Steel Wolf

Arguments for Change

Several buckets of water were totally empty, the water having been poured into tubes for the Shifters, who sweated profusely during their transitions.

The bolts of each door were thrown back. Armor-encased Tanaya stood ready with a hand on the pommel of a double curved sword, fully prepared to dispatch a leaping snarling beast, should it be necessary.

The first door she opened was that of Giselle Rivers, the healing mage, and expert in lycanthropy. She stepped back, tensing.

A naked, sweat-drenched, human Giselle stepped into the light, brow furrowed in concentration, the moon shard necklace glowing brightly.

"Commander, I'm having trouble maintaining human form," she said, her voice tinged with a growl. "I must concentrate almost exclusively on it."

"Your problem lies in your necklace," replied Tanaya. "Do not even twitch while I remove it."

She took a careful step forward with her hand still on her sword. She reached a hand to grab the shard, slipping the chain over the healer's head. Giselle wobbled a bit, taking a small step to steady herself. Tanaya grabbed her arm, holding her upright for a moment until the young woman stood solidly.

"Get dressed when you are able. When we get back to the apartments, you can bathe and relax for the rest of the day. I know how much the Shift took out of you." Tanaya smiled tenderly. "I'm proud of you."

All of the Blood Shadows were released from their steel prisons, emerging in various states of exhaustion.

-o0o-

"You did WHAT?!?!?" screamed Serenna. "Everyone except mother, clear this room! NOW!"

The dining room cleared in seconds. The trio was alone.

Tanaya, ignoring the queen's ire-laden command, carefully cut a small portion of steak, dipping it with her fork into the potato and delicately biting into it.

"Tanaya, do you realize what you've done?" asked Serenna, her face red, brown eyes sparked with rage. The tip of her nose twitched furiously.

"Serenna," began Tanaya, turning her amazingly blue eyes on the queen, "there are many reasons behind my actions, not least of which is that we will soon be facing a very fierce and potent magic. Trolls and brownies are nothing. A couple garrisons of Regular Military can settle the problem with ease. Our problem lies in the Hand of Five. The slag-damn wyvern in Goxell-Galbria is Alderus Sanguimer, Underleader of the Hand of Five. The report we got on our way to Ouranos Village said that a huge black dragon sat in the middle of the road. I'll wager that black dragon was Keldryn Ironhand, their High Dracoform. If it was, then someone is missing from the equation. If we count the two dead witches, then we have only four, not five. The shadow dragon is a safe bet for being the Archleader."

She paused to sip her wine, then continued.

"With great deference to you, Mom," Tanaya tipped her head toward the Queen Mother, "as powerful as your magics are, I fear that even you would have trouble with the Hand. We mean to eradicate them once and for all. My personal mission is to keep the most sacred objects of my love, you two, out of harm's way. Serenna, you show great restraint in your Shifts. Only a very can Shift a single part of their body. You would be a great asset to the Blood Shadows. I've seen your ferocity in battle. You embody the very spirit of a Queen's Guard, however, you are the queen. You are not trained in the subtleties of war. We are. Think what a squad of human-minded wolves can accomplish. Armored human-minded wolves, trained as Queen's Guards. Consider that. Animals who can communicate silently. Human detection spells will be of no help when a pack of wolves walks by. Animal detection spells will be of no help when human minds walk past."