Page 14 of Hexes & Heartstrings (Shifters of Bastion Keep #2)
It was finally Friday, and Bruin was in his room, triple-checking his supply shelf to make sure there wasn't anything else he wanted to take for the day's Umbral mission.
"I wish you could be with us," Bruin said, closing his witch's bag and giving it a final pat before putting it over his shoulder.
Sergiy reached over and gave his arm a commiserating rub.
"As much as I know how much you'd love to have me as your own personal bodyguard," he said, "Lady Yi has requested that I escort her as she shows her pack the Umbral, since most of them are green to the ways of spirit realms. I could delegate the task to someone else, but…"
"She'd take it as an insult and get bitchy?" Bruin guessed.
"I wouldn't put it in those words, but yes. She grew up among the other Lords and Ladies of the Free Glades, so she's sensitive to these things."
Bruin grunted. Anxiety compelled him to look at his shelf again, and he had to consciously tell himself that no, he didn't need to bring back-up jars of mistletoe and holly, one bundle of each was plenty. Firmly turning his back to his shelf of tools and supplies, he took his mate's hand.
"I'm glad you didn't turn out to be a selfish snob."
"I don't know about that." Sergiy squeezed his hand, then leaned in towards him, putting his mouth next to his ear. "I may not be a snob, but I can be pretty selfish with what's mine , my mate."
Bruin shivered delightedly.
A short time later, fingering some fresh bites on his shoulder, Bruin proceeded downstairs and out the back of the castle to the mustering yard, Sergiy at his side, ready for a day of exploring the dark and scary world of shadows.
Most of the others for today's outing were already gathered.
Lady Yi and her entire pack were present, mingling with a handful of Sergiy's Dawnbringers.
They seemed to be getting along, laughing together in small groups, but became subdued whenever Yi approached one, presumedly to check readiness.
Sergiy strode directly towards them, shoulders straight and head held high, already in his warlord mindset. Bruin gave a parting wave to his back, then went to the other side of the mustering yard where Marka and a half dozen of her pack were inspecting their gear.
"Ready to head back to the Umbral realm, Green witch?" she asked him when he approached.
Bruin grunted, then shook his head to himself, trying to put himself in a more positive frame of mind.
Marka and her pack were great to hang out with, he'd have his coven with him, and they'd be visiting the Umbral outside of an incursion.
Plus, Russell said he'd be coming along for the ride, and Sergiy, too, would be only a mile or two away at a nearby anchor.
"Sure! Can't be as bad as last time I was there, right?"
"That's the way to look at it. We'll head out once everyone else arrives."
While Marka waited for the rest of their party, Lady Yi, apparently impatient to get her own training underway, shifted into her tiger form.
Bruin watched Sergiy shrug, gesture with his spear, then shift into his own glorious drake form, taking point and charging off down the trail for the nearby Gray Cliff anchors.
It was only another few minutes before Lux, Rosemary and Arthur made their appearances, joined by Roland and Russell who bore three of the special lantern staves that were used to keep the anchors charged.
"Everyone ready?" Roland asked. Marka did a quick check of her pack while Lux spoke to the witches, then each gave him a thumbs up. "Aye, good. Then witches, if you'll get these staves prepared, we'll head out.
Lux, Bruin and Rosemary completed their habitual charging ritual while Arthur studied their efforts, then each of the witches went to pair up with one of the shifters for a ride to the anchor.
Bruin joined Russell, of course, and he took his boyfriend's kilt from him as he shifted into his large red wolf form.
Arthur seemed caught up in watching Russell disrobe, up until a wereskunk pounded him on his back, getting his attention.
And Lux shared a flirtatious exchange with the black cat Chelsea before gracefully mounting her panther-esque form.
"Could I trouble you to be my ride today, Lady Marka?
" Rosemary asked the pack leader, pretending to have chosen her at random among those gathered.
The swordswoman in turn pretended to be surprised at having been asked, then bowed her head before shifting into her large wolf form, her golden fur shimmering.
"It would of course be my honor, good witch," she said, then did a yipping laugh. "Yes, climb on so we can get this party started."
Bruin and the others put kilts or blankets on their mounts' backs, makeshift saddles that would service the short distance that they'd be riding.
Not full saddles, of course, never those.
Bruin had made sure he'd done his research before confirming with Sergiy, but there was too much history of shifters being bound to their animal forms and ridden against their will, treated more like animals than people.
Sergiy had been kind enough to explain that it was best not to assume a saddle, especially any that had straps that couldn't be removed by the shifter in their own animal form, but that blankets and unbelted pads were usually okay since having a rider for prolonged periods could get uncomfortable for the shifter.
Exceptions were made for battle gear, though, and for fliers. Sergiy had solemnly likened his passenger harness to a baby vest, then teased Bruin by saying it was available whenever he wanted to do some fancy flying that included dives and barrel rolls.
Bruin had laughed, then told him to fuck all the way off as he forcefully banished away the image of hanging upsidedown, hundreds of feet up in the sky.
Marka led the pack out at a gentle pace, about as fast as Bruin could jog. It was a wonderful sensation to feel Russell's muscles between his thighs as the werewolf loped along, and Bruin prattled away to his mount, who answered mostly in short barks and ear twitches.
Following the well-worn trail to the nearby anchor, Marka navigated the switchbacks up the mountainside, and by the end of a half-hour they'd arrived at the middle of the three Gray Cliff anchors.
"Witches," Roland said, padding over in his own black wolf form to sniff at the obelisk. "Have you decided on who's all handling the staves?"
Lux dismounted, gesturing with one. "Yes. Rosemary will use hers to top off the anchor, Bruin is going to leave his on this side for an emergency, and I'll be carrying mine into the Umbral for experimentation."
"Aye, that's sound. We don't normally take staves into the Umbral because of the attention they get, but in an emergency they can be used to open a gate back to the real world if the wielder knows how."
"Then shouldn't the guardians…" Lux began, then shook his head. "Nevermind."
"Out with it," Roland said.
"I was going to suggest that a staff be sent with each warband during incursions, but realized the poor logistics of it."
"You're right, it wouldn't work. It takes a willworker to gather and use the energy, and not to be too blunt about it, but even if we kept you pups safe and protected at the anchors, you're both too valuable and too vulnerable to be left in that position.
And besides, it's not like anchors failing happens regularly, or ever!
We were caught with our pants down last time, the shadows kissing our balls, and you can for damn sure expect that we're prepared for it now.
" Roland nodded. "Alright, enough chatting.
Lux, be cautious with the staff. Its light attracts shadowlings. "
"Ah, don't you lot worry about any of the beasties," Marka said, thumping her sword. "If any little fish swim to our anchor, Steel Fang will make short work of them. Right?"
There were howls of agreement, and then it was time for final preparations.
The first step was for the four witches to conduct a communal protection charm. Rosemary took point, asking for a shield of white light to guard them all, and Bruin called up light from the ground and fed it to his friend.
Lux and Arthur were doing likewise as they formed a circle around her, and Bruin felt the unique energy of each as they worked in harmony.
If Rosemary's use of white light felt like the warmth of a fireplace, and Lux's the sensation of being buoyed by an inexorable force, adrift on a calm sea—Bruin's own light, he was told, was like sitting on a cool rock with your feet dangling in a stream—then Arthur's was like, well…
like standing outside during a tornado watch, calm in the immediate area, but with a distant sense of dread.
Or perhaps Bruin was being unkind, likening the foreign magic of a Hedge witch with his upcoming Umbral mission.
Once complete, the guardians shifted over to the Umbral first to ensure that the other side was clear of danger, which Marka said might take about ten minutes. With his spare time, Bruin went over to Russell, whose even expression despite being surrounded by friends indicated worry.
"Hey, big guy."
Russell was carefully not looking at the obelisk, but he turned his head when Bruin neared. "Mm."
"It feels to me like you might not be a hundred percent happy right now," Bruin said, choosing his words carefully, and he saw Russell eventually nod. "Do you want to talk about why?"
"I'm sad that I'm not going with you."
Bruin nodded, then reached out and took his hand, staying silent to give him more time to think.
"I think I should go with you," Russell said hesitantly, "but I don't want to."
"The Umbral scares you, huh? I remember the last time, when we went together to rescue Sergiy. There were scary knights everywhere, and all that conflict. I can understand not wanting to face that, and you absolutely do not have to go."
Russell reached down to give Bruin a hug, squeezing him tight, and Bruin heard him sniffing.