Page 1

The Bellatore

Holy shit. Every eye but the Bellatore’s was on him now with ado something nowlook.

“The cards!” Reuban remembered. That was their salvation, figuring out what they were there to do with the shorn woman. He turned to the tall servant man. “You said I would get what I came for once I gave the Bellatore what she needed?”

He nodded but Reuban didn’t find it as adamant as before.

Reuban headed out of the hut, needing to be away from what was growing inside their Queen at a terrifying rate. He didn’t need to see that Krave and Kildare followed hot on his heels. He marched a good distance away from the hut and turned, creating an impenetrable shield of privacy around them.

“Pleasetell me you know something that will help us,” Krave muttered quietly.

Reuban nodded. “Her assistant is correct. I need to do what the Bellatore needs and that will bring us to the next card in the Hand we were dealt. It’s her card, then the… the Ace of Diamonds, King of Hearts, Queen of Spades and Jack of Clubs. And a Wild Card. The Bellatore is the first card. You stay with our Queen, and I’ll do whatever it is she needs me to do. Then it’ll be the Ace of Diamonds which hopefully we’ll know what that is when we’re done with whatever she’s doing or needs to do.” He took a slow breath, eyeing both of them with a head shake. “Ireallycan’t imagine Raviel would allow something to happen that doesn’tneedto happen.”

“I would imagine you’re wrong about that,” Kildare assured, sounding bitter. “You can only prepare for the worst with free will. He’d know the stakes and he’d be counting on those he selected for the job.”

Reuban nodded, seeing the Bellatore headed for them. “Here she comes.”

“Whatever you’re to do, do it as quickly as you can” Krave muttered, heading back to the hut.

“Anything else you know Kollaborator?” Kildare asked.

“Nothing useful,” he said, his eyes on the Bellatore now.

“We must go now,” she said as Kildare headed back to their Queen while stalking right past Reuban.

Reuban hurried after her. “And where are we going?” he asked, wondering if they’d need to drive.

“To the city. I will permit you to cover.”

The moment she spoke the words, his powers shot out to her so hard she stumbled forward. “Holy shit,” he muttered as she snapped pissed blue-green eyes at him. “I didn’t… mean that, you said the words and my powers just...”

“Nearly knocked me over, yes, I was there for it,” she said, continuing up the hill again. “Hurry, Kollaborator.”

He caught up to her, wondering over his extra chaotic powers that scrambled like a nervous teenager all around her… wait, was that a wall? Still?

“Are you back to blocking my gifts?” he wondered.

“Yes and no,” she said.

“What does that mean?” He really needed details if he was going to do anything close to right.

“It means I’ve opened a window for the parts of your power that will cover us and nothing more. I like my privacy.”

Wow. She was able to direct his power. “They’re still very new to me,” he said, easily keeping pace with her shortstature. “I’m still learning how to control them. And they are still growing.”

“They are more powerful than seems fitting,” she muttered, sounding angry.

Fitting for what? Him? “What exactly are we going to do and… where is it that we’re doing it?”

“There’s been a change of plans, obviously.”

He glanced down at the small, shorn head on his right. “My powers are a little dense still. What’s obvious?”

“The Queen is the mother is what’s obvious.”

“The mother of…”

“The mother I must protect.”