Chapter 80: Preparation for the Unknown

The relief from Ronan’s words only lasted for a short while because everyone was back to business immediately. Darkness was beginning to fall but they were still not done with the meeting and Eldric was still not present.

"Madam Tyler," Orion said, his voice carried the low timbre of a command but not unkindness. "Reinforce your charms if you must, and if you notice anything...anything at all, you are to inform me immediately."

The priestess inclined her head, but her eyes didn’t meet his. The flickering candlelight caught the faint tremor in her hands as she adjusted the chain of talismans around her wrist. "As you command, Alpha," she murmured.

The quiet stretch that followed was broken by Ronan’s voice again but this time, it was low and careful, but edged with a bit of apprehension mixed with curiosity. "Madam Tyler..." He hesitated before continuing, "Does the fallen charm... do you think it has anything to do with the Skylur and the Trihydra attack we suffered?"

The question whooshed though the air like a harsh wind blowing through.The elders sucked in a collective breath, their expressions tightening. Caspian straightened in his seat, his lined face unreadable, while Mary’s hand stilled on the hilt of the dagger she was unconsciously tracing. She always carried one with her. She wasn’t a warrior but she worked on creating the weapons and it was a comfort to her most times.

Madam Tyler’s lips pressed into a thin line. For a moment, she only looked at the runes carved into the timber beneath her palms, as though the answer might rise from them. "I do not know," she said at last, her voice soft. "But with the way things are shifting... I suspect it could be linked." Her gaze lifted at last, and for a heartbeat her eyes gleamed with something like fear. "I do not yet know how. And I fear we may not be able to withstand it."

"If I can withstand the attack by the enclave then I can withstand anything. Only after I die do you all fear anything. As far as I’m alive, it’s a sign we can keep on fighting." Caspian told them gruffly.

Everyone was quiet as they absorbed his words. Caspian may argue like it’s his life’s work and may appear grumpy but he had a huge heart.

But the silence that followed was heavy, the kind that made the candle flames waver. While Caspian had given them a reason to believe, no one could shake the fact that Madam Tyler was right. But they’ll be damned before they give up. Orion sat back, the muscles in his shoulders coiling. He let out a slow breath before speaking again, his tone clipped but steady.

"Then make sure you don’t die until we sort out whatever is giving us this unrest." Orion said to him. "Well, this just brings us to the next topic."

His gaze moved to Tobias. Tobias shifted uncomfortably under the weight of it, his fingers drumming against the table. He knew this was his cue but knowing didn’t make him any less nervous.

"I’ve been curious since you came back, did you find anything about the plague?" Daniel asked him.

Tobias’ jaw tightened. "I couldn’t find anything. Not even a whisper. It’s as if the enclave has sealed every crack and plugged every leak. Every contact of mine went silent or turned me away. No one will speak of it. And there are no evidence at all that a plague is even going round."

Mary’s brow furrowed. "That makes no sense. A plague cannot be hidden like a secret ledger."

Daniel leaned forward, his one hand curled into a fist. "You’re telling us the enclave is deliberately concealing an outbreak?"

Tobias gave a single, sharp nod. "I can’t prove it, but yes."

A murmur rippled around the table. Caspian’s eyes darkened with thought, while Madam Tyler’s charms clinked as she worried them between her fingers. Lysander alone remained still, though his gaze had sharpened.

"Why?" Mary asked. "Why would they hide something like that?"

"That," Tobias said grimly, "is the question. I’m thinking perhaps the letter was a lie after all and they just wanted a reason to use us?"

"So they could destroy us?" Orion asked him.

"It could be."

"I doubt that though. The enclave wouldn’t go that far to beg us for help especially since we are scum to them. Right?" Ronan asked.

"I wouldn’t put it past them to do so." Mary muttered.

Orion raised a hand and the talks ceased. "Whatever their reason," he said, "it leaves us at a disadvantage. Which is why I’ve already reached out to our allies."

This time, there was no murmur, only a collective exhale as the weight of his words sank in. Ronan’s eyes flickered to his Alpha’s face, but he said nothing.

"You contacted them without consulting us first?" Caspian asked quietly, though there was no reproach in his tone, only curiosity and surprise.

"Yes, I apologize for that," Orion replied. "But I would do it again. If the enclave is hiding a plague, and creatures that do not belong here are stalking our borders, then we need information. Now."

The room hummed with unease. Even Madam Tyler’s eyes flickered with surprise, though she quickly looked down.

"Do they know yet?" Daniel asked.

"I haven’t gotten a reply yet." Orion informed them.

But nobody was scared about that. They knew Benny of Silver Creek would come through for them. If there was a plague going round that even Tobias couldn’t get information on, then they were the best help.

For a long moment, no one spoke. The firelight caught in the runes carved along the chamber walls, making them look like faintly glowing veins. The silence was not one of disagreement but of consideration, the sound of old gears turning in older minds.

Finally, Orion stood. The scrape of his chair against the timber floor was loud in the stillness. "We’ve discussed charms. We’ve discussed plagues. Now we discuss what comes next."

He turned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the circle of faces, meeting each elder’s eyes in turn. "Plans are being made to go deeper into the Forest of Nirvana."

"You can’t mean..." Mary began.

"I mean exactly that," Orion said. "The Skylur and Trihydra are not supposed to be anywhere near our territory. The Trihydra preys on Skylur. They do not hunt together. They do not move together. And they do not come this close to our borders."

His voice was like gravel now, rough and certain. "That is not coincidence. There are strange things happening and we need to know what it is.

"Are you fucking nuts?!" Lysander growled at him, a palm striking the table.