“The animal clan within the naturi people has long been seen as the foot soldiers, the lowest of the clans, and they’ve grown weary of this position,” Cynnia said. “As a result, their leader and most of the clan has broken off from Aurora. Nyx is negotiating an alliance with them. When we go to war with Aurora, one of the strongest groups of fighters will be among our warriors. From them, I will gain a promise that the shifters will not be controlled in any way.”
“A decent start.” Inwardly, I hoped she had more up her sleeve than just a pack of mongrels.
“For the most part, the wind clan has also joined my cause, leaving only the light and earth clans at Aurora’s side,” she continued. She clasped her hands together before her. “Her numbers are still large, but the presence of the Fire Starter will help to keep the light clan under control somewhat.”
“What about the water clan?” I demanded. “I’ve seen them come ashore.”
Cynnia’s hands stilled as her gaze dropped down to her fingers. “Nyx has managed to contact some of them. Their numbers have been decimated. What few remain exist in only the deepest ocean trenches or in the most northern territories, living half-lives between humanlike creatures and a creature of the ocean. They cannot help us in this battle. They want nothing to do with either side and I respect their choice.”
Unfolding one arm, I started ticking off each point on my fingers. “Wind clan. Animal clan. In addition, you want all the nightwalkers and lycans that can be pulled together so we can go after Aurora in some remote location hidden from the human populace. Should you win, there will be a permanent truce between the naturi and the other races.”
“That is correct,” Cynnia replied, flashing me a fragile smile as she tried to look reassuring.
“There’s only thing that you’re missing,” I said with a frown.
“What’s that?”
“You’re creating this great army, but who will be leading it? You? An untrained warrior who has never seen a night of battle?”
“I helped you at Machu Picchu!” she snapped.
“But you weren’t leading the charge or calling out the commands. I was.” And when it came to going up against Aurora, I wasn’t going to follow just anyone. In fact, I wasn’t sure I was all that willing to follow anyone she named.
“You’re right,” she agreed in a soft voice. “I haven’t proper battle experience. Kane, the leader of the animal clan, will lead his people into battle, while my sister Nyx will be the leader of the wind clan armies. And if she succeeds as I know she will, both Kane and Nyx will be following the final direction of Rowe in battle.”
I made a small choking noise as both my hands slammed into the side of the car and I tried to lurch back away from Cynnia.
Follow Rowe? Every fiber in my being rebelled at the very idea. So much so that my stomach churned until I thought I would vomit up blood. Rowe was my enemy in every sense of the word. We had managed a temporary truce when both our lives were on the line, but it was made with the understanding that we would soon find ourselves on the opposite sides of the battlefield again.
“No!” I snarled. “Absolutely not! It will never happen.” I jerked around and placed my hand on the handle of my car with the intention of pulling the door open and driving out of there so I could put as much distance between myself and the idea that I would once again work with my former tormentor. Before I could open the door, Danaus placed his hand over mine while placing his other hand on the door over my shoulder, pinning me gently in place.
Just hear her out.
Rowe nearly destroyed me, I snarled back. As the memory flashed to life in my brain, my temper snapped again. At the same time, balls of fire popped into existence in the wide entryway that led to a series of tunnels under downtown Savannah. There was a soft cry of surprise and distress among the gathered group, which only helped to feed my anger and the flames.
“Mira?” Shelly softly inquired.
“I won’t do it,” I repeated through clenched teeth, holding my body painfully still as every muscle in my frame tightened.
“Please, Mira,” Cynnia said in an amazingly gentle and beguiling voice. “I fully know the history between not only you and Rowe, but also with my brother Nerian. I have spoken to other Machu Picchu survivors, and you of all people have no reason to help us other than the fact that it will help your own people in the end.”
“You’re asking for the impossible,” I hissed, looking around Danaus at the naturi princess. “Rowe is loyal to his precious wife-queen. He will never come to your side.”
“I am confident that Nyx will change his mind. She will make him see reason.”
“And if she can’t?” Knox interjected.
Cynnia paused and heaved a deep, slow sigh. “Then she will kill him. We can’t afford to have him as an enemy. In truth, I fear his fighting prowess and experience more than Aurora’s army. If we can get him to lead our armies, I am confident we will be victorious, however.”
“Then you will have to achieve your victory without the help of the nightwalkers because I will not follow a single order uttered by that monster.”
“You won’t have to,” Cynnia quickly said. “You and Barrett will lead your own people in this fight. We will tell you our plans for the encounter and you will place your own people into the battle as you see fit. You will not have to follow a single order from Rowe, I swear to you. I would never ask that of you.”
Turning back to face the car, I closed my eyes. Danaus’s thumb stroked over my hand, trying to ease away some of the tension. I pulled back some of the power that filled the flames that dotted the cave so that the light dimmed slightly. I hated Rowe. I hated him with everything I was, but I was making a selfish decision to turn my back on Cynnia and her cause because of my own past. Her goal, if she succeeded, would not only put off the Great Awakening, but also stop the constant battles with the naturi and my own people. To make matters worse, I had a feeling that Barrett would follow me if I decided not to help the naturi. It was going to be an all or nothing game when it came to the involvement of the lycans and the nightwalkers.
When Cynnia spoke again, she sounded a little closer than she had been only a couple seconds earlier. “I know that you will never forgive him, and I will not try to ask that of you. I am just looking for a temporary truce for the good of both our peoples.”
“Rowe bears no love for mankind,” I said, refusing to open my eyes. “What does he care if Aurora wishes to continue her campaign?”
“I believe that Rowe cares first for our people and he will not allow Aurora to pursue our extinction,” Cynnia pressed on. “He will help us, and when we succeed, he will slip away into a silent, secret existence away from mankind with the rest of us. I am offering him peace and acceptance after centuries of struggle and hatred among our people.”
Gritting my teeth, I reached out to Knox, letting his perpetual calm sweep over me before I spoke to him. I could feel his concern for me, but he did not outwardly display it. What is your opinion?
I believe that we must do what is best for our people. We will follow you regardless of what you decide in the belief that you are protecting us in the best fashion that you see for us, he honestly answered, but I could tell he was already leaning toward Cynnia’s camp. He was only twisting it to make it sound like I actually had a choice when I really didn’t. If I left Cynnia to go to war with Aurora without our help, we risked the complete destruction of our way of life. If we helped, we at least had a chance at peace.
You’re a real bastard sometimes.
I don’t know about this Rowe, but I know that the nightwalkers will follow you anywhere, Elder. We will fight and defeat Aurora if we are to maintain our secret.