said.
Yes, my lord. Aloud, Malachi said, "My trust is not mine to give." He stepped back, prepared to flee. "I am sorry, but I have to leave."
"I will tell Lucas what you said, then," Sennet said. "If you see anything, will you contact me? Please?"
Of course, Gabriel said through the bond.
"Of course," Malachi whispered, relieved.
No one challenged him when he turned to move off through the trees, but he felt Sennet's awareness at his back, watching him until he vanished from her sight.
She suspects, Gabriel said.
I am sorry, my lord. It was an automatic apology. Automatic, too, was the fear that bubbled up into his throat as Malachi waited to be punished. He closed his eyes.
She was bound to suspect, I think, Gabriel said after a moment. And you are correct. She will know soon enough.
Malachi opened his eyes. The forest blurred around him, and he blinked furiously to drive away his tears. How long would this last? What if something happened to Emle and Gabriel refused to allow them to shift ever again?
Perhaps-- Gabriel hesitated for so long that Malachi wondered if he had meant to speak at all. She seems like an honorable person, and Emle likes her. And Lucas heard your name. He is dying to ask me why you were in human form.
Yes, my lord.
I give you leave to tell her, Gabriel said. You may go to her house before you go home, and tell her who--and what--you are. If something happened to Emle--
Malachi did not even want to consider the thought.
If something were to happen to Emle, or Eri, or any of you, then I would rather Sennet already know, Gabriel said. I will be with the others, searching the forest, but I have my doubts we will find him.
"I hope you do," Malachi said aloud.
Gabriel did not reply.
Next Update: September 14th
His Master's voice was soft and free of anger, but Malachi flinched anyway, a residual response to the reason his head still hurt.
For a long moment he could not comprehend why he heard his Master with human ears and not the ears of a Hound. Or where he lay, or why he felt cold stone beneath him and not the sandy comfort of the cave.
He groaned and opened his eyes, wincing away from the dim light.
Gabriel stood above him, his face--his face was not blank. It wasn't quite concerned, either, but almost--almost worried.
"I--I decided to allow you your sleep, for a little while," he said, his voice low. "Emle is asleep. And I sent Nathaniel away."
Malachi's heart sank. "My lord, I swear I didn't see or sense him--" He wished--just once--that he could defend himself against his Master's anger. Not that he could win free of Gabriel in a fight, of course. But it would be nice to have some sort of ability for defense.
"Hush," Gabriel said. "Hear me out. I do not intend to punish you for this again." He held out his hand, and for a moment, Malachi couldn't imagine what his Master wanted him to do.
"Let me help you stand," Gabriel said gently.
Malachi blinked and took his hand, but his legs threatened to collapse when he tried to stand on his own. He did not protest when his Master half-dragged him to the kitchen and lowered him down in a chair.
There was--food on the table. Apples, and pears, and cans of chicken and tuna and beans. A cooked chicken in a plastic case. A package of hot dogs. A loaf of bread.
"Eat," Gabriel said. "It will help."
Malachi picked up an apple, but his throat locked with the first bite. He hunched over the table and forced himself to swallow. By the time he took a second bite, he was crying too hard to chew.
He did not understand such kindness. Fury was familiar--at least now, after Josiah's disappearance had changed everything--but kindness reminded him of the days Before, when he would not have hesitated to approach his Master with a request.
He had even dared to argue with him once or twice back then, and had lived to tell the tale.
"Malachi--" Gabriel sighed, as if he wished to say more, but couldn't bring himself to say the words. "I--I am at fault for your pain. I did not trust you, and I am sorry for that."
The apple dropped from Malachi's hand and rolled off the edge of the table. "I--My lord, I am your Hound. But I would rather be a Hound, than have this--" He motioned to the room around him, the food, the clothes he wore. "Than have this taken away from me again." He closed his eyes, certain that his Master would resort to fury again to punish him for his insolence.
Instead, he heard a strange hissing sound, and a moment later, smelled hot tea and honey and milk.
"Drink this," Gabriel said, and pushed a mug into his hands.
The tea did help to loosen the tension a tiny bit. Malachi breathed in sweet steam, sipped the hot brew, and opened his eyes.
Gabriel sat across from him now, cutting up the chicken with an ancient knife. It was such a strange sight that Malachi almost dropped his mug of tea, but he rescued it at the last second with only a small amount spilled.
"You will eat this," Gabriel said, and pushed a plate of bite-sized chunks of chicken across the table.
Malachi's stomach growled. "I--"
For the first time since Malachi awoke, his Master showed some signs of impatience. "Malachi, eat. Don't make me force you."
With shaking fingers, Malachi took a piece of chicken and popped it into his mouth. He ate steadily for a little while, only choking on a piece or two when the panic tried to clog his throat.
When the plate was empty and his tea grown cold, Gabriel poured him a new cup of tea and cut up an apple. By that time, Malachi's headache had faded and he no longer felt in danger of falling over if he tried to stand.
"Dawn is an hour away," Gabriel said quietly. "I believe you made a promise to Jordan to return by then?"
Malachi gaped at him. "But--my lord--"
"Emle was right," Gabriel said. "And I was wrong. A ten-year-old child should not live alone in this forest." Before Malachi could speak, he continued, his voice still calm. "I give you leave to tell him what you deem necessary. If he refuses to come, then all I ask is that you inform him that he will be placed under our protection--whether he likes it or not."
"Yes, my lord." Malachi tried not to smile. If Jordan refused to come back with him, he could just imagine what the child would have to say about being watched over by the Wild Hunt.
"I will leave you in peace to speak to him," Gabriel said, and stood. "But if you are in need of my aid--"
"I will use the bond," Malachi said, and pushed back his chair. "Thank you, my lord."
"Thank Emle," Gabriel said, turning away from his Hound. "She was the one who made me see reason. She was the one who changed my mind."
"My lord, may I take some fruit for Jordan?" The boy's stores had been meager enough, without fresh fruits or vegetables.
"Take as much as you wish," Gabriel replied. "And do not delay. Dawn will come soon enough, and if you have to track him through the forest, I fear you may not find him."
Malachi took an apple, which was enough, he thought, for an offering of peace. When he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, his legs were only a little weak and the headache only a memory.
Nathaniel--in Hound form--was asleep in the cave but he awoke and shifted shape as soon as Malachi appeared.
"You are well?"
"I am to bring Jordan back if he will come," Malachi said, not at all certain how Nathaniel would respond to that news.
Nathaniel growled. "That's not what I asked! Malachi--"
"I am well," Malachi said, relenting. "Our Master's Lady convinced him that he was wrong and she was right."
Nathaniel blinked in surprise. "He--He said he was wrong?"
"He apologized, too," Malachi said, and shivered. "I told him--I said that I would rather stay a Hound than have all of this taken away again." He plucked at his shirt and stared down at his bare feet. "And I'm alive. Still."
"And what did he say?" Nathaniel asked.
"About what?"
"About--" Nathaniel leaned against the wall of the cave and folded his arms. "About staying human. And what about the others?"
"He didn't say." Malachi glanced out at the forest. Perhaps it was cruel for Gabriel not to have answered that question, but at least Malachi could hold onto hope for a little while longer. "I have to go. I promised Jordan I'd be back by dawn."
"Hurry back," Nathaniel said, and sat down on the sand. "Be careful."
"I will," Malachi said, and stepped out of the cave into the dark forest.
It would have been faster, of course, to be in Hound form for the journey, but his Master had not specified and Malachi wanted to treasure every moment he spent as a human this time, just in case--just in case something happened again that changed his Master's mind.
He did not smell the smoke until he was almost to the clearing, but the strobing lights from the fire trucks and the roaring flames were hard to miss.
Malachi stopped at the edge of the trees and stared at the burning mass of what had been a house mere hours before. There must have been a driveway off the road somewhere, because the firemen and women had managed to get two trucks into the clearing. He dropped the apple and froze in place, staring.
He saw a small blue car, too, and Lucas Lane, standing off to one side talking to Sennet.
It had been years since Malachi had seen Lucas. The Council Historian was still an old man, even older now, his dependence on the gnarled cane he still carried growing stronger every year.
There were no other Council members in evidence, but that didn't mean they weren't around. With the utmost of care, he inched back into the trees and opened the bond.
My Lord, there has been a--a complication. Gabriel could look out of his eyes if he wished, but his Master chose to rely on Malachi's word.
Lucas just called me, he said through the bond. To search for any sign of Jordan, since he fears that he was in the house when it started on fire.
It wasn't on fire when we left, Malachi said, staring at the flames from the safety of the forest.
I know, Gabriel said. Wait for me there. Keep yourself hidden; there could be searchers in the forest even now.
Even though the house was made of stone, when the supports to the upper floors gave way, a portion of the wall crumbled, throwing up a wall of flame that the water from the fire hoses could not touch.
Malachi stepped forward before he realized he had moved, trying not to imagine Jordan lying dead--burned beyond recognition.
"Friend or foe?" a voice asked behind him. "And let me warn you if you say foe, I am a member of the Council."
Careful, Malachi, Gabriel cautioned through the bond. Speak only as much as you need.
Malachi turned slowly, his hands outstretched in front of him. "Friend, of course," he said, struggling to mask his sudden fear. "I saw the lights and smelled the smoke."
"And came to investigate?" The young man--human--behind him had red hair and pale, freckled skin. Malachi had seem him once or twice, but he did not know his name. "May I have your name?"
My lord?
Tell him, Gabriel replied. He will be suspicious if you do not.
"My name is Malachi." All at once, he was glad of Sennet's presence. "Sennet knows me--I visited her house this morning."
My lord--Lucas knows I am a Hound. He knows my name. What would happen if Michael told Lucas of his presence, and Lucas then unmasked him as a Hound?
Gabriel hesitated. I know. But he gave Malachi no suggestions.
"Would you mind if I checked that out before I allow you to leave?" Michael asked, his voice still pleasant. "You're not in any trouble, but there was someone living in that house, and we can't seem to find any sign of him."
"Of course I don't mind," Malachi said, and was certain that he heard his voice shake. "But I--I would prefer to stay here, if I may. I give you my word I will not run away."
Michael looked as if he wanted to argue, but he nodded instead and started across the clearing to where Lucas and Sennet watched the flames.
They were too far away, and the roar of the flames too loud for Malachi to hear what Michael said, but Sennet immediately turned to stare into the trees when Michael motioned to where Malachi waited.
After a short discussion--in which Malachi had the impression that both Lucas and Michael had been outvoted--Sennet walked away from the fire and towards the trees. Alone, although Lucas was staring into the trees now, the expression on his face both curious and apprehensive.
Be cautious, Gabriel said through the bond. I am close.
Malachi did not want to meet his Master while in human form and pretend not to know him. There would be no possible way for him to succeed in that sort of deception.
"Malachi?" Sennet stopped twenty feet away, still in the clearing. "Do you know anything about this fire?"
What should I tell her, my lord? The dark sky grew lighter, now, as the sun's light touched the destruction. Had Jordan waited? Or had he fled as soon as he saw them vanish into the forest? Where would he have gone?
The truth, Gabriel said.
"No. The house wasn't on fire when we left." He hesitated, then stepped out of the trees. "But we--we met Jordan." There should have been a trail, somewhere, if he had left the house. Unless he had other talents in addition to his telepathy.
"So he was here," Sennet said. "He must have a talent to conceal himself, because I didn't sense him at all this morning."
"My lady Emle wanted him to come back with us, but we had to ask permission first," Malachi said, tensing as Gabriel stepped out into the clearing near Lucas and Michael.
My lord, I cannot work such a deception!
No one is asking you to, Gabriel said. Tell Sennet what you know, and leave. The others are already searching for Jordan.
All of the others, my lord?
I left Thomas with Emle and Eri, Gabriel said. You can return home and guard them as well.
"You had to ask permission from your Master," Sennet said, following his gaze. "What did he say?"
Malachi tore his gaze away from Gabriel. He did not want Sennet to get suspicious, even if she was a Healer, and neutral. "That is why I'm here," he said. "I came to see if Jordan wished to have a safe place to sleep."
"That was very noble of your Master, to offer to take him in," Sennet said. "I didn't believe Lucas at first when he told me he had allowed a ten-year-old boy to live in the forest alone. I think he would be interested in what you have to say, though. Will you speak with him?"
"No!" Malachi took a step back, towards the trees. "I--I can't. I have to go."
"This is a matter of life or death, Malachi," Sennet said. "I can't sense a thing inside that house. If he's in there, we'll never know. If he's not--" She sighed. "Gabriel's Hounds will be looking for him."
"They already are," Malachi whispered, then froze as he realized what he had said. "At least--I assume so, since they're not with their--"
"Their Master?" Sennet said when he could not finish his sentence.
Malachi dropped his gaze to the ground. "Yes."
Careful, Gabriel cautioned through the bond.
Does it truly matter? Malachi asked before he could stop himself. Since she will know when your daughter is born?
"Healers are wholly neutral," Sennet said quietly. "I would not betray your trust if you give it to me."
Behind her, the fire raged higher as another wall toppled, bereft of any supports. One of the chimneys had already fallen, but another one still stood tall, despite the flames.
Not here, Gabriel said.
Yes, my lord. Aloud, Malachi said, "My trust is not mine to give." He stepped back, prepared to flee. "I am sorry, but I have to leave."
"I will tell Lucas what you said, then," Sennet said. "If you see anything, will you contact me? Please?"
Of course, Gabriel said through the bond.
"Of course," Malachi whispered, relieved.
No one challenged him when he turned to move off through the trees, but he felt Sennet's awareness at his back, watching him until he vanished from her sight.
She suspects, Gabriel said.
I am sorry, my lord. It was an automatic apology. Automatic, too, was the fear that bubbled up into his throat as Malachi waited to be punished. He closed his eyes.
She was bound to suspect, I think, Gabriel said after a moment. And you are correct. She will know soon enough.
Malachi opened his eyes. The forest blurred around him, and he blinked furiously to drive away his tears. How long would this last? What if something happened to Emle and Gabriel refused to allow them to shift ever again?
Perhaps-- Gabriel hesitated for so long that Malachi wondered if he had meant to speak at all. She seems like an honorable person, and Emle likes her. And Lucas heard your name. He is dying to ask me why you were in human form.
Yes, my lord.
I give you leave to tell her, Gabriel said. You may go to her house before you go home, and tell her who--and what--you are. If something happened to Emle--
Malachi did not even want to consider the thought.
If something were to happen to Emle, or Eri, or any of you, then I would rather Sennet already know, Gabriel said. I will be with the others, searching the forest, but I have my doubts we will find him.
"I hope you do," Malachi said aloud.
Gabriel did not reply.
Next Update: September 14th
House St. Clair Home
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