Chapter Ten
Sage
“That was amazing I can’t wait to see what else I can do with my gifts.” Hunter says excitedly after he turns back into his human form, watch as the last of the animals he’s just thanked disappear through the trees.
“I imagine that you’ll be able to talk to the dogs too.” Jax says.
“Dude I hadn’t even thought about that!” He grins, “how long have we got until the barrier drops?”
“About twenty minutes, give or take.” Maverick answers.
“Alright lets get this all packed up and ready to go on the horses then.” Hunter says.
“We’ve spent enough time here and we need to move on. I wish we had some sort of idea where to look for your parents.” Levi mutters as he starts to pick up things and pack them.
“That or that our cell phones work so that we could get in contact with Erin and the guys and see where they ended up.” I reply helping put the fire out.
“I’m hoping that they ended up at the academy since that’s where you were heading Kysen and you were sent to us.” Maverick says one step ahead in his thinking like usual.
“I seriously hope so. I know they’ll be ok and are more than capable of taking care of themselves but I still worry.” I reply just as the barrier drops and we can finally start loading up the horses. Thankfully we travel light and there horses aren’t overburdened with extra things.
“I’m sure they’re fine, Beautiful. If you’re that worried though why don’t you try and see if you can reach them through their Bond link?” Kai says absent minded.
“Their Bond link?” Kysen asks pausing in adding something to his horse. “I thought all of you were a Soulmate Bonded group?”
“Thanks Kai.” Levi mutters.
“Whoops. We trust him anyway at least that’s better than me blurting it out to a stranger!” Kai replies somewhat defensively.
“Small mercies dude!” Levi groans.
“Alright it’s done now we may as well explain.” Maverick says interrupting them both before it devolves into a more severe argument. “Lets get going and then I’ll explain.”
“Sounds good.” Kysen agrees curiosity burning in his tone.
We quickly load up the last of the camp making sure we haven’t left anything behind and then start off on the journey.
Kysen once again taking the lead as he is the only one who knows where we are headed.
Whilst we ride I try to use the Bond link with Erin and her guys to see if I can get through to her but I have no luck.
It seems to be blocked, similar to how Levi’s Bond line was blocked but it doesn’t feel as malicious.
After about twenty or so minutes riding, the dirt road opens up wide enough that we don’t have to ride in a single file line anymore, making it a lot easier for us to talk.
“The suspense is killing me what did you mean by Bond?” Kysen finally asks.
“It’s fairly easy to explain we just can’t explain the why quite yet. We told you that Erin and her guys are a Bonded group but that’s not the whole truth. They were there as witnesses when Sage got her gifts unbound and somehow she changed them from humans into a Bonded group.”
“What!” He exclaims.
“There’s more.” Jax warns, his lips tilted up into a slight grin. Clearly enjoying how unbelievable this whole story is.
Kysen’s eyebrows hit his hairline.
“When she turned them into supernaturals not only did Erin get her Soulmate Bond mark and the guys get their significant pieces but they also all got a warrior mark on their shoulders and we did too.” Maverick finishes turning enough in his saddle so that he can pull his shirt up and show Kysen his warrior tattoo.
I, of course, take the opportunity to enjoy the view of his sculpted back. What is it about a guy’s back that is so damn attractive?
“Sage’s is different to ours.” Levi starts, taking over the explanation. “Hers is bigger and has each of our runes around it although it doesn’t look complete. Like there are missing pieces.”
“That’s absolutely insane.” Kysen says after a couple of minutes of silence. “You know the only other person to have a Warrior mark and warriors was Nyx herself?”
“You know about that?” Maverick asks excitedly.
“Yes they teach us at the academy all about the history of Nyx and her warriors. She is our goddess after all. How did you guys find out about it if you didn’t learn it through your academy?”
“Research in the restricted section.” Maverick grins and Kysen chuckles.
“There’s so much that you guys don’t know.
I can’t believe how little the Earth realm academy teaches you especially since you’re all expected to go out and apprehend criminals.
No matter what level criminal your apprehending you still need a decent education and all of the relevant training to do it.
Supernaturals are infinitely more dangerous than regular humans.
It does explain why the few students we get from the Earth realm academy need complete training almost from the beginning before we can give them the extra training for the special Order division of the Enforcers.
” Kysen explains more. “There’s been a massive drop in applicants for the Order division as it is.
There’s only four teams being trained for it at our academy and two at the Black Onyx academy. My team are one of the ones at ours.”
“I don’t understand how she got away with it?” Levi says angrily.
“Well the drop in applicants aren’t entirely your Directors fault. The Order have gotten more dangerous and nobody is willing to take the gamble with their lives anymore.”
“But you are?” Kai asks.
“Me and my brothers always wanted a challenge.” He says before pausing as if he’s considering whether to tell us more. “A couple of us have had dealings with the Order and any way we can help to get rid of the fucking bastards the better.” He growls.
“I’m sorry.” I say and he smiles sadly.
“If it helps, we’re going to apply for the section of the Enforcers that deal with the Order.” Hunter says.
“It does. We need all the help we can get. Although I wasn’t aware the students from the Earth realm academy were still being told about it. It took too much time to train them.”
“It was mentioned briefly in one of our lessons but no one seemed that interested and it wasn’t mentioned again.
When our Director was beheaded a team of Enforcers showed up to deal with it.
One of them, Declan, asked us if we’d be interested in coming to the academy and studying to be in the Order division.
We couldn’t turn it down.” Levi replies.
“Hopefully he will have everything sorted for us soon, he said he would. After we’ve found Sage’s parents i hope that we’re attending the Blood Moon Academy rather than going back to the Earth realm one.” Jax comments.
“I wonder who they’ll get to be the Director now?” Kysen muses. “Hang on you said Declan was the Enforcer that said he’d get the application process started to come here?”
“Yes?” I reply in question a curious lilt to my voice.
“Dark hair, green eyes. Built like a brick shit house.” Maverick grins.
“That’s sounds about right. You know him?”
“Yeah that’s my big brother. Biological not team mate. He must’ve been impressed with you to offer to get you all places himself.” He mutters.
Before any of us can reply his eyes glaze slightly just like the other night, he frowns and then seems to tune back in to what’s going on. Like he’s coming out of a daze almost.
“Levi,” he says, completely disregarding our last conversation.
“You need to let us know if you feel anything odd or strange. You’re the only supernatural the we know of that has ever recovered from a furrure serpens canis viventem bite.
We have no idea if there are any side effects or even if you’re completely healed. ”
Levi nods looking contemplative and after a couple of minutes silence he looks at Kysen.
“You do that a lot.” Levi says casually.
“What?” Kysen says.
“Space out for a couple of minutes and then when you tune back into the conversation you have some more information.”
“I . . .” Kysen starts looking slightly alarmed. His glazes again, “you sure?” He asks and we all look at each other confused since none of us asked a question or said anything that would require that answer.
“What?” Levi asks.
“I haven’t been completely honest with you.
I haven’t lied I just haven’t shared everything but it wasn’t completely my secret to share.
” Kysen starts, sounding worried. “Me and my brothers sort of have this Bond kind of like yours I guess except we haven’t got a Centre.
We can talk to each other through the Bond and have been able to ever since we were kids. ”
“Wow ok, that I was not expecting.” Kai says, “I mean I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t that. I am glad it’s nothing nefarious though.”
“Big word.” Hunter teases.
“Fuck off.” Kai replies sticking his tongue out and making me grin.
“You’re not pissed off I kept it from you?” Kysen asks worriedly, ignoring the bickering pair.
“No, like you said it wasn’t only your secret to tell.”
“That’s how I knew about the salve. I told you one of brothers dealt with all of that but he was telling me what to do as I did it.”
“Thank him for us.” I reply. “He helped save Levi’s life.”
“No worries. I know you would’ve done the same for us.”
“You can count on it.” Levi promises.
You’d think that him hiding something would make him less trustworthy but in reality we’re keeping something pretty massive from him and I just hope that he understands why.
I don’t feel right keeping it from him and I start to open my mouth in order to tell him the truth but it’s like I physically can’t get the words out.
I have a feeling it’s something to do with the goddess and I trust in her decision that it’s not the right time for him to know about Cole.
I damn sure hope it is soon though. I want them all happy and I want to stop hiding it.
With any luck he will be at the academy where Erin and the guys hopefully are too. Then they can all meet.