Page 87

Jake’s world had been turned upside down for the second time.

The sketch was crude, the colors faded, but there could be no mistaking its subjects. He was looking at three animals standing together, their heads meeting, their eyes closed.

A lion, a tiger, and a bear.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“IT ALLfits.” Orsini’s eyes shone. “Your son is part of the prophecy. The two men who freed him are both his mates.Yourgift allows us to confirm the age of these artifacts. And Theron knew.”

“What could he know?” Jake’s head was spinning again.

They arenotgoing to believe this.He wasn’t surehedid, not completely. It was all a bit… mystic?

And whatdoyou call seeing a vision of two brothers who lived a thousand years ago? Hmm?

“You’re aware Theron had Dellan in captivity, forcing him into their breeding program, correct?” Jake nodded, and Orsini tilted his head to one side. “How did that come about?”

“Dellan’s stepbrother, Anson, did a deal with the Gerans. He was to hand over Dellan, in return for the rights to manufacture the drug that forces shifts.”

“Well, supposing Theron knew about the prophecy, heknewthe three shifters depicted needed to get together, but there was no way for him to know Dellan was the tiger in the prophecy. When Rael turned up, it set in motion a chain of events that led Theron to learn about the three mates.”

Jake nodded, excitement surging through him like electricity. “Horvan said whoever he spoke with when Anson was murdered, he was very interested to learn they were mates.”

“Exactly. Imagine what must have been passing through Theron’s mind. What if these were the triad from the prophecy? What if it wasfinallyabout to come true? That would signal the end for the Gerans.”

“So he hid all knowledge of the prophecy.” Jake scowled. “God forbid you have shiftersnotliving in a climate of fear.”

Orsini sighed. “And now the hard work begins.”

“What do you mean?” Brick frowned. “This is dynamite. Weknowthe Gerans have been lying to us. Weknowthere was no split between the brothers. We know—”

“And who do you think people are going to believe? Jake, who they don’t know at all, or their leader they’ve been following for years, who’s been telling them of their great and grand destiny?”

Jake goggled. “How can they do otherwise, when they see—”

“See what?” Orsini cut Jake off. He stared at him for a moment, then sighed once more. “I keep forgetting. You’ve been out of the world for such a long time. Well, Jake, I hate to be the one to disillusion you, but you speak as if people are logical beings, capable of recognizing the truth when they see it. And man today is the most illogical creature imaginable, who never sees what is right in front of him.”

Seth was peering at the drawing. “Guys? What does this say under here?”

Orsini stared at the sheet. “I didn’t read it. I got as far as the painting and my mind unraveled.” He scanned the page, muttering under his breath. Then he dropped it, his breathing rapid, his eyes huge. “We need to share this. We need every shifter to learn the truth.”

“But what does itsay?” Seth whined.

“It reads like a series of events that will happen.” Orsini met Jake’s gaze. “Oh my. This has to be the prophecy.”

“Read it,” Jake croaked.

Orsini took a deep breath.

When he who can see is freed from his shackles

When his sons find him once more

When the tiger is freed by the lion and the bear

Then shall versipelli find the ones who complete them, be they versipelli or humankind.

Three hearts, beating as one.