with narrowed eyes. “He’s a shifter?”
“Yes, yes.” Cahira waved a dismissive hand. “But don’t worry about him. He won’t cause any—”
“Trouble,” Brody finished her sentence. “That is what I named him.”
Cahira laughed. “And a very suitable name, I must say.”
Brody suppressed a spurt of anger. How could this witch find it amusing that she’d forced a boy to live two years as a cat? “I always thought he was a real cat.”
Kendric snorted. “You don’t see very well for a Seer.”
Brody gritted his teeth. “I merely assumed that my dear Cahira had actually given me a pet.” He glanced at her. “It never occurred to me that you were torturing a young man.”
Cahira gasped. “Burien, how can you say that? I never harmed Gavin. He was happy with you. Weren’t you happy with him?”
Maeve gave Brody’s shirt a slight tug in the back, a reminder that he needed to play nice, so he nodded.
“I was very happy,” he grumbled. “Thank you, my dear.”
Cahira grinned, clasping her hands together. “Good. Then that’s all settled. And you’ll never feel lonely again, now that you’re here with me.”
Brody forced a smile. “Quite so.”
Cahira glanced at the servants. “Can one of you please get that cat out of here, so we can start our dinner?”
Gavin dashed across the room, and one of the older Embraced soldiers lifted a hand in his direction.
“No!” Maeve cried out as a zap of lightning shot across the room toward the cat.
With a screech, Gavin jumped behind a green marble pillar.
Cahira huffed. “Alfred! Are you trying to destroy my throne room?”
So that was Alfred, who had the power of lightning. Brody studied him and the other soldiers. They were hardly more than children, eager to use their powers, but not mature enough to know when they shouldn’t.
Alfred shrugged. “I was just trying to scare him into leaving.”
One of the female soldiers frowned at him. “We grew up with Gavin. You shouldn’t be so mean to him.”
Alfred snorted. “Can I help it if he’s a pest?”
“I’ll take care of him,” Maeve offered and darted toward the pillar. “Gavin, come with me.”
The cat leaped into Maeve’s arms, and she carried him back to the golden doors.
Ruth met her there. “I’ll take him back to Gabby.”
“Thank you.” Maeve transferred the cat to Ruth’s arms, then gave Gavin a pat on the head.
“Enough of that.” Cahira motioned to Maeve. “I want you and Burien to meet our soldiers. Alfred is the oldest—”
“And the most reckless.” Kendric slapped Alfred on the back. “How many times have I told you to save your energy for what’s truly important?”
Alfred nodded with a sheepish look. “My apologies, General. It won’t happen again.” He extended a hand toward Brody. “It is an honor to meet you, Great Seer.”
Brody eyed the young man’s hand. If anyone other than Luciana touched Leo, they were fried to death. But the Chameleon had touched Alfred’s shirt without hesitation.
“Don’t let his power frighten you.” Cahira grasped Alfred’s hand. “See? It doesn’t hurt.”
Brody shook Alfred’s hand and didn’t feel any heat at all.
“Hello, Alfred,” Maeve muttered in a wry tone. “We meet again.”
Alfred winced, then bowed low. “Your Highness.”
She poked at his arm with a finger. “How is it possible to touch him without dying?”
“I cast a spell on him,” Cahira explained. “So he’s perfectly safe when he wants to be.”
“That’s . . . amazing.” Maeve exchanged a look with Brody. No doubt she was hoping Leo could be helped in the same way.
“Well, yes, I am amazing.” Cahira motioned to the next soldier. “This is Darroc. He can control the wind.”
Hopefully not as well as Rupert, Brody thought as he shook Darroc’s hand.
Darroc bowed to Maeve. “Your Highness.”
“I’m Farah,” said the young woman who had fussed earlier at Alfred. “My power is fire.” She snapped her fingers and a flame appeared at her fingertips.
“Incredible.” And just like Sorcha, Brody thought as Farah blew out the fire.
“I’m Irene,” another young woman said, shyly ducking her head. “I can make things grow.”
“Excellent,” Brody told her. The girl seemed too gentle to be in an army and better suited for the village where they were doing the farming.
“I can blow up rocks!” a young man announced with a grin. “I’m Jared.”
“You could destroy a castle?” Maeve asked, and the young man winced.
“No,” he mumbled. “It has to be a lone rock.”
“Still very impressive.” Brody shook the boy’s hand. From the list Nevis had given him, he knew Jared was only fifteen.
“I’m Logan,” the next boy said.