Spurned Queen

Chapter 56: The Calm Before the Storm

Lexi

By the time the barrage of questions was over, I had thoroughly explained to them the details of my Witch's awakening, the balance of witch and wolf inside me, how I juggled my two identities, and my expeditions in Ythinca. I gave them a watered down version of the extent of my powers and my involvement in this war. But I did not tell them about the Pearl Sea, I did not tell them about Kaiden, and I did not tell them that Aevran and I were mates.

It was evening by the time they were done questioning me. After that, the shock of my revelation seemed to wear off. Everyone fell back into the discussion of progress and strategy. Whatever plans they had formed changed drastically with my offer. The scales started to tip in our favor. Hundreds of ideas, or mutations of the ideas, graced the table. Suggestions and proposals, denials and rejections, reasoning and arguing all occured during the heated meeting that lasted well into the night. Around midnight, the intense brainstorming slowed down to more relaxed conversation. Jokes showed up. Jabs and insinuations gave birth to laughter, which in turn led to more comfortable speech. Before long, the discussion had deteriorated into mere chatter. Nearly everyone was in a position of repose and the attention paid was overall less than what it had been several hours ago.

I sighed. I was tired, for one. For hours I had been forced to think like two different beings. We had discussed how to harness my witch powers, while at the same time, being a werewolf. I had never actually had to be both my witch and wolf at once, but here, there was nothing else to be. As Krysta had mentioned, they were determined to work me to the bone, grabbing all available possibilities to make sure that what I was doing was all I could be doing. In fact, several hours had been spent discussing my abilities. So many versions and combinations had been mentioned that I myself was surprised at how versatile I really was.

In the starlight from outside, I looked at all the royal creatures around me. The regality had been set aside. Here, we were just a group that had gotten together. Each and every one of us was as deadly as they came, but not a single eye was fully open. We had all shared looks and whispers and laughs. When Aevran threw his head back and yawned, he didn't bother to shield his neck. No one did a double take at his fangs. Instead, Dreiga lobbed a tiny stone accurately into his wide, unsuspecting mouth. Everyone else snickered while he choked. The trust was evident in this little clique.

And I had slid right into their group like a coin into a slot. It felt like there was a spot that was just waiting for me here. Like this was where I belonged.

It felt nice.

A foot lashed out and caught Luna's calf. (Everyone just called her that, since she refused to reveal her name.) She sat up suddenly with a hiss. "Krysta! What was that for?!"

Krysta smiled cattily. "You weren't trying to sleep though our meeting, were you?"

She cursed and stood up. "I'm going to bed. It's —" she glanced at the stars outside "almost four in the morning. I may be nocturnal, but I've been here since... what was it, eleven? I deserve some sleep if I'm going to be available tomorrow. Goodnight."

"The ancient old bag signs out," commented Megan. If Luna heard her, she didn't show it, which told a lot about her maturity.

More grumbling ensued from Izekiel and Dreiga as they too stood up. Again, Megan sent something after them. Dreiga returned to confront her about it, which led to a halfhearted argument. Krysta jumped in. Aevran and I watched placidly as the three snapped wholesomely at one another before exiting, throwing "goodnight''s over their shoulders.

The silence settled comfortably between us.

All the Were-witch talk had properly awakened my wolf. I could feel Lattis pacing right behind my eyes, but it still felt like the Witch was in control. My wolf was right in the mind of my witch. It worked nicely. Like I was the werewolf, but with a wield at my fingertips. I felt complete in a way I never quite had before.