A Sliver of Hope

Max

I slid through the open window and was immediately engulfed in hugs. My sister Bambi was crying, not even trying to hold back her tears. The others simply wore confused smiles, unsure how I’d gotten there.

“How in the hell did you escape?” Kalindi asked, trying to keep her voice down so no one outside the room could hear.

“Well, it was dumb luck, to be honest.”

A few wolves were placed on watch at the door, ready to warn us if anyone should approach. I sat down, out of sight, while the rest gathered around. Bambi sat beside me, making sure I wouldn’t be out of arm’s reach again.

I loved my sister and I knew things had been hard. Word was out that the Supernatural Parliament had not been easy on Ekon’s envoy.

To return home and find that the pack grounds had been turned into a werewolf internment camp must have been yet another hard blow.

Bambi was scared but undyingly courageous. That’s what I always admired about her. No one could stop her from doing what she set out to do.

“Tell us everything,” Bambi said.

So I did.

After the Rogue attack in Detroit took the nation by surprise, I refused to sit back and let Matthias and Devina get away with their devilry.

Luckily, my wolves had caught the scent of Rogues near our pack headquarters in Maine. We followed them, hoping to catch up. They were fast and much more prepared than I would’ve liked, leading us cross-country for weeks.

Every time it felt like we were getting close, the bastards miraculously got away.

“Devina’s magic, no doubt,” Ryland said under his breath.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “The Rogues are definitely here, but I haven’t smelled a witch’s scent since our last battle.”

“Good,” Kalindi retorted.

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

They looked at me, fearful of what my ominous reply might mean.

“If Devina is no longer here, then that can only mean one thing...”

“She’s made her way south… to No Wolf’s Land,” Kalindi finished, shaking her head in disgust.

“All signs point to that being the case,” I replied. “There’s no reason for her to stay in North America. We would sniff her out eventually and that is something she definitely doesn’t want.”

“What about our pack… I mean, ~your~ pack,” Bambi asked, correcting herself.

It made me smile to know she still considered our old pack her family, even after all this time and the many miles separating us.

My smile faded quickly, though, as I thought about my pack.

“I was following the Rogues back through New England when I received a mind-link message from Beta Ryan. It was a quick call for help before we lost all communication.”

“Oh no,” Bambi frowned.

“It seems as though President Nelson had this planned for a while. Once the Rogues bombed Detroit, it gave him a reason to clamp down on werewolves all over the U.S. Every pack in North America was hit at nearly the same time, halting communication and trapping everyone at the compounds. Obviously, they knew you were out of the country and were waiting for your return.”

The group looked from one person to the other. This was a lot to take in, but I knew they understood it meant we couldn’t sit back and wait for the government to let us go.

“You said you took men to search for the Rogues,” Kalindi said. “Are they still with you?”

I shook my head, frustrated with my own failures.

“My men waited behind as I tried to patrol our compound, looking for a way inside…” My voice trailed and the others understood before I said anything more. “Agents spotted the group and took them in. I’m the only one that has seemed to make it out. It took me days of nonstop travel to get here. I waited at the tarmac, hoping to beat the agents to you…”

I could hear the weary sound of my voice and knew I must look and smell a mess. But I refused to let my own sister be taken captive like the rest of my people.

“It’s okay,” Bambi said. “You’re here now.”

“But your journey is not finished.”

The deep voice brought all of our eyes to Ekon, standing shakily behind the group. He looked almost as worn-out as me. It was obvious the agents had done a number on him.

I stood and gave Ekon a hug that he was not expecting. He stunk of alcohol, but then again, he always did. When I pulled back to look into his eyes, I realized they were pitch black. He had shifted so he could see me.

“It’s good to see you, friend,” he said with a weak smile.

“And you as well,” I replied.

But our embrace was cut short as one of the wolves at the door warned of an approaching agent. I hid behind a large bookshelf in the corner while the others prepared for what might happen next.

Luckily, the agent passed without stopping.

“We need to leave,” I urged, reappearing from my hiding spot, “but not all of us can go. It would alert them before we could even escape the compound.”

“I’ll stay,” Kalindi said, her voice filled with strength. “The pack needs someone for guidance and strength. Max needs both of you.”

She looked hard at Bambi and Ekon. It was obvious their gamma would not back down from any fight, but she was right. I would need them both if we were to stop whatever was happening.

“May the Moon Goddess guide you,” Ryland said, his voice filled with uncertainty.

I nodded my head in thanks.

Lately, it seemed like the Moon Goddess had all but abandoned us, but right now I couldn’t argue. We’d need all the help we could get.

Holly

The cat purred its gratitude as Professor Zillana rubbed her hand over its back. Its fur was black as night. I shook my head at the stereotype, but it seemed to be true… black cats made for the best companions and the worst luck… a witch’s dream!

Or, in this case, ~test subjects.~

“Today we are going to learn a very powerful, very important spell.”

“Aren’t all spells important?” I asked, grinning.

Zillana smiled back, captivating me as she always did. There was something about her expression that spoke to me more than words. I had been around witches in the past, Devina included, who emanated powerful auras.

But there was something different about Zillana that made me want to know more.

Maybe it was her desire to help me crack the code to my magical powers… or maybe it was that she took the time to really listen to what I had to say…

It didn’t really matter. At this point in our relationship, I only knew that whatever she said would improve my magic. Zilliana seemed to know everything.

“This spell might be one of the most powerful of all because it gives you the ability to strip a supernatural being of their power.”

My jaw dropped. Stripping another being of its power? That seemed almost… like torture.

Zillana saw my face and laughed, warming my heart once more in the process.

“Yes, I already know what you’re thinking. It is cruel, but sometimes extremely necessary. If you possessed this technique when you fought Devina, it’s possible you could have prevented her from escaping by teleportation.”

I nodded my head, understanding why she needed to teach me. It wasn’t something I would use flippantly. This spell could change the course of someone’s life… for better or worse. And I planned on using it for the former.

“Are you ready for the test?” Zillana smiled.

She was a wonderful teacher and an even better friend. Since my arrival at the university, no other person has taken such interest in my work. It was both inspiring and empowering to know that someone so powerful wanted to help me reach my full potential.

I realized that as long as we shared such a strong bond, I would do whatever she asked. I trusted her implicitly.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Good. But first…”

Zillana closed her eyes as her hand continued to brush the cat’s fur. Within seconds, the cat, standing still and enjoying the attention, began to float.

It seemed terrified of the sudden change in gravity and scurried its paws through the air to try and grab a foothold.

That was when I became truly astonished. The cat began to actually run around the room as if floating through the air. After several frantic moments, it finally calmed down and eventually curled up into a ball, still hovering in mid-air.

“That’s unbelievable,” I said, unable to hold back my awe.

“Wait until you try it. You’ll be able to ~feel~ the power ~seep~ from its body.”

Zillana surprised me once more as she pulled a flower from her small satchel.

“Is that…”

“Fairy slipper,” she said, cutting me off. “One of the rarest and most potent flowers a witch can use to strengthen spells for elemental control, chaos magic, and necromancy.”

I nodded my head in understanding. During my studies at the Northern Pack, I had stumbled across references in some of the books. It always seemed to grow in forbidden places… mostly in lands controlled by werewolves.

“There’s a place in Chile, a valley high in the Andes, where it grows wild and untouched,” she said.

Zillana had once again read my thoughts… and once again I didn’t care one bit. It was amazing knowing that such a caring and understanding person had the same interests as me.

“How do you use it?”

“By ingesting it. If enough is taken, it will stay in your system for several days, giving you the ability to reach otherwise hidden potential.”

I watched as Zillana mashed it up with a mortar and pestle until it was ground to a fine pulp. She then handed it to me and tipped her hand back in a drinking motion.

At first, I was unsure, but I took it down in one gulp, gagging at the taste. It was like taking cough medicine mixed with dirt.

“Now, you’re ready,” she smiled. “I’ve given the cat temporary powers it couldn’t begin to understand. And it’s up to you to take them away. Repeat after me...”

I took in a deep breath and suddenly felt a new type of energy take over my body. It was as if I’d chugged a whole cup of black coffee, but without the jitters. Instead, I felt focused and relaxed.

“~Kanath dan ratha min ruen san diin,~” Zillana chanted.

The words were new to me and should have sounded foreign, but I remembered each one as if I’d learned them in childhood.

“~Kanath dan ratha min ruen san diin,~” I repeated, focusing my thoughts on the cat still floating in mid-air.

“Again.”

“~Kanath dan ratha min ruen san diin…~”

“Once more. You almost have it!”

“~Kanath dan ratha min ruen san diin!~” I shouted, throwing my hands in the direction of the feline.

At that moment, I detected something new and empowering in the space between me and the cat. The magic bestowed to the animal drained from its body, shimmering in the air like heat off the asphalt on a hot summer day. It floated over, transferring into my body, giving me a jolt.

I felt stronger. Somehow… more alive…

Like a fly swatted from the air, it fell to the ground with a thump, landing on its feet.

Zillana laughed and clapped with glee.

“Very good, my student. ~Very good.~ Now you know what it is like to have true power… and what it will feel like to take power from those holding you back.”