Bear Protector - Bella Love-Wins Page 0,44

am so glad you noticed,” she lied. “I have been practicing a lot, and meditating,” Kiera admitted.

“It’s more than that.”

“How do you mean?”

“Is there something you would like to tell me, Kiera?”

Thank goodness she and Coco had talked this morning. She was ready to defend her mind from his manipulation and intimidation.

“I don’t believe so.”

“Do you remember the Big Storm, child?”

“Of course, I do. It’s what brought me to you.”

“And do you remember the tragedy of that event and the days that followed?”

“I do, sir.”

“I remember all the deaths…so unnecessary, but to the destroyers, they meant nothing. Those families and soldiers were simply food, or human chew toys. There was no hope for our region until I completed the spell to turn those first men into shifter warriors for our cause.”

Kiera nodded. “You did, your Eminence. You helped save us all.”

“Do you know how many of us would survive without the shifters? None. Literally, none. You realize that, too, right?”

“I understand you hold that view, sir.”

“Shifters are a necessary evil. They are the monsters that we witches create to fight the true monsters that Mother Nature unleashed on Azmark.”

“With all due respect, shifters are not monsters.”

“It was a figure of speech, Kiera. Don’t take me so literally.”

“And may I ask why they need to live separately from the rest of the citizens?”

“The simplest answer I can offer is that it’s safer for them, and for the rest of us, if they live with their own kind. Turning this next cohort will secure our way of life.”

Kiera decided to take a risk, and added, “And there are no other methods we can implement to defend the region, other than shifters and the Nauru’s containment spells?”

“Nothing near as effective,” he offered.

She was sure he kept his answer neutral for a reason. For a split second, she read the flashes of the thoughts at the forefront of his mind. It was not a thing, or a person, but rather, a location in the fortress. A long-closed section of the building’s lower level, beside the dungeon. It had been empty for the past nine years, as far as she knew. Then again, if it had crossed the man’s mind, it had to be important.

The Chancellor stood up from his seat on the bench. “Should you have more concerns, please do come and speak to me.”

“I will.”

“You are playing a pivotal role in ensuring our survival. You should be proud.”

After he had left, Kiera knew what she had to do. Pushing the door open, she waved Coco back inside.

“What did he want? Wait, let me guess. The same thing that all controlling men in power want…more power.”

Kiera nodded, picked up the top sheet of a stack of paper she had been using to record her observations for the spells they cast. “Can you take a message to Xander?” she asked her familiar.

“Sure.”

She wrote a short note and folded the sheet of paper. “I have an idea.”

15

Kiera

That evening, Kiera found Reena neatening up in the laboratory. She demanded answers. If Kiera had to, she would scour and hunt through her friend’s mind for the truth. It was a stroke of good luck that she walked into the lab when she did, because Reena was on her way out.

“Hold it.” Kiera held out her hand, placing it on Reena’s chest. “You are not going anywhere, miss botanist. We need to talk.”

“About what? Another date with Xander?” Reena joked, giving her a wink.

“I want answers about what you’re working on.”

“I already told you I can only share when it’s time.”

“Not anymore, dear. We have five days until the ceremony, so you will tell me now.”

Reena stopped scrubbing the countertop, straightened up, and crossed her arms. “Or what?”

“Come on, Reena. You can trust me.”

Reena shrugged, arms still folded. “I know I can trust you, love. The thing is I’ve been sworn to keep my mouth shut on this. You don’t know yet, but you will. I promise.”

“This time, keeping it from me is just not good enough.” Kiera poked her head out the door, making sure nobody was coming down the hall in either direction, then turned back to Reena and whispered, “I know it is about the destroyers, that there are other ways to stop them. Proven methods that already work.”

Reena didn’t respond, but something changed in her face. Her eyebrows lowered, her cheeks went slack. She might as well have admitted it.

“That’s not such a big guess, is it, Kiera? You know I’m always working on spells