Chapter 12
AMRI
T he dome of the rotunda of the Council building comes into view through the break in the trees. My boots make a soft crunching noise on the dirt path, and I shake out my arms and crack my neck as I walk.
When was the last time I got good sleep? Not just a quick nap here and there? Like really solid sleep?
The tall trees seem to close in, their shadows pressing in on me.
The magic of this forest acts as a barrier around the Council headquarters—a type of first line of defense.
It scratches at my exposed skin, urging me to turn around, whispering that these woods aren’t safe.
No matter how many times I trudge through this forest, it still gives me the creeps.
To distract myself, I go over in my head what I’m going to tell my contact, Mara, later when we meet up.
Finally, I break free of the forest, and I shield my eyes against the bright sunlight.
Manicured lawns spread flat and verdant to my left and right.
The Council building looms larger as I approach, the red-tiled dome reminiscent of something you’d see in Florence, Italy .
As I climb the stairs stretching the width of the front of the building, I wipe my sweaty hands on my pants.
Will Mara believe me when I tell her what Leonora is ‘paying’ Circe to do?
I have to believe so. Mara has always been kind to me, ever since I came to the Council for training as a child.
Even though I was an Aries and she’s the representative of the Virgos, she took me under her wing and taught me that strength and empathy need to be nurtured in equal measure.
I’ve spent my adult life trying to live up to her standards and make her proud, so when she approached me about her concerns about the Leos and their goddess, I didn’t hesitate to act as her agent, despite the risks.
I lift my left hand, pressing my forefinger, middle finger, and ring finger together before touching them to my moon and stars tattoo.
As soon as my markings glow gold, there’s a click as the carved wood door unlocks.
I push inside, greeted by the grand lobby, the gilded dome depicting the constellations soaring overhead with its small square windows giving a glimpse of the sky.
I pass a shifter wearing the green robes of the record keepers, and they nod at me as they hurry past. I cross the rotunda, passing through blocks of sunlight.
Four shifters wait their turn at the assignment window, and I take my place in line to wait my turn.
My mind wanders to Malik. What am I going to do?
I like him. I’m surprised how much I like him, but I really shouldn’t be since the Fates deemed us a good match.
Still … He’s intense. He’s damaged, but not beyond repair. He’s protective. He’s angry, and with good reason. He’s kind. He doesn’t want me.
My beast thumps me with her tail. “He doesn’t want the bond. So what? That doesn’t make us any less of a good match. In fact, we enjoy a challenge, right? ”
I smile as the shifter behind the window calls out, “Next!”
I step forward, pressing my palm to the sigil drawn on the counter. It glows gold, and I pull my hand back. The female shifter on the other side of the window swivels on her high chair, reading my credentials as they appear in the air to her right.
I smirk, resting a hip against the edge of the counter as I say, “Come on, Juju. Do we have to do this every time? You’ve been giving me assignments for years.”
She raises a brow at me. “Yes. We have to do this every time. And don’t call me Juju.”
I smile. “But that’s your name.”
She narrows her eyes at me, but there’s humor hiding in her expression. “At work, my name is Juliet. When we’re socializing, I’m Juju.”
I lean over the counter, trying to read the assignment on the top of the stack to her left. “Come on, Juju, whatcha got for me?”
The owl shifter rolls her eyes, playfully shoving me out of her window as she says, “Nothing today. Come back tomorrow.”
I eye the stack of papers. “Nothing?”
She shakes her head. “Not for you.” Juliet leans forward, peering around the lobby. When she sees there’s no one else in line behind me or loitering about, she whispers, “These assignments are way below your pay grade. Trust me. You know I save the juicy ones for you.”
I smack her cheek with a quick kiss. “And I love you for that, Juju. Something came up, so I don’t think I’ll be able to do drinks tonight, but I’m free next week.”
She eyes me with suspicion, but there’s no way I can tell her what I’m doing with Mara and the Leos.
Juju is a great friend, but she’s also a compulsive gossip.
It’s how I have so much information on so many ‘good standing’ shifters.
I don’t think Juju would sell me out, but I’d rather not tempt her.
She might explode from trying to keep my secrets.
Finally, she smiles, brushing off her need to ask me what I’m up to tonight that has me canceling our plans. “That’s fine. Besides, I think Levi is close to asking me on a date.”
I cock out a hip, and tsk . “Has that stubborn donkey still not asked you out?”
She covers her mouth as a giggle bursts from her and she says, “He’s an okapi, not a donkey, and you know that, Amri.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, well, he’s a donkey for dragging his heels. He obviously has the hots for you. He makes goo-goo eyes at you every time you two are in the same room.”
She slaps my arm. “He does not.” She leans forward again, whispering, “Does he?”
I nod with a smile as I say, “Yeah, he does. Go for it. Sometimes, us women have to take things into our own hands to get what we want.”
My beast snorts at me as she says, “Listen to your own advice.”
I ignore her, leaving that train of thought for later.
Juju grins at me, a blush staining her cheeks. “I don’t know. I’m not as confident as you. If he turned me down, I’d be mortified. I’d have to quit my job and move to … I don’t know where.”
I wave her off as I say, “Nonsense. He won’t turn you down, but if he does, I’ll …” I crack my knuckles one by one in an implied threat of violence.
Juju chuckles. “That won’t be necessary, but thanks, Amri. If only you could lend me some of your courage.”
I want to tell her I’m not as brave as she’s giving me credit for, but I keep my smile firmly in place as I reach through the window and grab her hand.
I give her a squeeze, and play-shake her arm.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! There you go. One dose of Amri courage.” We share a laugh, and I wave as I turn to leave. “Good luck!”
As I exit the Council building and trudge through the barrier forest, I count myself lucky, not only to have a friend like Juju, but also for the fact that she didn’t give me an assignment.
I’m more than capable of juggling my enforcer duties with my clandestine mission surrounding the brothers and the Leos, but it is much easier when I’m able to focus on one thing at a time.
Once free of the forest, I quickly weave the signs, pricking my finger with my claw to activate the portal—the only one here for security reasons—set up for traffic coming and going on Council business.
I move aside as a shifter steps through, a fellow enforcer.
I nod at him, taking another step to allow for his wide girth.
I grin. “Bear, how’s it going?”
He holds out his fist, the back of his hand displaying his moon and stars tattoo, and I bump it with mine as he says, “Can’t complain.
Just finished an assignment in Japan. A family of magpie shifters were caught stealing …
again. They just had to pay a fine this time, but I worry I’ll have to bring them in if they keep at it. ”
I frown. “That’s tough. Magpies do love their shiny things.”
He nods, a frown pulling at his thick beard. “Yeah. They’re a nice family. I’d hate for them to get in real trouble.”
I clasp him on his meaty shoulder. “You’re a good male, Bear.”
And yes, he is a bear shifter. A Kodiak bear to be exact.
When I first met him, I laughed at the irony of his name, but he took the ribbing as it was intended—good naturedly—and we’ve gotten along splendidly ever since.
Which can’t be said for a lot of my fellow enforcers.
We all tend to be loners and quite prickly in social situations, but there are always a few exceptions to that rule.
The hint of a blush colors his high cheekbones at my compliment, and he asks, “You heading out on assignment?”
I shake my head. “Juliet didn’t have anything for me today.”
He nods. “Well, enjoy your day off then. See ya.”
“See ya.”
I redo the hand signs, activating the portal to drop me where I want, and not wherever in Japan Bear just came from.
I step through and emerge in a narrow alley in Barcelona.
While it was early afternoon at the Council headquarters, it’s dusk here in Spain, and the darkening shadows help to hide my arrival.
Not that anyone is in or even looking in the direction of this alley.
It’s almost too tight for me to fit, and I turn, shuffling sideways.
Stepping onto the sidewalk, I make my way one block north. There’s a decent number of tourists about with their fanny packs, burnt noses, and eyes scanning every building and street sign. Even when they happen to know where they’re going, tourists still manage to look lost.
But the locals won’t emerge for dinner and drinks for another few hours yet.
A bell chimes overhead as I open the door to the wine and tapas restaurant. I wave at the older male behind the counter, and he gives me a friendly nod as I head towards the back.
Adan took over this shop from his father who took it over from his mother … back at least five generations. Adan is a lovely Spanish ibex shifter who, despite his bulk, is just as light on his feet as his goat.