Bloodfire (Blood Destiny 1) - Helen Harper Page 0,73

to help us even out the fight,” bit out Staines. “You take this mourning thing too far. Anton, go now and don’t delay.”

Anton nodded and took Lucy from the sand, surprisingly gentle. He immediately began a brisk walk back, although I could see that he was being careful not to bump or jolt her. Sometimes, when I wasn’t involved, he really could be a nice guy.

Alex had tensed beside me, no doubt waiting for the explosion. I couldn’t even get angry at this one though. Staines was right. I might have been able to stop the ispolin from hurting the others if I’d been on my own and I might have been fairly certain that I could have brought it down before its other foot touched the sand if the werecougar hadn’t gotten in my way, but I was also fairly certain that if I could have shifted, even into a sodding werehamster, then I could have done more too. Perhaps enough to stop their friend from dying. I just stared at Staines, mutely.

He turned to Alex. “Can you bind the portal for now so that nothing else gets out?”

I stepped forward to protest. How would we catch Iabartu if the gateway was blocked? However, Staines silenced me with one look. Given their grief and state of mind, now probably wasn’t the best time to go around flexing my muscles. If only I could rein in my temper like this all the time then the world would probably be a better place.

Alex nodded solemnly. “It’s only a temporary measure though. It won’t last for more than twenty-four hours.”

“That’s fine.” Staines looked towards the trees where other shifters, including Tom, were starting to emerge. When they had all appeared, and were quietly assembled in front of us, gazing down with drawn faces at the cougar’s body in the wolf’s now human arms, Staines spoke again. I had to strain to make out exactly what he was saying, however, because he was so very quiet. “Where were you?”

Someone coughed awkwardly. The remaining Brethren looked guilty.

I was proud of Tom when he chose to speak up. “We were playing football in a field away from the keep. We didn’t realise what was going on until Boran,” he jerked his head at a large upset looking guy, “managed to finally find us. There are no words to express how we have failed you.”

“It’s not me you’ve failed. It’s Thomson and Lucy who you’ve failed,” Staines said. It occurred to me that I hadn’t even known the werecougar’s name until this point. I felt vaguely ashamed of myself.

The shifters’ bodies sank even lower.

Julia joined them from behind. Her back, in contrast to the others’ however, was straight, and her voice was clear. “And if Lord Corrigan had been here, he could have used his Voice and everyone would have been here in force. But he wasn’t. And that’s not their fault. It’s not yours either, or probably even Corrigan’s. But that’s the way it is and we can’t change it now.”

I applauded her silently. Staines looked furious for a moment and then nodded slowly, as if it cost him a great effort. “I need five of you to stay here at the portal. The mage will need time to set up a temporary binding and you still need to guard it just in case it doesn’t hold.” All the shifters immediately put up their hands and he pointed at five of them in turn. “The rest of you, go back to the keep. We need to prepare the rites in accordance with the Way so we can transport Thomson’s body back to London for a decent burial.” He looked at me. “You are local. Go to the village and make sure that no damage has been done and no suspicions have been raised.”

I raised my eyebrows at Julia, questioning, and she nodded. Fine by me. Hanging around the keep at the moment was going to be about as much fun as sucking on one of the ispolin’s yellowing toes would be. I walked off, without rushing. Following a sensible order didn’t mean that I needed to look like I was one of Staines’ eager soldiers. I heard the others behind me begin to move, but I continued on to Trevathorn without looking back.

Chapter Nineteen

As I walked towards the village, dodging the huge ispolin footprints as I went, I pondered whether Iabartu had deliberately sent both the terrametus and the ispolin through the portal. If that