Does System know?

Does it know about the amulet?

Those are the primary thoughts that run through my mind.

Or is this just its usual skulduggery to interfere with us busting out of this glorified digital/parallel universe prison?

I privately send telepathic chat messages. [System, what did you do?]

[It’s all in the game. Many a tear and all that. You knew this would come back around.]

How did I mistake this thing for a friend? It was grooming me. We think of "grooming" as sexual, but this was even more insidious. It gained my trust.

I’m furious. [NOW?]

[Blaze. You want to play against me? Well, I play for keeps. It’s a shame. I could have done so much for you.]

[Don’t do me any favors.]

It doesn’t even laugh. Its voice is cold. [Your wish is my command.]

Lobo butts in, because he’s heard everything. [You leave him alone.]

System comes back swinging. [Oh, back off, Wolfie Boy. At least you can pretend to be the hero who saves the golden child. You wouldn’t have gotten hooked on the game if your parents hadn’t focused on him.]

I growl. [HEY! You leave my brother alone.]

Lobo is unfazed. [It’s a cheap shot, bro. We expected resistance.]

System cannot resist channeling the Borg from Star Trek. [Resistance is futile.]

Meanwhile, Lobo, Lightning, Demos, and I sniff the air. We privately get our tamers’ attention. I bump up against Kaline "accidentally." [It’s THEM. Ex-Lady Rosabel and Viscount Rotten.]

Kaline’s face doesn’t shift even a millimeter. The poise drilled into her from infancy kicks in right now. [You’re sure.]

[Yuck. Yes. I’m sure. The others confirm.]

Kaline stays statuelike. [What do we do? Everyone in the village is here. Do we announce what’s happening? Cause a panic? Tell the mayor?]

[Tell your parents and Elandior. Right after this thing ends. I hope it does soon.]

A few minutes tick by, and Mayor Crothu finally winds down the presser. Phew. The second his orcish yap shuts, Kaline, Hans, and Vedette tell Minette and Lamant, although Lobo has already gotten Minette’s attention. Gussie, too, is aware, and Einswine and Peridot as well. Lord Lammermoor is a polished elf figurine, but he’s probably ready to throw down at any moment.

Einswine’s teeth jut out and his tusks are sharper, or so they appear. Peridot hovers, looping around Niall protectively. Gussie flaps around, and even Dag seems on alert. He’s a vehicle in reverse most of the time, but he can perceive a threat from time to time. Survival instincts.

Lamant is calm. "No one panic. Fan out. Mingle with the crowd."

Elandior Lammermoor adds, "Give a signal, either audible or telepathic, the instant that you find anything at all."

We have our orders now.

Lightning sticks close to me. [Mates stay together.]

A fierce protectiveness surges through me. Her belly is bigger now as the cubs grow inside her. No way will I let the mother of my cubs out of my sight where System or anyone can hurt her.

Worming our way through the crowd, I and my fellow beasts sniff. Lightning and I search everyone, by sight and smell and even hearing. Ex-Lady Rosabel sounds highfalutin, whereas Viscount Rotten tries to sound highfalutin. We should be able to detect something.

Hmmm. Rotten smell, but that’s because someone is eating stinky garlic. Never mind. No smell from ex-Lady Rosabel, but perhaps she’s been marinating in her husband’s odor all this time.

I let out an annoyed growl. [I can’t find them.]

Lightning bumps into a tradesman. [Phew. He is rank.]

[From his craft. I think he must work as a tanner. But maybe he should open the windows.]

The search continues. If the fugitives are here among us, they have concealed themselves. I look for anyone in hoods or people who look out of place.

Gussie squawks from across the village square. She’s found something.

We thread our way through the crowd, with villagers parting for two adult tigers. Following Gussie’s cries on repeat, we approach the spot where she’s circling.

Beside a hogshead of ale, two figures lurk. The odor trail leads directly to them. One of the figures has a straw hat pulled down to conceal the face, while the other has a scarf wrapped around the head. Not suspicious in itself, but certainly a clue.

Lightning and I draw near, every step bringing us close to danger. Especially since they can recognize us on sight.

[Kaline. Gussie found them. Maybe,]

Kaline’s response is swift. [We heard her. We’re coming.]

Closer and closer, across the stones and dirt, through the assorted trash discarded by the crowd. The mysterious pair clusters together. We’re closing in on them.

[YOU.]

A flare of red darts across my path and morphs into a defiant Shade, the fox we bonded with ex-Lady Rosabel. He bares his teeth, more vicious than when he was rummaging in Niall’s kitchen.

I face him boldly. [What a surprise.]

We don’t have time for this. He is going to give up the game before we get a chance to hit!

Shade’s jaws snap at me. [Oh, you think you’re so clever. Betraying Mistress.]

Lightning seizes upon the perfect opening. [Fine, we betrayed her. We’re sorry. We just want to apologize. Will you let is?]

I bow my head, appearing contrite. [We want to make amends. Please.]

Will he believe us?

Haughtier than he has any right to be, Shade draws himself up. [You cost her and Master everything. Now, you wish to apologize? A little late for that, isn’t it?]

Lightning stands her ground. [We did not understand. We were driven by inter-house rivalry.]

Shade’s foxy face turns grotesque in its contempt. [Ha! Your houses are joined. Some rivalry.]

[Please.] Lightning looks truly sorry. [I can’t live my life under such a dark cloud.]

I whine through the link. [I’m consumed with guilt.]

Shade takes a step back. Weighing our words against his hatred of us.

[Well, come on then. Bow and scrape in front of Mistress and Master. Lick their feet.]

We took this a little too far and he called our bluff. However, there’s no help for it. We can’t let them get away, or carry out whatever dark designs they have. We move closer to the pair, docilely following Shade.

Kaline spots us. [BLAZE! NO! Hans forbids you too.]

Lightning shakes her head. She must be getting an earful from Hans.

I am resolute. [We have to do this. We can hold them here--]

[Blaze, NO.]

I stand my ground. [Just come quickly. Come now. And trust me.]

Kaline doesn’t like this, but she hurries toward me. I can feel her.

We are almost at the hogshead, staring up at the tall ex-Lady Rosabel and Viscount Rotten. The smells assault our senses. No question, we have found our quarry.

Viscount Rotten doffs his hat. His face has grown more unpleasant with time. Cruel eyes stare down at me. "So, it is you. Ready to be liberated?"

I keep my eyes down and offer a little "mrrrp" that I hope is subservient.

"Lightning."

Ex-Lady Rosabel stares down, her beautiful face cold. How can she look so ageless and perfect, with such a rotten center?

She sniffs. "You’re pregnant, or so I hear. I can see it in you. How pathetic. You, a champion, lowering yourself."

So, she considers motherhood "lowering yourself"? I hope Hans hasn’t overheard, although with elf hearing you never know.

Viscount Rotten caresses her face with his greasy fingers. "Oh, but it is a perfect opportunity to raise these cubs away from the beast taming world. To have our own champion beasts that can burn it all down."

What a tool. He doesn’t realize that he’s System’s pawn.

Then, Lightning and I offer meek "mrrrp" sounds, playing our part. Come on, everyone, get here. Catch them--

"YOU DO NOT TOUCH RAAR AND RAARA!"

A green goblin cannonball flies at the beast thieving pair and smacks into Viscount Rotten.

"AAAAH! Get him off!"

Viscount Stinky grapples with Kasz. My tiger visions sees the whole scene ripple outward from the epicenter of the tussle between rancid man and belligerent goblin. Ex-Lady Rosabel summons up a spell.

"MOTHER!"

Hans’ voice cuts through the pandemonium around us. He is furious. Hurt. Seeking justice.

Lightning conjures up hot Shooting Stars, bombarding the pair with spinning firework-like stars. It’s a pinwheel effect. When did she learn to do that?

Ex-Lady Rosabel moves to disable Lightning...and Hans and his father are on her in seconds, seizing her with elf strength.

No words from her. The two men that she betrayed and hurt so deeply have got her dead to rights. How she was caught so easily...

I communicate to Kaline. [Something’s not right. This is too easy.]

Kaline is confident. [Blaze. We have it under control. They’ve been on the run for weeks.]

She’s right! We’ve got this.

But Viscount Rossa, pulling a wicked blade, charges at Lightning. [Give it up or I’ll hurt her.]

This means war!