Beyond The Shadows (Shadows Saga bk3) ON HOLD

Chapter 8- Just Try

Mara began packing her clothes into a large bag, finding only the most professional but not too fancy pieces she owned. She wanted something that made her look grown up and official, but not something that made her look better than the people there. She would be doing what she could to help the families move after all.

She looked over to the dresser, the Book of Shadows still sitting there, untouched since the other day. Mara quickly picked it up and shoved it in the bottom of the bag. If she were to be around a bunch of witches, then she would use them all to her advantage. No doubt word of what had happened at the dinner had spread around, it had caused a delay in the move and the High Council would have had to give some reasoning as to why. Hopefully she’d be able to find someone to answer her questions.

What about their questions? Her inner voice asked. They were sure to have plenty of questions of their own. Some would have been at the dinner the other night; they would have seen what she had become. If they hadn’t seen, then Mara was sure they had heard by word of mouth. Something like that wouldn’t have passed by quietly.

Mara was going to have to play clean up. She was going to have to explain what had happened, what she was and why she was that way. Lillian had gotten in contact with her the night before, trying to convince Mara to keep her private life just that, but she knew there was going to be little choice. She was running to be the queen of the people, the one chance they would actually have to select their own leader, after that it was left up to fate and genetics. There was no way she was going to be able to slip what she was past them, especially not if she was asked outright.

Throwing another shirt in the bag with a heavy sigh, Mara felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her and she instantly relaxed.

“You haven’t even left yet and you’re already tense,” Marx murmured at her ear.

“Well when you’re contemplating the amount of judgment you’re about to receive from the people you’re trying to impress, it’s hard to relax.”

“What could they possibly have to judge you for?”

Mara turned around, looking incredulously at Marx. “Really? You honestly can’t think of a single thing?”

He kept his eyes trained on hers, the sincerity there in his weighted gaze.

Mara placed one palm on his chest, looking at her thin fingers, her eyes fixated at her nails.

“I’m not natural Marx. How can they trust me to be their queen when I’m just some sort of freak animal thing.”

She felt the physical flinch as well as felt the pain through the bond and sighed.

“That’s not what I meant. You’re a werewolf, it’s what you are it’s something you have control over that’s- I wouldn’t say natural considering where I came from, but for here it is. Those people I’m about to go see, the ones I’m supposed to impress, they're witches. There’s that line, you have the werewolves and you have the witches, and I’m neither of those things. I can’t control whatever this is inside of me and how am I supposed to explain something I don’t understand? We may see the absurdity in what this Order of Katar or whatever they are stand for, but the fact remains that much of this world still believes in keeping the different races separate.”

One look from Marx, and Mara was silenced. She knew he felt the full extent of her emotions toward this task she had. She also knew he believed she could face it head on without much of a problem.

“There are always going to be people out there that won’t approve. There will be some who won’t be able to fathom the idea of a witch with a werewolf, or even that a witch is part werewolf. Just remember, you are what you are because of someone down your line, someone further than your mother and even your grandmother.”