Page 43 of Hexes & Heartstrings (Shifters of Bastion Keep #2)

Bruin fidgeted beside his coven as he watched Roland chant his prayer over the warband, having nothing to distract him from his worries.

He and his coven had already completed their own protective charms earlier in the day, having turned lunch into something more like a celebratory send-off; while the guardians had eaten and drank their fill of a meal saturated with Kitchen blessings, Bruin had navigated around the tables, snapping rowan oak rods for luck and securing charmed garlands around the heads of the alphas, including a skeptical Lady Yi.

Then he heard Roland finish amid cheers, and it was time.

"I want an extra inventory check!" Sergiy bellowed, already in his large drake form. "We're not in a rush for a change, and it's a three-hour trek to the anchor. Let's not have to call for a resupply before we even begin."

Bruin heard acknowledging howls as the various pack leaders and their seconds went to check over their packs, then turned to see Sergiy approaching.

Trotting over, his mate peered at him stonily, and for a moment Bruin was afraid that he'd change his mind about bringing him, but then he nosed him with his snout, snorting.

"I still wish you were staying behind," he said. "But… I'm also glad you're coming. Do you have everything?"

Bruin nodded, pointing to the small pack that was in the rear of a nearby humvee. "Clothes, field blanket, day's worth of dried food, canteen, um, blanket…"

"You said that one already."

Bruin reached up to waggle Sergiy's muzzle, the half-dozen crystal bracelets on his arm clacking.

"You packed it yourself, I'll be fine. More importantly, I have my witch's bag, my crystals, and my plants. Everything else is secondary."

Sergiy grumbled, which Bruin figured meant that he was right, and then went off to speak to Markos, probably to give final garrison advice.

Bruin wished he could tell his mate the truth, that he too wished he were staying behind, but Rosemary had been adamant that he say as little as possible, especially to Sergiy. And when a skilled augur like his best friend says that he must do something, Bruin figured it'd be wise to listen.

While Sergiy went to receive a final confirmation from his warband, Bruin set about checking through his witch's bag, triple making sure that he had everything he'd need.

He was frantically searching for the stone talisman from Roland before he'd remembered that he was wearing it around his neck, thanks to a wise Lux who'd worried that Bruin would have otherwise left it behind and had insisted that he watch him put it on.

The weather was balmy for late October. The afternoon sun had warmed the land up to the fifties—chilly enough that Bruin was grateful for his shirt and scarf, but not cold enough to need his woolen coat—but there were only a couple of hours left until the sun would set beyond the mountains.

For now, though, the sky was clear, the wind was fair, and there was a scent of pine on the breeze, if one could smell anything beyond the scent of nearly a hundred nearby shifters.

As he went back to the humvee to once again ensure that the vital watchman's lantern was secure, he was met by Russell.

His boyfriend seemed placid, but Bruin wondered if he wasn't just putting on a brave face; he'd been sorrowful enough the night before, needing quiet reassurances from both Sergiy and Bruin.

Just in case, Bruin wrapped his arms around Russell's waist, letting him enfold him in his arms. He pressed his face into Russell's bare chest, getting a last taste of his sunshine.

"Be safe," Russell said sternly.

"We will, don't worry. We'll be back before you know it! And by that, I mean hopefully we'll return in just a few days. If it looks like it will take longer, Rosemary and Arthur will keep everyone updated."

When all five packs and their supporters reported that they were ready, Russell helped pick Bruin up and set him on top of Sergiy's back, then whined loudly as he hugged Bruin's leg and Sergiy both.

"We'll be back soon," Sergiy promised, butting his head against Russell.

Russell nodded, then took a few steps back to stand beside Rosemary and Arthur.

As for himself, Bruin saw his best friend affecting nonchalance beneath her lace parasol, but he knew better.

"I'll do my best," he said to her, then turned to face the road as they set out.

Sergiy walked in the lead, of course, at least until Yacob and Summer bounded ahead with their packs, burning their nervous energy. Lady Yi stayed a few steps behind at the front of her own pack, while Roland with Lux astride him kept pace with their warlord.

"I appreciate you taking a slower gait," Lux said after a while, looking more than fine in a crisp half-shirt.

He held one of the anchor staves across his lap, his own shimmering witch's bag at his side, and a backpack full of astronomy supplies.

"But I'm sure Roland and I can catch up, if you want to lead the packs ahead. "

Bruin's seat wobbled as Sergiy shook his head, and he made sure he had a good grip on his mate's mane.

"A slower trek is better," Sergiy said. "It helps to have this interlude to separate life at the keep with life in the Umbral and other spirit realms. They might deny it, but I can feel that it puts the packs in a better mindset."

"Deny what?" Marka asked, darting forward from where she'd been checking the trailing humvees.

"How much everyone loves walking."

"Well…" she hedged, then yipped. "If you say so, brother, but it seems an odd thing to think about."

Bruin saw Sergiy lean towards his sister, peering at her neck.

"Is that a collar? Since when do you wear collars?"

Immediately Marka's ears twitched, and she muttered something too low for Bruin to catch.

Not so low for a drake shifter. "A gift from who? Wait, is it from that secret admirer you've mentioned? Is that still going on?"

"As far as you know, brother of mine. Oh, hang on, is that a song I hear starting? Sorry, gotta go!"

And then Marka loped back to where Auguste and Cadmus were starting one of the land shanty songs, something about a young woman wandering far from home in search of adventure.

Sergiy's jaw parted as his head bobbed back and forth, clearly puzzled, but then shook himself carefully before resuming his walk.

Bruin looked back, trying to check out Rosemary's gift to her girlfriend, but there was too much wolf fur in the way to make out anything other than black leather with some kind of silvered accents. Shrugging, he pulled out his djembe, joining in the song's easy rhythm.

Bruin had thought that riding on the back of a warlord would mean hours of listening to plans and details, but instead Sergiy was silent, other than belting out the occasional harmony.

In fact, his mate seemed as relaxed as Bruin had ever seen him, with his lazily swaying tail.

He patted his mate, getting a hissing chuckle in return.

After a couple of hours of tapping his drum and appreciating the fall colors of the local flora and the snowy tips of the mountains, they arrived at the highest Green Plateau anchor, so named on account of all the evergreens.

Sergiy called for a thirty minute break to unload supplies and set up camp.

"And this is my stop," Lux said, pulling out his instruments and moving to set his bag on the plateau's stone bench. Led by Ivar, four of the more experienced garrison troops that had been following the warband broke off to join him, his own personnel escort.

"Let us know when you're set, lad," Roland told him.

"Shouldn't be but a few minutes to make the adjustments from last night. Bruin, a hand?"

Setting aside his witch's bag, he joined his coven leader in putting out different bowls in a wide circle around him. Afterwards, he helped to fill some with precisely measured ingredients, like fine red sand or honey, mimicking the planets.

Just before time, while Bruin was taking a long drink from his canteen and Lux was double-checking his work, Lady Yi approached him. She didn't dip her head in respect like she did when acknowledging Roland or a fellow packleader, but neither did she sneer. A step towards mutual respect, maybe?

"Exchanging you for my witch had best not prove regretful," she told him bluntly. "Do not let your mate down."

Okay, not the worst thing she could say to him, but Bruin still had to avoid reflexive sarcasm. "I won't."

As she strode away, Bruin noticed Sergiy stand up beside the anchor, and surroundings conversations settled.

"Lux Manus, are you ready?"

Lux straightened to his feet, the silver glitter and braided jewelry in his dark hair like shooting stars as he moved.

"Yes, my lord. From this point on, you and yours are beneath my sky.

I'll keep watch over your movements, and as soon as Bruin activates the lantern, be assured that our coven will do our part. "

Sergiy nodded to him.

"Guardians! We have a quarry to find. Awoo!"

Howls and cheers resounded, and Bruin felt a thrill to be part of this expedition. He took his place beside Roland, who gripped his arm for the transfer.

"In three… two… one…"

And then they were in the Umbral.

The shimmering sky was darker than the last time Bruin had been here, and he wasn't sure if it was because of the approaching winter, or had something to do with the veil being thinner around Samhain.

A breeze blew constantly here, and though he should have been chilled as it seemed to pass right through his clothing and flesh, it somehow felt more like a lukewarm memory of wind.

Bruin felt his hairs stand on it. The whole place was a realm of nothing. Maybe it was just his Green nature talking, but he didn't know how these guardians could stand it, month after month.

Now that they were across the void, Bruin formed up alongside the central command unit, next to Roland, Finnegan the nixie, and their designated protectors.