King Hall (Forever Evermore 1)

King Nelson marched to Jack and Pearl. “Why did you stop us from helping her?”

“Yes, please explain,” King Fergus ordered through clenched teeth.

“Er…” Pearl, dear God, Pearl, the atrocious liar, began fumbling, “You see, we—”

Jack stepped in front of her and cut her off, stating factually, “We knew she wasn’t feeling well before. She was really nervous.” He shrugged. “She’s our friend. We wanted to help her. We were afraid you might be upset with her.” Not really great excuses, but he had kept it truth to all, not stupid enough to be dishonest with King Kincaid in his wolf form and able to scent deception easily.

King Venclaire was staring at the door Ezra had disappeared through, but he murmured calmly, “We wouldn’t have yelled at her for fainting.” A quick glance to me, then back to the door. “Although, you really need to take better care of yourself. I know the Awakening can be nerve-racking the first time, but not eating beforehand was inadvisable and foolish.”

King Nelson still looked furious, and he pointed directly at Jack’s face. “Don’t ever try that on me again.” His finger swung to Pearl. “And don’t you ever use your powers against a King, or Elder, if they’ve done nothing wrong.” He frowned. “You know better than that.”

King Fergus stretched, popping his back. “She didn’t hurt me. She just stopped my progress.” He shot Pearl a swift, cross glance. “Be grateful I didn’t retaliate.” Quickly, she nodded, and he turned his glare on Jack. “Do that again, and I’ll have you digging wells with only a shovel, and magically filling them, for the next month.”

Jack nodded promptly.

King Kincaid had positioned himself right in front of me, growling at anyone who happened to take a step in our direction. I scratched behind his ears absently, and he leaned against me further, almost resulting in me falling he was so gigantic, so when the gym door banged open and closed again, and Ezra was abruptly at my side, it startled King Kincaid enough that he lunged at Ezra when he appeared.

Luckily, King Venclaire was on the ball and had already disappeared from where he stood and, suddenly, smashed into Ezra, knocking him back and out of the way from King Kincaid’s sharp teeth, which only missed Ezra’s side by less than an inch. The room silent, King Kincaid crouched, growling, while King Venclaire whispered softly to the furious wolf, slowly taking the sandwich Ezra had in his hand, holding it out.

The growling stopped, and King Kincaid sniffed. Gradually, he leaned forward and gently bit into the sandwich, bringing it to me. I removed it from his mouth, careful not to hit any of his sharp teeth, and he plunked down in front of me, baring his teeth at Ezra, who stood still with a carefully blank face.

However, Ezra being Ezra, he muttered harshly, “Eat that, because if you faint from stupidity again, I won’t catch your ass next time.” He glared.

I bit into my gifted sandwich with vigor.

The Kings gave us a fifteen-minute break. I didn’t think it was because I had fainted. The break was for the volunteers, who were really freaked from what they had seen in the first Awakening, and then, afterward. Also, King Kincaid needed time to compose himself.

No one wanted to go near him. That much was obvious, since they were giving me — him — a wide berth. Ten minutes into our break, after I stood motionless, allowing him to know I was fine, he lifted a smidge — he didn’t have to go far — on his back legs and gave my face a big lick. As I was wiping drool off my cheek, he trotted to where Ezra, Pearl, and Jack were talking quietly. Stopped. Turned his head toward Ezra, silently bared his teeth — Pearl’s and Jack’s mouths twitched — and then, finished trotting to where his robe was and shifted.

Turning away from seeing him butt naked, I strolled to my friends and mumbled another simple apology, not embellishing, with the Kings in the gym, on why I had fainted. The sandwich had already made me feel better, but I knew it had also been bottled anxiety and overwhelming relief that had made me faint. Plus, they already knew I had been a bundle of nerves earlier.

Now, I was fairly bouncing on the balls of my feet as they grumbled complaints in my direction. All complaints geared toward the fact I had worried them. If we hadn’t been in front of everyone I would have hugged them, but we were, so, instead, I nodded, failing miserably to keep the grin off my face.

I did it! I did it!

In fact, I broke down and did a little happy dance. Couldn’t be helped.

My friends stopped complaining. Stared. It was like it dawned on them that…I had done it! Then, they were chuckling, and properly vibrating with energy, too. I had done the impossible! I had broken the barriers! No babies needed to be offed because of some stupid, old ass Law, which held no basis whatsoever.

Hybrids could, in fact, do an Awakening. Therefore, the Mys race could continue with them. I wanted to shout to the rafters in delight and excitement! Maybe, it was evolution that had changed hybrids since thousands of years ago or, perhaps, it was just fear our ancestors had experienced that made them create the Law, but hybrids were not what ancient Mysticals had claimed. A hybrid was here to stay — not a plight on the Mys community — when I finally had my say, or demand, and I most definitely would when my dictate held as much value as it was loud.

“We’re ready to begin,” King Venclaire interrupted our unsaid mini-celebration, “If you four would be so kind?”

Moseying across the gym to the Kings, I grinned at Antonio sitting on the bleachers.

Still filming, he peered around the video camera and smiled, giving me a proud nod.

I did it!

King Venclaire startled me from behind, placing his hands on my shoulders and turning me to the left, murmuring, “Pay attention. It’s your turn.” A squeeze of my shoulders, then he moved away as King Kincaid brought over the Shifter volunteer.

My friends stood behind me as King Kincaid glared directly over my head at Ezra, whom I heard growl a little in his throat, obviously getting irritated. Hell, I was, too, since King Kincaid had no true basis for the real frustration riding him, but nothing could bring my mood down. Not even after the Shifter was hidden under his robe on the floor, and I knelt, my friends quickly touching me and giving me that god-awful jolt.

Warmth came directly after when we made our link. As they pushed their power into me, my own rose with theirs. I jerked, but quickly steadied myself. It felt like I could run across the entire United States of America and not even be winded. Our combined power was hard to control it was so potent. It built inside me like a ticking time bomb, and I knew I was shaking slightly when I whispered hoarsely, “You guys there?”