22. Corvinus
Chapter 22
Corvinus
T he minute Romano tells Raven that Embry is here, she glares at both of us, her eyes sparking and flashing but not saying a word as she disappears into thin air.
Romano shakes his head and grins. “That little witch is more than I can handle some days, but I wouldn’t trade the life for anything. I used to curse destiny’s name, and now I thank her every day. Even at times like this.”
I smirk, not yet ready to thank her, but I am much closer to believing that she has a plan for our future that might not work out so badly for me. If we can get through this rough patch, and if I don’t get demoted for having an affair with a warrior, or ex-warrior, when my job is to oversee the entire regrouping of their team.
Romano sits and crosses his foot over his knee. “You know Raven went to see Embry. Those two are probably cooking up something just and painful for the two of us. Paybacks are hell, especially witch style.”
It’s hard not to grin.
“If it helps, Master Tuscano and I were both in the hot seat over what the masters considered a taboo relationship at the time. It’s not an easy climb my friend.”
“You’re not wrong.” Just another reason a relationship with Embry should be off the table. I should insist on keeping an arms distance, for a half dozen reasons, but I already know it’s far too late to take back the actions that have crossed their stringent lines of conduct now.
“Do you mind if I use your office? I should give Overmaster Descallia a call while I have cell reception. Once I get back into that damn Mystic Forest there’s nothing but wild creatures, witch caverns, and absolutely no digital communications. It’s like the whole place has reverted back to the stone ages.”
Romano laughs. “You can use my study. The reception here is good, and now that Raven knows, and Descallia will know all the details, there’s no reason that you and Embry can’t stay here. We have plenty of room and Raven would love spending time with Embry. It might help her,” he adds.
It definitely might and keeping her to myself just for personal reasons would be a shit ass thing to do. “I appreciate the offer and will talk to Embry once I get back. That is if I still have the job after talking with Descallia.”
He nods. “Yeah, make sure to tell him that Devora already knows about Embry and was giving her a little time. Didn’t want to cause any waves. Maybe that will settle things down a little, but my guess is Devora is going to get on that broom of hers as soon as she learns you’ve been stomping around in what she believes to be her forest. Probably better that you stay here now, anyway come to think of it.”
I close the door behind me and sink into Master Romano’s leather desk chair before connecting with Descallia’s phone.
“Descallia,” he answers gruffly.
“This is Corvinus. Embry’s safe. It took a while to track her. She’s very good at evasive maneuvers and had a lot of friends in the forest covering her tracks and trying to keep me off her trail. She’s doing exactly what she said in the note she left. Taking time to process.”
There’s quiet on the other end. He doesn’t even need to ask the question aloud. I know exactly what he’s thinking. We’ve always worked like that and in this case, the only forest we’ve fought over for years, is exactly where she went. “The information you received was accurate. I tracked Embry into the Mystic Forest. She’s been staying at a cavern in the woods.”
I pull my ear away from the phone as his growl reverberates in my ear. “What is she doing there?”
The need to protect Embry, even in this is almost primal. “She was drawn to this place by a story her gramma told her years ago, about a place of refuge if she ever needed to be by herself, seek shelter, or was in danger.”
Descallia roars his protest. “And she thought she was in danger here? We’re the ones protecting her, we always protect our kind. The purebloods stand together in everything for an eternity. She knows this yet she runs to the forest, to the witches and at a time we’ve just called a truce?”
I inhale a deep breath, ready for his wrath because it’s sure to come. “I haven’t told you everything.”
He sighs heavily into the phone. “At least she’s safe. The rest we’ll deal with. Lucianna has been beside herself with grief since she opened Embry’s letter. What could be worse. Tell me.”
Here goes. “Embry sought shelter in one of the old witches’ caverns. Abandoned quite some time ago but furnished with all the necessities and updated amenities. I personally don’t think it was abandoned for long, or if so, recently updated.”
“You’ve seen her, been to the cavern?” he asks, amazement in his voice coming through loud and clear instead of sheer anger as I thought.
“I tracked her there. I’m at Romano’s now because reception in the woods is shit and I wanted to give you an update. Embry needs some time. She has to process losing Lucas, that and all the rumors, the gossip about her role in everything related to Lucas. She’s hurt that anyone would ever have thought she was part of a scheme to hurt us. That’s what’s troubling Embry. At a time when she needed us the most, she felt the most outcast.”
Descallia growls from deep in his chest. “No one really believed she was a traitor, but as the overmaster to twelve regions and vampires across the globe, I do not have the luxury of taking chances with their lives. She must realize that.”
“I’m sure knowing it and separating it from the feeling of abandonment will just take time.”
“When did you become a psychologist? Bring her home Corvinus, Lucianna will deal with this.”
If only it were that simple. “Something else I should tell you. The witches knew she was coming or at least learned she was here through her friends in the forest.”
“Impossible,” he growls. “Devora and I have a pact. An agreement reached after we bested the rogues. Who told you they knew?”
Damn this is getting dicey, but I can’t lie to the overmaster, not knowing the history of the witches and what they’ve tried to do to us in the past. Who knows if this is another of their ruses, trying to draw us in so they can curse us all. “I heard one of the witches telling Embry that Devora learned she was in the forest and that Devora told the witch to give her space, let her find her way, and not to even tell Raven in case it would get back to you.”
“What the fuck is going on! Embry goes to the witches. Leaves the sanctity of our community and straight into the arms of our enemies. And they protect her behind my back?”
In all fairness to him, it’s hard not to see it that way from a vampire’s point of view. “Well, technically, she thought the two groups had called a truce. Embry, Raven, Willow and the other witches the masters have taken as mates have become very good friends. I don’t think she meant it as a slight to the vampires, but my understanding is that the witches fought hard to get her out of lockup, when maybe many of the vampires did not.”
I don’t need to tell him he was one of the ones on the side of keeping the vampires safe, no matter what it cost Embry. He already knows that. But still, I try to soften the blame. “I wasn’t the most supportive of her plight at first either. I didn’t know her personally but had heard the stories. Her gramma though, fought for us, was killed battling for us, and Embry herself would have died if we had not brought her over. She still loves the vampires with all her heart, but she’s hurting. She needs time.”
Descallia growls below his breath but I try to appeal to his emotional side, although I’ve only seen it a few times other than with Lucianna. “Romano said we can stay here for a little while, until she’s worked through a few things and is ready to return.”
His growl pierces through the phone with a boom. “Embry comes home now! She can work whatever it is out here, with Lucianna and her friends, not the fucking witches!”
“There’s one more thing, Overmaster.”
His dead silence tells me his patience is beyond tested. “Her gramma. Embry knows her gramma died, but she swears she’s here somewhere. She believes her gramma told her the stories long ago and gave her specific directions and that she was meant to be here at this very time. She’s not going to leave until she finds her, not on her own, and I’m not about to make her my captive. Not after what she’s been through.”
I wait, not so patiently, knowing he could order me to do just that, or worse, haul me before the council of masters for insubordination no matter our friendship over the years.
He sighs loudly. “We’ve known each other too long for me not to give you the leeway you ask. I’ll talk with Lucianna, let her know what’s happening. Hopefully in the meantime, we can keep the peace.”
I’m going to find out from Devora though, just why she felt the need to keep this from me. We have a pact, and I damn well expect her to keep her end of the deal. Better that you stay with Romano, away from the woods which seems to be the sore spot for everyone all the way around until I get some answers. I’ll take this back to the masters at our next meeting. Give them an update on what’s going on in this region. Obviously, Romano is aware.”
I don’t confirm or deny. I’ll let Romano handle Descallia’s questions in his own way and time and he doesn’t push me one way or another on that issue.
He’s quiet for a moment though. “We’re in the middle of putting the warriors together. We need you home soon and the last thing we need is some cackling biddy getting in the way of our plans. You’ll have to find a way to keep the peace, while getting Embry safely home.”
Descallia’s not wrong. “Agreed. The last thing I need is a witch out of hell riding her broom up my ass,” I tell him, just as the loud cackling of a witch can be heard screeching so loud it sends shockwaves through the air.