Movement No. 32
Yasmeena
Tempest enters our tent in a cold sweat, her hair disheveled and pale skin flushed red.
“Hey,” I say as she paces the room.
It’s exactly how Absinthe was behaving earlier, the pattern making anxiety spiral in the pits of my stomach.
We weren’t supposed to split up today, but Draven called us in for the emergency meeting regarding The Legion’s demand letter, while Tempest met with the lupion leaders. I expected the meeting to be hard on her, but not like this. I’ve never seen her this frazzled.
“How was your meeting?” she asks, though she looks like she’s staring through a fog, her mind clearly preoccupied.
“It was something,” I answer, not sure where to begin. It was good except for the fact that The Legion is demanding Luc get married and produce an heir and also Baelor might be a serial rapist, but we can talk about that another time. “Yours?”
“Um.” She’s nervous, more than I’ve ever seen her, and it’s starting to frighten me. There’s a charged sort of energy to the room, and Tempest looks like she might combust at any notice.
“Princess, what the fuck is going on?”
“My father wants me to kill you,” she says, and shock moves through my body in waves. Gradual at first, but eventually it threatens to drown me.
I furrow my brows and shrug. “Okay, well, did you tell him to fuck off?”
I don’t know why Cain Lupine would want me dead, or if Tempest is even serious, and the entire thing throws me off balance.
We did kill his nephew, sure, but that was two years ago.
Why would it matter now? Is it because I’m the felion representative?
I thought he wanted peace and understood this is for the betterment of both our species.
She shakes her head. “No, Yasmeena. I told him I’d do it.”
I literally do not know how to respond. Is she warning me? Surely Tempest doesn’t actually want me to die, right? So why is she telling me? I’m struggling to wrap my head around this.
Does she want to kill me? Tempest doesn’t clarify whether she wants to do it, or how she plans to proceed, and I find myself thinking of the thousands of possibilities, before I remember that we were never supposed to be friends.
This was never supposed to be anything more than a political arrangement.
“So, do it.”
“What?” She looks at me, light eyes gleaming with pain and confusion, but I don’t stutter.
“If you told your Alpha you’d kill me, just do it,” I say, trying to make this easier on her. If she has to kill me, then she should try. With how my heart is feeling fractured into a million tiny pieces, I might even let her.
She rubs her face with her palms. “I can’t. I won’t.
“Tempest.”
Tears glisten in her eyes, but they do not fall. “It was a covert operation. I was sent here to kill Draven. The treaty was never going to happen.”
Until her confession, I was still standing on solid ground, but suddenly… it’s gone. The floor has disappeared, my sanity taken alongside it. I want her to laugh and tell me this is some kind of sick and twisted joke—a prank, but the laughter never comes.
My body reacts before my mind has the time to catch up. My stomach hollows, my heart racing. I’m nauseous and my head threatens to split. I feel like I’m fucking dying. I kind of thought this is where the conversation was heading, but I had hope that I was jumping to conclusions.
Now, everything looks murky, and I can’t see the bottom.
I can’t see how this will end.
“Why? Why do all that work if the treaty was never going to happen? Why did you even fucking bother to pretend to care?” Rage seeps into every word, and I hope they hurt.
“I didn’t know. I mean, I knew I was supposed to kill Draven, but I thought the treaty was real. Honest to the goddess, I didn’t know everything else until today,” she confesses.
“Why should I believe that when everything you’ve said has been a lie?”
“It wasn’t all a lie.” She kneels on the floor between my legs. “I promise you. I meant every touch, every kiss. I agreed to this initially, but that was before I knew any of you.”
There’s a pathetic honesty to her voice and features. I try to fight it, but I know in my soul she’s telling the truth.
“I was never going to kill you, Yasmeena. Never. And I hate…” Her voice trails off as she clears her throat.
“Me? Do you still hate me?” I ask. “Do you hate me like I hate you right now?”
She kisses the inside of my ankle. “I hate that you invade my every thought.” Her mouth travels up my leg until she kisses the inside of my knee.
“I hate that I would choose you over my pack.” Tempest continues until she reaches the inside of my inner thigh.
“I hate that I would trade my own life if it meant you surviving.”
I shake my head, a single tear streaming down my face, and she reaches up to wipe it away before she cups my jaw.
“I don’t hate you at all,” she says, kissing me softly.
I kiss her back, my mouth parting on instinct. “I can’t hate you, despite how much I’ve tried.”
She sits on my lap and holds my head, cradling me in her arms. I know we have so much to figure out, but for a moment, I just want to be held by her. To know that she’s safe and here with me.
“We have to warn everyone,” she says after a few minutes of us just basking in the silence together. “They’re coming tonight.”
We exit through the doorway, yelling for all the carnies to meet us in the hall, and quickly make our way to the large big top tent.
Aida, Taryn, Rowan, and Quinn are already there, and the others trickle in until Raph is the last to arrive. Nervous energy permeates the air. My heart is in my throat, and I force myself to swallow it back down.
“Apologies, I wasn’t aware we were having a big get together,” Raph says with a smile, and it pains me to know how soon that smile will be fading.
Everyone takes their seats at the large table, and I nod for Tempest to begin.
“Pack Escalus will be coming here tonight to perform a mass execution when you’re all asleep,” she says, and all eyes lock directly onto her, everyone’s face portraying some level of shock or confusion.
“What?” Leo looks at us in disbelief.
“I know. It’s a long story that I would love to explain in depth another day, but right now we need a plan.”
“A plan for what?” Reina asks.
“A plan to take down Pack Escalus,” I start. “We’re going to overthrow Cain, and help Tempest take her place as the next Alpha. It’s the only way to guarantee a treaty between the felion and lupion.”
Tempest gives us an incredibly succinct summary of what her father said to her, and explains some of her theories for his potential reasoning behind these actions in case it’ll help. Everyone gives their opinions as well, and we start to map out a plan.
“I think that Robyn and Quinn should take Una, Po, and Nico out of the carnival tonight. Go somewhere else for safety. Maybe Luc’s office?” I suggest.
Gemma nods. “Yeah, I think they need to be removed from the equation.”
Lilian’s leg is shaking, and I empathize with her anxiety. Something feels off. Lilian is usually logical and calm—more collected than this.
I walk over to where she sits and slide in beside her. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you first, but I think I have to just tell everyone,” she says, and then stands. “I know this isn’t the time for this, and that we’ve got to handle the situation at hand, but it feels important to note… I’m pregnant.”
The air is stolen from my lungs.
Everyone in the room gasps. There are excited cheers from Robyn and Quinn. Una hugs her, and all of the fear and nervousness seems to dissipate, even if just for a moment.
All except mine, and the rest of The Devil’s Masquerade.
I squeeze her hand, wanting desperately to be happy for her, but I have to walk away and let her enjoy this moment. It’s going to be brief. Rowan and Leo pat Baelor on the back, and that’s when I notice the deep purple bruises blossoming on Baelor’s face and arms.
Draven and Absinthe stare at me with wide eyes, and Reina looks completely numb. I know we told Draven we’d give him a day, and I know this only further complicates everything, but in this moment, I want to kill Baelor myself.
“Why does The Masquerade look like you all just saw a ghost?” Tempest whispers, leaning up to my ear.
“I will tell you later, but this isn’t good,” I say through gritted teeth. “Fuck.”
“Because of this, I think I should seek refuge with Robyn and Quinn and the others,” Lilian says, and Baelor nods.
“I agree,” Baelor says, and I genuinely want to drown him. My magic hums under my skin, but I ignore the itching feeling. It will have to wait another day.
The small group hugs everyone goodbye before exiting the hall and making their way to the economic district. I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight, but I think we’d all rather they be out of harm’s way.
Tempest and I sit down next to each other, and I squeeze her upper thigh.
“I will be the first to admit, I don’t know enough about Pack Escalus to feel comfortable making decisions that affect your lives,” Raph says, and I think we all appreciate this bout of honesty.
“Considering our current political landscape, I would like to keep my level of involvement at a minimum, unless it’s clear you all need me.
I will be here, but I will not throw the first punch, so to speak. ”
So many leaders are willing to hurt their subjects rather than acknowledge that they aren’t experts in everything, and it’s refreshing to be led by someone who doesn’t put his ego first.
It’s the kind of leader I hope to be for my people as well.
“That’s okay. I think Draven and Yasmeena and I have got this,” Tempest says, and I swear my heart expands.
“Raph, once Pack Escalus is inside, can you form a shield around the carnival? I don’t want them escaping, or any unlucky civilians being dragged into this,” Draven says, and Raph nods.
“Of course.”
“We need to strategize where to station those of us who are staying, and those who are not,” Draven says, and we nod in agreement.
“We should do exactly what my father thinks I’m doing. Place Yasmeena and me on the main carnival grounds, and the rest of you stay at camp and join the fight later,” she says.
Draven shakes his head, running his hands through his hair. “No, we need an element of surprise. Some of us should be hiding in the rides.”
“It’ll have to be those of you with little to no magic, or those whose scents he won’t recognize.” Tempest suggests things I wouldn’t have considered, but she’s right. If Cain and the other lupion smell any of us, it’s game over on the surprise element.
“They’ve never met me,” Rowan points out. “I can hide in the funhouse.”
“I think Gemma should be out there too. Her scent is strange, it might throw them off,” Tempest says, and Draven glares at us. I don’t acknowledge him. I know she’s his wife, and he cares for her more than anything, but tonight is about more than just us.
“My scent is also strange,” Reina says, and Tempest seems to tense. “I’ll hide in the carousel.”
I understand that Reina killed Tyrus, but Tempest is not without flaws either. I hope when all of this is over, she and Reina can come to an understanding. They’re more alike than either of them want to realize.
“Taryn will be on standby, ready to contact Luc, if need be. I don’t want him involved, as that’ll only complicate the situation between the lupion and felion. We’ll exhaust all efforts first, but that’s our last line of defense,” Draven explains.
Taryn nods in understanding.
“All of this is great, but my father will know something is up the minute he realizes Yasmeena is alive. We need to shock him,” Tempest says.
“I think we need an additional element of surprise,” Aida chimes in, flicking her tail. She’s usually quiet and reserved, so when she speaks, she commands attention from everyone within earshot.
Draven cocks his head. “What are you suggesting?”
Aida gives a crooked smile. “I have been working on a potion. If Yasmeena drinks it, her body will go into a state of hibernation as if she is dead. Her heart will appear to have stopped, but it is an illusion of sorts. Give her water, and she’ll be back to normal in seconds.”
“Excellent.” Draven has always been a fan of complexities, so I’m not surprised he approves of this plan. If he’s scared of Pack Escalus, nothing about his posture or tone alludes to that fear.
“I think I should drink it,” Tempest suggests, surprising all of us. “If my father stumbles upon my corpse, I think the shock of the situation will affect him.”
“Because he loves you?” Raph asks.
Tempest shakes her head, a somber expression in her features, and my heart hurts for her. “Because he loves himself. He’ll be beside himself over the concept of his legacy, his lineage dying out. We can use that volatile state against him.”
“Then let’s get it done.” Draven smirks, before kissing Gemma on the cheek. “How many lupion should we expect tonight?”
“Eight, maybe ten at most,” Tempest says.
“Are there any you want left alive?” Draven asks, and Tempest’s eyes widen, the realization of what’s truly happening dawning on her.
“Stephano. His family created Pack Escalus, but one of my ancestors overthrew his and became Alpha. He’s older, but I think he’ll follow me,” she says, and I place her hand in mine, interlocking our fingers.
I’m a little scared of what’s coming for us tonight. Pack Escalus is strong and notorious for being vicious, but I also know the carnies aren’t weak. Raph is a demon, for fucks’ sake. But I think they know he’ll only join the fight if it becomes absolutely necessary.
And I think they’re going to exploit that, doing everything in their power to ensure it is necessary. I just hope we all make it out the other side.